NE Atlanta News

In the realm of NFL football, few players have made as significant an impact as Jessie Bates III. Known for his exceptional defensive skills, Bates has consistently demonstrated his ability to influence games with timely plays. Raheem Morris, after Atlanta's Week 5 win against Tampa Bay, praised Bates, stating, "He is amazing, isn't he? When he's out there and he makes some of these plays, and it has happened every single week, you can pick out a significant play from Jessie Bates."

Efforts to quantify Bates' contributions led to the development of a metric called Defensive Impact Plays (DIP). This measure considers interceptions, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries, sacks, tackles for loss, and tackles short of the sticks on third or fourth down. Bates leads the Falcons with 10 DIPs this season.

Despite his impressive stats, including three forced fumbles and two interceptions among others, Bates' overall impact remains nuanced due to the advantage front seven players have in DIP rankings. Adjustments were made by assigning weights to each type of play based on expected points added (EPA), resulting in a weighted-DIP measure.

According to Tru Media statistics dating back to 2000, turnovers are about 60% more impactful by EPA than sacks. Interceptions are given the highest weight followed by forced fumbles and recoveries. This method highlights Bates' effectiveness; he ranks third among safeties in weighted DIP at 1.9.

Bates is integral to a Falcons defense that excels at limiting explosive passes. Through eight games, Atlanta holds opposing quarterbacks to the lowest passer rating in the NFL on throws over 20 yards at 38.3%. Opponents attempting deep throws towards Bates often find themselves disadvantaged.

In addition to individual accolades for players like Bates and Kirk Cousins' strong performances in October — highlighted by setting franchise records — Atlanta has experienced its best start since 2018 with a current record of 5-3. The team's offensive prowess is evident as they lead the league in passing yards per game while maintaining high rankings in other offensive categories.

The Falcons' success extends beyond individual efforts; both Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier have contributed significantly to their ground game success recently ranking them high in rushing yards over expected according to Next Gen Stats.

As Atlanta continues its push through regular season play with sights set on playoffs past Week 12 bye week; how teams plan around containing these standout performers will be key storyline worth watching moving forward into final stretch towards postseason aspirations.