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Bold second-half prediction: TE Kyle Pitts will top 1,100 receiving yards.

Pitts is on pace for 1,160 yards, which would set a rookie record for receiving yards as a tight end -- snapping a 60-year-old NFL mark. He has taken big steps as a pass-catcher as the season has gone on, and not only should he break Hall of Famer Mike Ditka's mark if he stays healthy, he should shatter it. -- Michael Rothstein

The Falcons deserve a trophy for figuring out how to unlock Cordarrelle Patterson. The veteran is one of the greatest special teams players in history, but it's taken until his ninth season for a coach -- hello, Arthur Smith -- to transform him into a consistent offensive weapon. Patterson was at it again in a dramatic win over the Saints, piling up 136 scrimmage yards, including the dramatic 64-yard catch-and-run that set up Younghoe Koo's 29-yard field goal as time expired. Patterson played the role of savior after a hideous fourth-quarter collapse summoned ghosts of 28-3. Said Patterson after the win: "We just like to give our fans a heart attack, just to keep them on their toes, make sure they are paying attention." We're watching.

They are 4-4 after their impressive road victory over the Saints. Matt Ryan is having an outstanding season to get this team into the playoff race.

The best thing about this team has to be QB Matt Ryan's kids, the "Ice Cubes." How else to explain why Atlanta (4-4) is presently a playoff team?

Are they good? Not really. Knocking off New Orleans in the Superdome is impressive, but it gets a QB asterisk. And the Falcons' other three wins are by a combined 12 points, against teams that are a combined 7-19. They still have the Jaguars and the Lions on the schedule, so they'll continue to be on the cusp of the last wild card, but something like 7-10 is almost worse than 4-13 -- this team would be picking 19th in the draft. Without Calvin Ridley right now, without a consistent run game, without any player with more than two sacks, this is an incomplete team that will struggle to keep up with most average or better opponents.