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Patterson rushed five times for 18 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 30-17 win over Tampa Bay. He also caught two of three targets for one yard.
What it means:
Patterson took a back seat to Tyler Allgeier during the Falcons' season finale, but the veteran salvaged his Week 18 production by recording Atlanta's lone rushing touchdown during the win. After totaling 122 rushing attempts for 619 yards and six touchdowns over his first 10 appearances, Patterson saw just 22 rushes for 77 yards over the final three games of the season, though he did record two touchdowns during that stretch. He ultimately finished with career highs in rushing yards (695) and rushing touchdowns (eight), but he saw a significant regression in his passing-game production, as he caught just 21 passes for 122 yards after registering 52 receptions and 548 yards a year ago. Overall Patterson's season wasn't disappointing, but there were certainly signs that his prolific 2021 campaign was an outlier compared to his normal production. His cap hit for 2023 is $5.5 million, which is a sizable contract and suggests he'll have a solid role next year, but after Allgeier's impressive rookie campaign, Patterson may be relegated to backup duties moving forward.
