FLOWERY BRANCH — With Drake London out, Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney will need to step up when the Falcons (3-7) face the Saints (2-8) at 4:25 p.m. Sunday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Mooney, who is struggling this season, will be on the hot seat.
Mooney and quarterback Kirk Cousins were a lethal combination at times last season.
“I think, again, it’s so week-to-week in this league as to what you do,” Cousins said about their connections. “He had a tough, tough hand dealt to him with the collarbone even going back to last season and then training camp.”
Mooney has also been slowed by a hamstring injury this season and has had five drops, according to Fox Sports stats.
“So, you kind of have to build from there,” Cousins said. “I’d love to see him really be able to take off here in the last stretch of the year. But, it’s so week-to-week as to how you emphasize things, what you focus on. You never know who the hot hand will be that week.”
Mooney’s catch percentage was 60.4% (64 of 106) last season. This season it’s 38.1% (16 of 42) for 225 yards and no touchdowns.
The Falcons need the Cousins-to-Mooney connection to be productive.
“It feels like Mooney’s close,” Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said. “Big-time third-down catch in (the Panthers) game. He’s had opportunities where maybe the ball didn’t go his way because the read was on the front side. But he’s continuing to work knowing that those opportunities are going to come at some point.”
Mooney finished last season with 992 yards and five touchdowns.
“Anticipating Mooney, at some point here, he’ll get a high volume of targets and anticipate him taking off,” Robinson said.
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