Falcons’ offensive change was to attack Saints, not get out of the ‘pistol’

“I think any time, any week, you look at what’s your personnel that’s available for that week,” Robinson said. “Obviously, we knew Monday going into that game, so we’re evaluating, ‘Hey, what’s the personnel that’s going to be up in this game?’ And then you look at the other side of the ball and you say, what’s their personnel? What are the matchups?”

The Falcons liked their power formation against the smallish Saints defense when they played Sunday.

“What are some of the issues that could possibly arise from the other side of the ball?” Robinson said. “Then you dive into the scheme, and you look at their defensive scheme and what can kind of fit. We just thought that it was the best plan of attack to kind of attack that game (using) 13.”

Robinson said some weeks they offensive brain trust will prefer 11, 12 or 21 personnel.

“We’ve been kind of doing that all season long,” Robinson said. “Obviously, haven’t done it out of 13, but we just felt, based on the guys that were available in that game and trying to get our best 11 (players) on the field, we felt that was the best way to handle it.”

Tight ends coach Kevin Koger had to get the tight ends — Kyle Pitts, Charlie Woerner and Teagan Quitoriano — ready for action. Pitts played 53 of the 56 offensive snaps (95%). Quitoriano played 35 (62%) and Woerner played 34 (61%).

“Those guys handled it,” Robinson said. “They played well.”

Robinson wouldn’t reveal how they plan to attack the Jets.

“All game plans are week to week,” Robinson said. “Every week can be so much different based on your personnel availability and what you’re seeing on the other side of football.”

Cousins is fine under center or in the Pistol formation. The Falcons used it last year to keep his recovering Achilles’ heel out of harm’s way.

“I think there are (advantages) to both,” Cousins said. “I also think that it’s sometimes not even a big difference. It’s just kind of dealer’s choice.”

The Falcons opened a two-score lead Sunday when Cousins hit wide receiver Darnell Mooney for a 49-yard touchdown off a play-action fake.

“Some of it is types of routes, but realistically, I don’t know if it was an uptick in play-action,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “It was probably about the same whether we were in pistol or whether we were up under (center) with the number of play actions. I think we got the explosive that we were able to get out of (play-action)”

Most of the offensive game plan was specific for the Saints.

“So, it’s just kind of a matter of what you think you need in order to go out and win that football game,” Morris said. “Some of the concepts, some of the things that we do with Kirk, some of the ways we’re able to create the pocket for Kirk.”

The Falcons held more players in to help some pass protections, too.

“Kirk’s going to be there,” Morris said. “We know that. So, be able to make him nice and comfy and cozy in that pocket, some of the things we wanted to do with our protection schemes and that nature.”

The Falcons went with more 13 personnel in order to attack the Saints defense than they have all season.

“That wasn’t because of Kirk,” Morris said. “That was something that we wanted to do to make sure that we can get the best out of our guys.”

Some games, the Falcons will flank running back Bijan Robinson out like a wide receiver.

“I think it was really game-specific on the game planning that we wanted (for Saints) week,” Morris said. “I think those guys, again, kudos to Zac (Robinson), kudos to all the guys that had a part to do it. Obviously, they have coach Koger. He was the coach of the day, having 13 personnel out there.”