Let’s get this out of the way first: the Atlanta Falcons aren’t very good when the pressure is on. I was tempted to flat out say that they’re not a good team, but that wouldn’t be entirely accurate. They have a very good offense and a decent enough defense; they just can’t seem to hold on to late leads. That’s more of an indictment on head coach Dan Quinn, than anything, but that’s besides the point. This article isn’t about Quinn or even the Falcons as a whole. It’s about one man that seemingly emerged from nowhere: Russell Gage.
While the season is just starting, Gage is on pace to do some major damage to opposing teams secondaries. In Week 1 vs the Seahawks he was targeted 12 times (the same number of times Falcons’ stars Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley were targeted). He hauled in nine of those passes, and while he didn’t have a touchdown, he had 114 yards. In Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, he was less effective, but still had a solid game, finishing with six catches for 46 yards and that ever-elusive first touchdown of the season. The touchdown was particularly impressive, as he caught the pass while being sandwiched by two Cowboys defenders in the endzone.
But where did Gage come from? How did he fly under the radar for so long?
This is probably because despite going to a big name school (LSU), he began his football career as a defensive back. It wasn’t until the spring of 2016 that he transitioned to a wideout for LSU. But during his time for the Tigers he was overshadowed by bigger offensive names such as Leonard Fournette, DJ Chark, and Derrius Guice, so his contributions largely went under the radar. Even so, he was a versatile offensive threat, both running and catching the ball effectively, finishing his career with 232 rushing yards, 347 receiving yards and 4 total touchdowns, with most of his production coming his senior year. His lack of buzz/on-field production made him available in the late rounds of the draft, and the Falcons’ saw potential in his 4.42 40-yard dash, 40 inch vertical, and solid route running, so they pulled the trigger on him in the sixth round of the 2018 Draft. While he went under the radar his first two seasons, he seems to have found his footing and looks to be carving out a breakout role this season.
If Gage continues on the path he has set for himself, he is on pace to eclipse 1200 yards and eight touchdowns, and while that is incredibly ambitious for a player who only has 509 receiving yards for his career, I believe he can get it (or at least get really close to it). While the Falcons already have two amazing receivers in Julio Jones (arguably the best WR in the NFL) and Calvin Ridley, Gage is a perfect third option. Defenses often use most of their resources to stop the ever-explosive Jones, which often leaves some of their other receivers open; enter Russell Gage. He excels as an underneath target as teams load up to stop the other two dangerous wideouts; his shifty route running allows him to create space in man coverage and his football IQ helps him take advantage of holes in zone defenses and lets him sit down in those open spots. This is evidenced in the previous two games as 12 of his 15 receptions went for first downs. With Jones hobbled by a hamstring injury (he may or may not play Sunday) Gage can further cement his status as a solid option for Matt Ryan. Barring injury, look for the Falcons to have a trio of 1,000-yard receivers, as Gage becomes uncaged.