FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Good morning, Falcons fans! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

Tori McElhaney is currently enjoying a well-deserved day filled with family and football, so I'm here to answer your mailbag questions. To give everyone as much holiday time back, let's go ahead and jump straight into it.

And, as always, if you'd like to submit a future mailbag question, you may do so here.

Jim A. from Johns Creek, Georgia

"Why do the Falcons run on every first down for very little gain? No deception in their play calling."

Hi, Jim, thanks for writing in. Your question definitely got my mind buzzing a little bit this morning because this isn't something that's jumped out to me, but it also isn't something I've paid the closest attention to, so I wanted to do a little digging.

According to Next Gen Stats, the Falcons have called 168 "designed runs" on first down to 131 passes. These stats take into account the intention of the play, and not the final result like a sack or scramble by the quarterback.

So, you're onto something in that the Falcons have had a bit more of a tendency to run the ball on first downs, but I wouldn't say they "run on every first down."

Zooming out a little bit, Atlanta has called the eighth-most designed runs on first down this year, but they are in good company. Some of the teams ahead of them on that list are Seattle, Buffalo, Green Bay and Dallas, which are among the best offensive units in the league this year.

Certainly, it's important to look at the effectiveness of these plays. Only four teams in the league this year have a positive EPA (Expected Points Added) per designed run on first down — Indianapolis leads at 0.05. The Falcons' EPA per designed run on first down stands at minus-0.06, which is actually tied for the ninth-best mark in the league. They are also tied for 7^th in yards per carry by running backs on first down, averaging 5 yards a pop, and rank 5^th in the number of runs that go for 10 or more yards.

Few things frustrate me more than predictable play calling or a lack of creativity on offense, but I don't think that's been the case here in Atlanta. There are some nits to pick, for sure; first-down runs aren't among them for me.

Will S. from Summerville, Georgia

"When the dust settles, what do you think Terry Fontenot's legacy will be?"

I think his legacy has improved in recent years, even with the Falcons' plan at quarterback not playing out the way they envisioned. Even there, though, it's important to be able to separate the vision of the plan from how everything actually unfolded, which is outside of any one individual's control.

The biggest issue for Atlanta for virtually two decades, however, has been its pass rush. Sure, there have been blip years like 2016 and 2023, but even those seasons didn't create a sense of sustainability. This year is entirely different. The Falcons are third in the league in sacks through 12 weeks, and not only does that feel entirely appropriate, but it feels replicable moving forward. Atlanta's pass rush doesn't just seem fixed for this season; it looks like it's well set up for success in the future.

Obviously, the coaching staff has a hand in that, but hitting on players like Brandon Dorlus in the fourth round is huge in making that happen. It also shouldn't be understated that both of the Falcons' first-round picks look like future stars in this league, and how frequently have we seen pass rushers in the first round across the league not pan out? Sure, they don't have a first-round pick next year, but they used that pick on a player who I'm personally very happy to have in Atlanta. Who cares if that happened this year or next?

As with any general manager — and it's here that I should say these decisions never come down to a single person; there is an entire staff working year-round to make personnel decisions, and the Falcons have a good group — there are hits and misses on the resume. Jalen Mayfield and Ade Ogundeji, it's fair to say those are misses. But getting Drew Dalman in the fourth round and Tyler Allgeier in the fifth are undoubtedly successes.

And when it comes to free agency, I think Fontenot inherited a very tricky situation that he's navigated well. Remember, Atlanta had next to no cap space for his two offseasons and the Falcons were still able to make smart investments on defense while building up their offense through the draft. Then, when the money was available, they spent it very wisely, adding players like Jessie Bates III, David Onyemata and Kaden Elliss. Linebacker, in particular, has been a strength of Fontenot's, even dating back to his time in New Orleans. Look no further than Divine Deablo as the latest gem the team identified at the position.

The 2025 draft class is shaping up to be a home run, and the overall talent of the team has improved from the time Fontenot took over to this moment. That's pretty much all you can ask for, right?

Geoffrey C. from Brooklyn, New York

"As we suffer through another season of disappointment, we look towards the offseason and next year. What do you see as the personnel priorities in free agency and next year's draft?"

I thought this would be a good pairing with the previous question to spin things forward. Thanks for providing a note to end on Geoff! (Can I call you Geoff? I feel like we're already friends, so I'm going to call you Geoff.)

There are some key players currently on the roster who are set to hit free agency, including Kaden Elliss, David Onyemata, Tyler Allgeier and Kyle Pitts — just to name a few. So there is could be a decent amount of turnover among starters this offseason.

Now, I'd argue, Elliss should be a priority re-signing, even though he'll be 31 years old next season, and I think everyone would love to see Allgeier back at the right price. But I think he'll get some enticing offers on the open market.

The big wrinkle in all of this is now the quarterback position with Michael Penix Jr. recently undergoing surgery that could impact his readiness for the beginning of the 2026 season. Kirk Cousins is still under contract, but his cap hit would be among the highest in the league. Figuring out that position will certainly be a priority once again.

Outside of that, I'd be looking at the team adding depth on defense and starting-caliber players on offense, specifically at wide receiver and tight end. For as great as Drake London has been — and Darnell Mooney has shown he's capable as well — I still believe this team could draft a receiver on Day 2 of the draft to help fortify that unit.

The offensive line is also an x-factor in this for me. While I wouldn't bet against Jake Matthews' reliability, he will be 35 years old next year. Kaleb McGary has been awesome as a run blocker, but his injury clouds the picture as well. Could the Falcons look to fine-tune that group in an effort to help evolve their run looks?

Given what Atlanta was able to do on defense in the last two drafts, I do think this offseason will be more about building depth on both sides of the ball with either proven veteran role players or young guys who the team believes will play their best seasons with the Falcons.