The Falcons will see old friend Sean Payton this weekend as the club travels to Denver to take on the Broncos.

Atlanta’s defense will surprisingly have its hands full with Payton’s Bo Nix-led offense. It’s not robust with the big names of other offenses, but it’s effective because Payton is still one of the best in the business and Nix executes.

The Broncos’ strength lies on the defensive side of the ball, particularly the pass rush, which might be the best in the NFL. The Falcons offense will be tested this week at Mile High, but they have the horses, pun intended, to upset the Broncos, and Payton knows it.

“I think we’ve all been conditioned to a (No.) 1 and a (No.) 2. They’re both completely different types of receivers,” Payton said on Darnell Mooney and Drake London, via Sports Illustrated. “Then you’re dealing with the tight end, and we haven’t even talked about (the return). So I think they’re different types of players.”

With Kirk Cousins ​​in the fold, Atlanta’s weapons began to realize their potential, especially Mooney and London. In his last two seasons with the Bears, Mooney has not eclipsed 500 yards receiving. In 10 games, he has already amassed 684 yards, followed by London’s 649 yards.

In fact, the wide receiver duo is the only one in the NFL to rank in the top eight in touchdowns and yards, something only two other duos — Randy Moss and Cris Carter and Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne — have accomplished.

As Payton mentions, then “you take care of the tight end,” with Kyle Pitts finally looking like the player the Falcons saw in his rookie campaign. Pitts is on pace to eclipse his combined production over the last two seasons.

That’s not even mentioning Bijan Robinson, who is averaging nearly 5.0 yards per carry for 748 yards and six touchdowns this year. Don’t forget Robinson in the passing game either. His 331 receiving yards on 41 receptions puts him over 1,000 scrimmage yards and just a few scores away from double-digit touchdowns.

The Falcons have the kind of weapons that will make defensive coordinators’ heads spin. They complement each other and have point guard Kirk Cousins ​​to share the rock.

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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire