The Atlanta Falcons confirmed their dismal state of affairs by losing to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 14, 37-9.
They are officially out of the 2025 playoffs, which few really expected them to reach anyway. Worse yet, the Falcons fell short for the eighth consecutive season of acheiving their stated goal of a winning season, now with a 4 and 9 record.
The Falcons did not get a touchdown in today’s game. Their play sequence was punt, field goal, punt, FG (blocked), FG, fumble, interception, FG, interception, turnover on downs. The Seahawks were much more productive: punt, FG, interception, punt, FG, touchdown, touchdown, FG, touchdown, touchdown, punt. The Falcons and Seahawks were matching each other offensively and defensively in the first half, going into halftime tied at 6.
Then, before Falcons fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium could even bite into their $2 hot dogs and sip their equally budget-priced beer, all hell broke loose.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez kicked a 65-yard punt that landed in the hands of Seattle WR Rashid Shaheed, who ran for 100 yards to the endzone unimpeded by anyone in red, white and black, to score the first TD of either team. Save for one successful FG in the 4th quarter, all the action in the second half came from the visitors, and the Falcons collapsed into their own repetitive, mediocre habits. Special teams once again was a significant source of the Falcons’ misery.
QB Kirk Cousins had a lousy day at the office. He went 15 of 30 for 162 passing yards (the Seahawks’ Sam Darnold got 249 passing yards). Cousins threw 2 interceptions.
Like so many times, the Falcons looked clueless and rusty in their own house, out-dazzled by the opposition and hobbled by their own incompetence. Seattle had 365 total yards to the ATL’s 274. The 3rd down conversion challenged Dirty Birds unimpressed again this week, going 1 of 13 while the Seahawks went 6 of 13. Falcons’ defense was unable to stop Seattle’s move down the field, staying on the field more than three minutes longer than the visitor’s 31:20.
The Falcons’ unlucky Sunday also included an ill-fated touchdown catch by Darnell Mooney, who the refs called out of bounds.
Now that it’s been confirmed that the Falcons aren’t going anywhere but home after the regular season, what did this underachieving team’s embattled coach have to say after the game?
“Our fanbase deserves a winner,” said coach Raheem Morris, acknowledging Falcons fans’ increasing fury at watching their home team once again getting demoralised in their own stadium. “The only thing you can do is try to go give them the best effort you can on Thursday night.” He’s referring to the upcoming game against the playoff-bound 7-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Falcons will be coming to the Bucs’ house (Raymond James Stadium) on Thursday, where as much mercy will be spared on them as local ATL fans are with their criticism and urgent demands that heads roll at Flowery Branch at season’s end (if not sooner).
Apparently, that level of agitation over the Falcons’ sorry state is growing in the locker room too, based on what Cousins said to the press after the game. He was asked if the team had become so “mellow” (read: complacent) that someone needed to “throw a chair” across to room to wake them up. Cousins responded: “Could be. It’s hard to say.”
It may be too late even for the chair, unfortunately. The clock has run out for the Falcons to pull out a miracle and achieve a winning season or a playoff appearance. We are now in “play for pride” mode, where any attempt at playmaking will mainly be to stay employed with the Falcons into next season.
Only who can be proud of today’s performance by the Falcons?
