Calls for change will get louder after 30-27 OT loss to Panthers
No need to sugarcoat it.
This is the bottom for the Atlanta Falcons.
It has to be. This is the fifth consecutive loss for the Dirty Birds. The third straight loss to the Carolina Panthers, the team the Falcons could once say they were statistically better than in past losing seasons. Not this year.
The NFC South rivals from the Queen City have swept their down south competition and are now 6-5 thanks to an overtime win over the now 3-7 Falcons. And it’s a loss that could possibly cause future earthquakes and aftershocks at Flowery Branch, where, in the past few weeks, a few words of recognition of their problems, acknowledgment that something needs to be done, were their shielding answer to an avalanche of condemnation from fans and local sports media.
That firewall will probably fail this week.
No amount of excuses, reasoning, and “we’ll get it fixed” will suffice now.
When the Panthers QB Bryce Young cranks out an astounding 448 passing yards despite almost leaving the game due to an injury, questions will get louder. When the offense can’t stay on the field and the defense has to stay on the field to hold back a strident Panthers offense, eyes are going to roll. When there are more red chairs visible at Mercedes-Benz Stadium than seated fans on television BEFORE the game starts, and even some of them leave before the game is over in disgust, it’s time for a change.
And then there’s this…
Credit: Carolina Panthers
This act of social media trolling comes courtesy of a team the Falcons used to own. The Panthers posted this after the overtime 30-27 loss. The Falcons are not one of the bullies of the NFL (they never were). They are the bullied.
And this is just in the hours after the game. The coming days will find a molten lava of criticism and calls for immediate action headed in the direction of Flowery Branch. And the coach, offensive coordinator, and others making the decisions for the team’s play may not be able to escape it.
“The body is in the ground, the casket is in the ground. Their season is officially disco dead,” declared Bryant McFadden on CBS Sports.
“Put a fork in ‘em, put a spoon in ‘em, put a spatula in ‘em…it’s over,” said 929 The Game’s Steak Shapiro after the game.
Those are just a sample of the dire reaction that’s sure to drench the Falcons from now until the next game against their hated rival, the New Orleans Saints. And if they lose to THEM, well… let’s take one game at a time.
The Falcons could have avoided this fate and won this game by at least a field goal. But drive by drive, the Panthers ate away at the lead the Falcons built up in the first quarter. The Falcons reverted to the same old same old after the half. Bad offensive calls, silly ticky tack penalties, special teams blunders, and injuries that kept the hard luck Falcons on their heels all season. The Panthers leaned on Young and their capable offense to keep gashing the Dirty Birds until the home team’s defense couldn’t hold them back anymore. And that inevitable occasion came just like it did in the previous game against the Colts in Berlin. During overtime.
Michael Penix Jr. wasn’t great, but he did well. But the injury bug bit him, and backup QB Kirk Cousins was called off the bench to save a game that by this time was headed in the wrong direction for team Red, White, and Black.
The Falcons got the first crack of the ball in OT, and all they had to do was to get the ball close enough to the red zone to have Zane Gonzalez’ feet to work its magic. But the Falcons’ penchant for dumb penalties and throwing errors once again reared their heads at the wrong time, and the Falcons gave it back to the Panthers, who had no problems coasting down the field (thanks to a huge run by Tommy Tremble, who an exhausted defense seemed powerless to tackle) to kick the winning field goal.
The minute the kick cleared the goal posts, the heat was on for the Falcons. And their coaching staff.
“We keep finding ways to make it tough,” said embattled head coach Raheem Morris. “We certainly do that. Very winnable game for us.” When asked about his own quality of coaching, he responded, “There’s no such thing as a losing team, only a losing leader. I’m the leader, and we lost.” Credit him for taking responsibility. Probably won’t save his job, but at least he didn’t make excuses.
Cousins, who may be called on to face the Saints next Sunday in Penix is unable, added, “We don’t know where this will go. Kind of day-to-day. We’ll see where we end up.” That confidence-inspiring answer was a question as to who, him or Penix Jr., will start next week, but it could also apply to the sad state of his team.
The Falcons, as they stand right now, are destined to be a losing team with no playoff appearance and a record identical to the last seven seasons. For coaches in their second year, that gets you a pink slip. For a team as a whole, it is more humiliation and off-season turnovers. The failing and flailing coaching staff is on track for a shake-up as soon as this week, and some players, particularly on special teams and offense, have not done enough to justify them being back next year. Those decisions are ultimately on the shoulders of the man who owns the team, Arthur Blank.
Blank, whose local benevolence and business savvy are without question, has yearned to hold up the Vince Lombardi trophy over his head in the stadium he built. But it seems every season that moment slips further away from him, thanks to a team that can’t find its way. He is a patient businessman and didn’t make the Home Depot, a multinational home improvement chain he cofounded, by making hasty, unthought-out decisions. But he can’t be happy with the state of the Falcons right now. Eventually, he will make some moves.
Just probably not soon enough to stop this team from falling further into the abyss of embarrassment and mediocrity.
NOTES
For the second time this season, QB Michael Penix Jr. is likely to be in the injury column. Drake London could join him, as both have knee injuries. Morris had no immediate news on their injuries.
Falcons reporter Tori McElhaney points out that the Falcons are the first team in the Super Bowl era to have 18 or more defensive sacks in a 3-game span, but lose all those games. Like they say, make it make sense!
When you are a struggling QB and want to make an impression, playing the Falcons could make you look very good. Just ask Panthers QB Bryce Young, who went 31/45, racked up a franchise record 448 pass yards and 3 TDs.
If the Falcons lose to the Saints next week, they will share the NFC South basement with them at 3-8. With tough competition headed their way later this season, the Dirty Birds being the new cellar dwellers in the conference becomes a distinct possibility.
Being at home doesn’t seem to be much of a help to the Falcons. They are 2 of 3 at home in MBS
Penix Jr., before leaving the game due to injury, was 175 in passing yards and 13/16. Bijan Robinson got 104 rushing yards from 23 carries and 2 touchdowns. Drake London (Baller of the Game) got 119 receiving yards from 7 receptions.
The Falcons DID convert 3rd down today, 4 of 11 attempts. Better than nothing, which they got against the Colts last week.
On the bright side, HOW ‘BOUT THEM DAWGS!
