
Losses in six of their previous seven video games have left the Atlanta Falcons needing an enormous rally to keep away from their eighth consecutive shedding season
ATLANTA — Losses in six of their previous seven video games have left the Atlanta Falcons needing an enormous rally to keep away from their eighth consecutive shedding season.
“We nonetheless have 5 left,” stated linebacker Kaden Ellis after Sunday's last-second 27-24 loss on the New York Jets. “We've acquired to go play for pleasure and rattle off 5 in a row. Crazier issues have occurred.”
The Falcons (4-8) proceed to make it troublesome to think about an unlikely turnaround. Regardless of their poor report, they've solely been outscored 276-243 however proceed to seek out methods to lose shut video games. The shut losses are putting extra warmth on second-year coach Raheem Morris.
Atlanta suffered back-to-back additional time losses on the finish of a five-game shedding streak earlier than shedding quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to a season-ending knee injury. Kirk Cousins handed for 2 touchdowns in a 24-10 win over New Orleans on Nov. 23. Any hope generated by the win over the Saints light shortly with Atlanta's lack of ability to beat the last-place Jets.
The Falcons had been damage by two devastating particular groups breakdowns and late drops by a large receivers group that appears skinny with Drake London out with a knee harm.
The Falcons wasted one other robust efficiency by working again Bijan Robinson, one other stable if unspectacular begin by Cousins and considered one of tight finish Kyle Pitts' most efficient video games of the season.
Morris stated “we don't make emotional selections” when he was requested after the sport if he deliberate to fireside particular groups coach Marquice Williams. A fumbled punt by Jamal Agnew and poor protection on an 83-yard kickoff return by New York's Isaiah Williams led to 10 factors for the Jets that determined the sport.
These had been breakdowns the Falcons — and Morris — can't afford.
Robinson is having an All-Professional caliber season however once more had too little assist. He had 23 carries for 142 yards and a landing and caught 5 passes for 51 yards. He’s the fifth participant in NFL historical past with not less than 50 receptions and 1,400 yards from scrimmage in every of his first three seasons. The others are Matt Forte, Justin Jefferson, Herschel Walker and LaDainian Tomlinson.
Robinson has 995 dashing yards and 54 catches for a career-high 594 yards via 12 video games.
The particular groups breakdowns had been troublesome to clarify or defend. Morris confirmed Agnew shouldn’t have tried to area a punt contained in the 5 that he fumbled and the Jets recovered on the 2 to arrange a straightforward landing.
“You’ve acquired to let that go,” Morris stated. “You’ve acquired to let it go. You’ve acquired to let it contact the bottom."
The poor protection on the Jets' 83-yard kickoff return arrange a tying area aim.
Morris second-guessed himself for giving the Jets the chance to return the ball as a substitute of getting the kickoff go into the top zone.
“We selected to kick it out a bunch right this moment, and that was yet one more time I ought to have selected to kick it out once more,” Morris stated.
With Robinson and Tyler Allgeier every dashing for touchdowns, Cousins may need earned his second straight win if not for the particular groups breakdowns and drops. He accomplished 21 of 33 passes for 234 yards with one landing and no interceptions. He was sacked twice however may need a greater likelihood of discovering an open receiver extra shortly if London returns because the go-to choice.
Cousins' 291st profession TD move tied Warren Moon for sixteenth all time.
When the Falcons had a last possession to presumably transfer into place for a go-ahead area aim, Pitts, David Sills V and Darnell Mooney had drops on three consecutive performs. Pitts had tight protection however Sills and Mooney had no excuses for not making their catches on completely positioned passes by Cousins. Sills had a scoring catch however the Falcons are lacking London as their go-to receiver.
London missed his second straight recreation. Tight finish Feleipe Franks (calf) left within the first half.
2: Robinson and Tomlinson are the one gamers with not less than 3,000 yards dashing, 1,500 yards receiving and 30 scrimmage touchdowns of their first three seasons.
The Seattle Seahawks, who improved to 9-3 with a 26-0 shutout of Minnesota, go to Atlanta on Sunday.
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