ATLANTA — The last three weeks illustrated what the Atlanta Falcons can be with three straight wins over division opponents that put them in contention for their first playoff trip since 2017. Sunday illustrated what they are, which is flawed.
“Obviously, didn’t play as well, came out flat for whatever reason,” coach Raheem Morris said after the Falcons fell 34-14 to the Seattle Seahawks. “We did not come out with the energy that was required to win a football game today. We need to be better.”
Veteran safety Jessie Bates III did not agree with his coach’s assessment of the energy level. He thought the backbreaker was the 31-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith to DK Metcalf with four seconds left in the first half.
“The possession before the half we were in great shape, then we gave up a touchdown,” Bates said. “That’s been a recurring theme. … Great defenses step up and get a stop in that position.”
Metcalf’s score put Seattle (4-3) ahead 17-7 and started an onslaught in which the Seahawks outscored the Falcons 24-7 to finish the game. It was Atlanta’s largest margin of defeat since last year’s season finale and second largest since 2021, and it snapped a three-game winning streak.
“It is hard to win a game in the National Football League, let alone three,” Morris said. “So, to be able to go out there and win four, it’s definitely something good teams do, and we’ve got to figure out how to do it.”
Atlanta (4-3) returns to divisional play this week as it travels to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers in a battle for first place in the NFC South.
“I think the good teams just go 1-0 each week, it doesn’t matter if you’re on a streak or not,” Bates said. “It’s about going 1-0 each week. This week, we didn’t. I don’t want to overreact to this loss. We’re still in a great position. Got a huge divisional game next week. We’ll be fine. We’ll get better, I promise you that.”
The balance between learning from a humbling defeat but not being derailed by it is tricky, said quarterback Kirk Cousins, who had two interceptions and a fumble that was returned 64 yards for a touchdown.
“We have to be hard on ourselves, coach one another hard, be candid about what we each can do better,” Cousins said. “You have to kind of start with yourself and raise your hand and say, ‘I’ve got to do this better.’ That’s part of what good teams do, but then certainly you have to move forward as well. Many times, a performance that you don’t like can galvanize you and sharpen your edge a little bit, and that’s certainly what you want a performance like this to do.”
THAT’S A DEFENSIVE TD!!! pic.twitter.com/O3atYPnaM7
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 20, 2024
Plenty of Falcons will be able to raise their hands in Monday’s film review. In addition to giving up the critical second-quarter touchdown, the defense was entirely too hospitable to Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, who was sacked only once while throwing for 207 yards and a score. The Falcons are last in the NFL with sacks this season with six.
“We’ve got to get him on the ground when we send people, can’t let him scramble around and do some of those things,” Morris said. “We’ve got to go back and find ways to fix it. We’re looking at it on tape.”
The Falcons were flagged nine times for 72 yards. Two of the flags extended drives that would have been stopped and three came on the opening drive and “kind of slap the air out of you,” Morris said.
The offense scored on only one of its final seven possessions when the game was in doubt. Younghoe Koo missed a 53-yard field goal attempt. It was that kind of day in Atlanta, although there were bright spots.
Bijan Robinson rushed 21 times for 103 yards, his first 100-yard rushing game since Week 4 last season, and he added 40 yards on three catches. Tight end Kyle Pitts had a team-high seven catches for 65 yards and now has 223 yards in the last three weeks.
“I think everybody knows what I’m going to say about the stats, ‘They’re there for losers,’ and we lost today, but Bijan came out and was really running the football well,” Morris said. “You’ve got to put it all together as a team. I will never glorify individual stats over team wins. That’s just not my makeup.”
Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. made his NFL debut with 3:37 remaining and the Falcons down by 20.
“I felt good, felt comfortable,” said Penix, the No. 8 pick in April’s draft. “Just wanted to make sure the operation was smooth. You can’t just go out there and wing it, and it felt pretty good. This is a dream you’ve had since you were a kid to play in the NFL, and I’m doing it. I’m living that dream. A lot of people from my hometown wanted to live this dream as well. I was the one to make it so far. I’m just blessed for the opportunity.”
By the time Penix entered the game, it was too late for the Falcons to find a spark, and Morris left the postgame podium frustrated that none of his veterans had been able to provide one earlier.
“You always look for somebody to pick you up in this team effort game, and it didn’t happen today,” he said. “It felt like we got something going on offense, big play by those guys, not good on defense. We get a stop on defense, (and) they go right back out and turn the ball over and give them a walk-off touchdown. We’ve got to put all those things together. We’ve got to be able to go out there and find ways to win together, and we did not do it today. Tough day.”
(Photo: Dale Zanine / Imagn Images)
