Tag: Fourth Quarter

September 28, 2020

Article by Allison Smith

Photos Courtesy of Atlanta Falcons

Unfortunately, there are at least 4 quarters to play.  The Falcons had NO penalties in the first 3 quarters, then 7, costly, penalties in the final quarter of the game for 75 yards.  Similar to the Super Bowl year, similar to last week, and similar to many other games we have suffered through over the years, the Falcons can’t play a full 4 quarters of ball. In the Dan Quinn era, the Falcons have blown leads of 25, 20, 17 twice, and 16.  For a forever Falcon fan, it is long suffering, but 5 of the 13 biggest leads have been blown in last 5 years.  As you know, the 20 and 16 leads are back to back the last two weeks. 

Everyone is accountable for their own performance.  Whether prep work, education, coaching, play calling, or player execution.

With a 16 point lead late in the fourth quarter, the Falcons ran through three possessions, all of which were 3 and Outs, taking a TOTAL of 2 ½ minutes off the clock.  The final possession was 3 ill-fated passes that took 22 seconds, with 2 of their best 3 receivers unavailable.  Who didn’t know the ball was only going to Calvin Ridley?  Chicago didn’t even have to take a time out at any time to save time for their comeback.  Someone needs to have the responsibility to look at clock and the score and make opposing team use their time outs.  As a coaching staff, you cannot run a much depleted defense back out on the field after a minute or less off the field.  Instead of running time off the clock with the much touted run game, you put the defense back on the field.  They have not proven able to stop in clutch situations, they started the game with a depleted staff due to injuries and just lost two more.  The running backs were averaging 5.8 yards.  Use what is working and eat up the clock.  If the Falcons didn’t learn that in 2016, I guess they never will. 

As bad as the defense had been in completing a full game especially in clutch situations, what has the offense done with turnovers or short fields? 

Against the Bears, Blidi Wreh-Wilson intercepts Mitch Trubisky at the Bears’ 19, Falcons get a field goal.  Bears are intercepted in the end zone, 5 plays later the Falcons punt.  Bears, 4^th and 17, Falcons get the ball and 3 plays later punt.

The Falcons cannot stop a team or score WHEN THEY NEED TO.  In both 2-minute drives before halftime, the Falcons failed to get any points.  Very conservative play calling to have the offensive weapons that the Falcons have.  Everybody knows, the Falcons run on first down, get a few yards, then pass it the rest of the time.  EVERYBODY knows that. That was seen in many of the 3 and outs on the day, and certainly near the end of the game.

The defense did seem to communicate and tackle better overall Sunday.  On 3^rd downs, the defense got off the field more or forced 4^th downs that were unsuccessful.  But with Ricardo Allen missing, you could see some assignment confusion and lack of leadership on the field.  Rookie Mykal Walker stepped in and up to lead the team with 8 tackles, 1 for loss and a QB hit.  Keanu Neal also had 8 tackles with 1.5 for loss, Isaiah Oliver and Deion Jones had 7 tackles a piece.  Darqueze Dennard had 6 tackles, 2 passes defended and a crucial interception.  This week, many defenders were rookie starters and others just off of the practice squad. 

The defense gave up a 45-yard run by Trubisky.  Oliver got turned around on the easiest wide receiver coverages in the NFL.  On a 2^nd and 6, the Bears scored a 35-yard touchdown because Oliver cannot make the tackle.  He dropped or missed two interceptions.  On a 3^rd and 8, another explosive play, a 29-yard touchdown to Anthony Miller.  The defense nearly gave up a touchdown on the 2^nd of the exact same play back to back in the end zone.  Jimmy Graham and Miller ran the same route, the first time Oliver was in position and tips the ball, then Neal is in coverage and Miller caught the touchdown, but after review it was determined he didn’t have possession as he hit the ground.  Good luck. 

Does the defense have the right guys on the team?  From the first 3 games it doesn’t look like it.  The Falcons have the worst red zone defense in the NFL.  In their 12 defenses of/in the red zone, 11 turned into touchdowns and one a field goal.   

The offense looked good early as well, Ridley was targeted 13 times and caught 5 for 110 yards, most of those misses were on Ryan, not Ridley.  Olamide Zaccheaus had 4 receptions for 41 yards, and returner Brandon Powell stepped in and had 3 catches on 4 targets for 27 yards.  Russell Gage went out early after his 2^nd reception, totally 26 yards.  Brian Hill had a single reception for 22 yards and 9 rushes for 58 yards and that long 35-yard touchdown run.  Todd Gurley had 14 carries of 80 yards. 

If Gurley cannot go more, then the Falcons need another solution (there are 3 other RBs on the roster), if he can, then use him.  The run game started very positive with 144 rushing yards, Gurley was finally making people miss – broke out for 16-yard run and made 2 defenders miss on his touchdown run.  Hill definitely made some defenders miss on a couple of nice runs, including his touchdown.  If Gurley is supposed to be a weapon as a rushing receiver, Ryan needs to throw to him more than once a game. 

It is the little details and focus.  On a 3^rd and 5, Hill cannot hold onto the football, likely if he caught it, Hill was making a big gain, if not a touchdown.  Certainly, it keeps the drive alive.  On both 2-minute drives near the end of the half, no points scored and Ryan missed Ridley.  Of course, the costly, possibly game winning interception near the end of the game.  On a 3^rd and goal from the 4, with the Bears in man to man coverage, they brought cover zero and Ryan gets sacked, moving them so far back, they settled for a field goal.  This was a nice 12 play drive for 53 yards before half.  Ryan may have put up big numbers, but he did not have an overly good game. The 4^th quarter begins and Ryan has his pass batted down at the line.  The Falcons sideline called a timeout.  Back to the 3^rd and 7 and Ryan is sacked at the 30.  It is 4^th and 11.  Koo’s 48-yard field goal is wide left.  How do you have a time out and still get sacked?  Then the Koo miss.

Now declining is the 3^rd down offense.  The Falcons were 4 for 13 on 3^rd down conversions.  Anything that did go well last week, was bad again this week.  Too many times the Bears were in man coverage and the Falcons made no adjustments.  That is on the coaching.

Special Teams didn’t have a complete melt down, but Koo missed and early extra point and a manageable field goal.  The Falcons lost by 4 points. 

Guys cannot make plays when their number is called, is the defense even staffed correctly?  You have to make the play when the play present themselves.  Win your one on one match up.  Wreh-Wilson, Dennard, Ridley did.  Not many others did Sunday.

If the final falls on Quinn…..and the players love him so much…..they should be performing better.  Maybe THIS loss is the one that makes the change.  They have to be coaching and playing for jobs very soon.  The Falcons have not started 0-3 since 2007, the Bobby Petrino era.  We all know how that ended.

Overall, to me, the lack of concern by Dan Quinn and Matt Ryan is even more frustrating.  “Being close” and just not finishing, that isn’t enough.  “Not getting blown out” is not a good response.  Your team is allowing huge and disastrous collapses.  Until there is a * noting close games or injury riddled teams and you get partial credit for good play.  The Falcons are not finishing on either side of the ball.

Good teams find ways to win.  I have been a fan since the 1980s and know bad teams and bad direction.  There is no reason with the talent that is on this team, that the performance is so bad. 

This does not bode well for a primetime trip to Green Bay.  Even a non-snowy, quiet Green Bay.

Golden Talon:

#RiseUp

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