Because the Atlanta Falcons flail via their second four-game shedding streak in as many seasons below Raheem Morris, the second-year head coach maintains that there shall be no employees adjustments coming, not less than not this week.
“No, we have a extremely good group right here,” mentioned Morris, whose group fell 31-25 in extra time to the Indianapolis Colts in Berlin on Sunday. “Now we have a extremely good group of fellows. We have been in two robust video games in back-to-back weeks versus two actually good soccer groups.”
The Falcons fired large receivers coach Ike Hilliard again on Sept. 22, however Morris’ reply Monday in a digital press convention implies that offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich are secure, amongst others.
Atlanta’s latest points go additional than permitting Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor to hurry for 244 yards, which had been Nineteenth-most in a recreation in NFL historical past. Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. ranks thirty first amongst certified passers with a 58.8% completion proportion and Atlanta’s offense has transformed simply 3 of 29 (10.3%) third-down makes an attempt throughout its final three video games. Atlanta was 0-for-8 on Sunday.
As Morris’ seat continues to heat, the issues are piling up for the 3-6 Falcons.
“Initially, we have to get shorter third downs,” Morris instructed reporters Monday. “We had a pair extra lengthy third downs yesterday. The opposite factor about it’s we have to execute higher. We have got to execute what (Penix) is saying, what he is telling us to do. … Mike’s acquired to play higher. He desires to play higher. He is all the time going to be very onerous on himself. However he is a younger man. He is a first-year quarterback and we have to play higher for him and round him.”
With every passing loss, it is changing into extra possible that the Falcons will see their postseason drought prolonged to eight seasons. Atlanta is tied with the Carolina Panthers for the second-longest energetic streak. Solely the New York Jets have waited longer for a return to the playoffs (they final made it in 2010).
If there may be any glimmer of hope for the Falcons, it is that their subsequent three opponents (Carolina, the Jets and the New Orleans Saints) have a mixed report of 9-20 and that Morris has expertise with a pair of 3-6 groups that rallied to make the postseason.
Morris was the defensive backs coach for the 2012 Washington Redskins, who received their closing seven video games to clinch a playoff berth, earlier than serving because the defensive coordinator for the 2023 Los Angeles Rams, who went 7-1 down the stretch to sneak in.
Even so, Morris dismissed the notion that he would use classes from these groups with this 12 months’s Falcons.
“I do not wish to, as a result of each group has its personal particular person style,” Morris mentioned. “What you’d love to do is get higher each single day. I do not assume once I was with the Rams or at Washington we ever mentioned, ‘Hey, we’ll make this run.’ It simply sort of occurred by getting higher and higher every single day. It is one step at a time and sooner or later at a time. It is acquired to start out (at follow) on Wednesday.”
The 2020 Washington Soccer Staff and the 2022 Jacksonville Jaguars are the one groups in league historical past to make the postseason after beginning 3-7.
–Subject Stage Media
