No matter what Head Coach Dan Quinn and the rest of the Falcons say, the team overlooked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium as the Bucs handed the Falcons their eighth loss of the season winning 35-22. The score really didn’t indicate this, but the Bucs handled the Falcons all game and really had complete control of the game the entire 60 minutes of play.
The Falcons had put it all together the previous two games as they went to the New Orleans Saints and won with ease 26-9 and the following week at the Carolina Panthers 29-3. The talk around town on sports talk radio was how the Falcons are turning this season around and going to win out and make the playoffs. I had to laugh at this because that is not who this Atlanta Falcons team is. Yes, the put it all together those two games, but this is the Falcons we are talking about. This team is a broken record player on repeat saying “wait until next year.” I love this team with the bottom of my heart, but I come to expect this every year. I don’t believe in curses. But this team along with every other professional team including Georgia Bulldogs football just can’t get over that hump. After the Falcons loss yesterday I tweeted this:
The real #AtlantaFalcons have been found and are playing today.
It was a joke, but it was true. It was as if the past two games that wasn’t the real Falcons. The real Falcons showed up to play yesterday. I really think the Falcons overlooked these Bucs and thought everything was going to play out with ease. Well, it was looking like that early with QB Matt Ryan’s first pass was a 50 + throw, catch and run by TE Jaeden Graham. But that drive stalled out and the Falcons only put up a field goal. Cornerback Desmond Trufant and LB De’Vondre Campbell both had interceptions, but both were non factors where the offense couldn’t produce. Rookie RB Qadree Ollison’s rushing TD (2) was about all the excitement for Atlanta.
At best if the Falcons win out, which is not likely to happen, they will end the season 8-8 and watch the playoffs from the comforts of their homes. I will continue to watch my Falcons from a far hoping for a win, but knowing this season is another lost season as the phrase comes up again, “wait until next year.’
Follow me on Twitter @makirkley for up-to-date tweets, and my views on what’s going on in the world of sports.
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