As quickly as the season started, it has quickly ended with four games left. The Atlanta Falcons fell to rival New Orleans Saints 26-18 on Thanksgiving night and was eliminated from playoff contention for this year. With the win by the Saints, they clinched a playoff birth and are NFC South Champs. With four games left for the Falcons (3-9), there is really nothing to play for now except for pride and spoiler alert for other teams trying to make the playoffs. There is no spoiler for this game, but the Falcons travel to San Francisco 49ers December 15. The 49ers are currently the number one seed in the NFC, but the Falcons can just hope to play hard and win out in the bay.
For the game on Thanksgiving, the Falcons were in the game for a half of the first quarter and that was about it. The Falcons went three and out in their first drive and had the fourth down punt blocked. Quarterback Matt Ryan was running for his life the entire game and was sacked nine times, yes, I said none times. He was sacked on the opening play of the game and the last play of the game. Reading a lot of articles today there was one theme that I read, and it was the offensive line. What was the problem last year and was said to be fixed, is still the problem this year. Ryan was sacked last year 48 times and with the game last night, now has been sacked 46 times. There is no way this offensive line is going to give up zero sacks over the next four games. So look at that sack number to go up.
The Falcons are more than likely to be locked to have the number two through number five pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. I don’t believe in teams tanking to lose on purpose, but the Falcons have been said to begin developing the younger players, so that might be tanking. But I think the veterans and younger players will still play hard.
I also keep hearing this is Ryan’s fault and he should go. Yes, he is getting older at age 34 and his only fault to me is his deep ball. The ball is always thrown short where the receiver has to come back for it. He can’t throw in stride anymore. Ryan is running for his life because of the offensive line. Ryan is a good quarterback and good manager on the field, but if the offensive line can’t block for the run or pass, not much Ryan or the running backs can do. The way the offensive line goes, the offense goes.
I think Head Coach Dan Quinn has run his time out as coach, but I have no way of knowing what owner Arthur Blank is thinking. If nothing happens in the offseason, there will be no change next year and I will be writing this same type of story around Thanksgiving as well.
Only time will tell what will happen in the months ahead, but I do know this, this is my last Falcons story of this season unless it is a personnel move. Goodnight from Atlanta.
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