The Falcoholic
Morale seems to be at an all-time low around Flowery Branch. Press conference quotes reveal a team in turmoil that’s struggling to find its way out of the storm.
Are the Atlanta Falcons too far gone, and is this season worth saving? Let’s discuss this week’s biggest question.
Social media was set ablaze with Michael Penix quotes, and everyone seemed to leave with their own interpretation. One thing was clear: the quarterback sounded defeated and was no longer speaking with the confidence fans had heard in the preseason. Raheem Morris recited his mantras: execute, find a way, etc., and continues to stretch statements further than he should. “Less is more” should be the message from the Falcons PR team.
Everything is hyper-analyzed in this league, and it’s a lesson Penix will need to learn quickly as a starting quarterback. Fair or unfair quotes will be held against players and used to challenge their character or love for the game. This team can’t get caught up in their quotes; action is the only thing that will change this season’s outcome. Atlanta is cooked if their press conferences keep churning out viral clips.
It was around this time last year that Morris took the keys from Jimmy Lake to call the defense temporarily. There was a noticeable difference; talent was still an issue, but the defense looked functional until Lake was allowed to prove he could do the job again. He failed miserably. Zac Robinson’s offense is anchoring this team the same way Jimmy Lake’s 2024 defense did, but there is no relief pitcher on this coaching staff for him, and a lack of talent is not an issue.
Something that fans may have overlooked during the Ike Hilliard firing was that he was the only other person on staff who had been an OC and playcaller. Seems like an odd decision to let someone like that leave when your current coordinator is only in his second year. Since Hilliard’s firing, only 16 passes have been caught by receivers not named Drake London; that number was 15 in Hilliard’s three games (Mooney missed week 1).
The offense’s biggest struggle in 2024 was its inability to get into the endzone, which hasn’t changed in a year. The most questionable part of the scheme, a lack of play action, also remains unchanged. The most damning thing that can be said about Robinson is that he has not grown in any meaningful way since he was hired.
Innovators thrive in this league, but those who are slow to adapt are not long for it. It’s unlikely we’ll see a dramatic shift in philosophy at the halfway point, but Robinson will have to figure out how to salvage his young quarterback’s season and his own coaching career.
The Falcons are 3-6. Last year, they were 6-3 at this point, and we all know how that ended. We have no idea what...
