What is the offensive of the Falcons doing wrong?
The Atlanta Falcons once again found themselves in a nail-biter, this time against their archrival, the New Orleans Saints. Unlike last week’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and their Week 1 defeat by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Falcons managed to secure a victory at home in Week 4.
Falling to 1-3, with all three losses coming at home, would not have sat well with Atlanta fans—especially for a team that entered the season with high expectations due to significant roster changes and coaching turnover. Fortunately for new head coach Raheem Morris, he doesn’t have to face that criticism just yet, thanks to a 26-24 win over the Saints.
However, a victory like Sunday’s—one that relied on a defensive pass interference call leading to Younghoe Koo’s 58-yard game-winning field goal—will certainly fuel plenty of overreactions. With that said, let’s dive into our Falcons Week 4 overreactions following their win over the Saints.
Overreaction: Falcons are now favorites to win NFC South Division with win over Saints
As mentioned, a loss for the Falcons in Week 4 against the Saints would have been disastrous. Atlanta didn’t get any favors in their first four games, but with the high expectations surrounding this season, already racking up three losses would have meant they’d almost need to win out to salvage the season. Losing to the Saints—a division rival—at home on Sunday would have made it even worse.
The Falcons have another NFC South clash next Sunday, facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have won the division for the past three seasons. While Sunday’s win over the Saints is obviously a plus, it doesn’t conceal the glaring issues this squad still has. Even though they are currently in second place in the division, they are still very much in the running for the championship, and their victory over the Saints does not instantly make them the favorites.
Overreaction: There is no improvement in the Falcons offense
The lackluster play of the Falcons offense was eventually the cause of Arthur Smith’s dismissal. Smith was praised as an attacking maestro, yet his team was at best mediocre. Through the first four games of this season, the offense has not exactly dazzled anyone either under the new leadership.
The Falcons were rated 26th in scoring, averaging just 16.3 points per game, and 20th in total offense heading into Week 4—19th in passing and 18th in running. Kirk Cousins, the $180 million guy signed for four years, has not exactly been bad, but he has not exactly been outstanding either. This season, he has already fumbled four times and intercepted four passes, and he frequently appears uneasy in the pocket. It is concerning if it is because of his age (he is now 36), residual effects from his Achilles injury from the previous year, or a combination of the two.
