ATLANTA — Notion vs. Actuality.
Within the early days of coaching camp this August, Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins warned in opposition to complicated the 2 when expectations for a staff are so excessive.
With Cousins throwing to gamers like Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Darnell Mooney; with Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier and final 12 months’s complete beginning offensive line returning; with a brand new play-caller in Zac Robinson coming from a Los Angeles Rams system that is seen excessive success, why would not the Falcons be a top-10 offense? That was the notion Cousins was requested about in coaching camp.
“I am very conscious of the truth that notion proper now could be that our offense goes to be actually, actually nice. We have got all these nice gamers,” Cousins defined. “I simply assume that is solely notion, and it is our job to work to make it actuality. So, I do not actually care a lot about notion. I do not care in any respect. I care about actuality and ensuring that that is truly what it’s this fall, and till we go do it, I do not actually really feel any assurance from that.”
The truth of Sunday’s Week 1 loss to the Steelers was a douse of chilly water on the notion of this season earlier than the ball had ever been kicked off. As soon as it was, notion turned actuality, and the fact wasn’t in any respect what the Falcons hoped for, significantly from an offensive facet of the ball that failed to attain greater than 10 factors within the loss.
What’s extra, they didn’t put any factors on the board within the second half in any respect and have been held to 51 complete yards of offense. Cousins threw two interceptions within the outing, and the veteran quarterback credited a botched snap that hit the legs of a motioning Ross Dwelley to a pre-snap miscue between himself and middle Drew Dalman.
All through the preseason, Falcons gamers from either side of the ball have been adamant in making one level constant. Sure, they really feel they’ve roster in 2024, among the finest some gamers really feel they’ve ever been part of. Nevertheless, roster means little if the roster in query would not win video games.
Leaders of this staff have stated it a number of occasions: They must earn the belief of this fanbase. They must show that they’re nearly as good as preseason rankings and projections say they’re.
Proof — not less than offensively — did not materialize Sunday. And the fact of that’s the Falcons weren’t with out their alternatives to show it, which makes the loss sting extra.
The Steelers have been held to 6 subject targets. They made it to the purple zone twice. They by no means punched it in. Was the Falcons’ protection good Sunday? No. Gamers within the locker room and head coach Raheem Morris stated there have been some explosive performs to George Pickens they’d like again, some runs they wished they’d stopped. However did this protection create stops and havoc once they actually wanted to? Sure.
“We had our alternatives,” Morris stated.
They have been alternatives that fizzled out simply as shortly as they materialized with the Falcons offense stalling within the second half. Cousins had reward for particular groups and the protection, however the offense did not do sufficient to go with that good play to win the sport. And there have been two particular buckets the Falcons’ offensive points stemmed from: turnovers and ill-timed penalties. The theme of those two buckets falls below the identical umbrella, in line with Cousins.
The Falcons offense did this to themselves.
“We did not maintain sufficient drives and it felt like lots of that, a few of that, was self-inflicted,” Cousins stated. “… It felt like we had the probabilities to get going nevertheless it was a flag or a turnover or no matter it could have been to wipe out the chance.”
When breaking down each single second half drive by the Falcons, not less than a type of two buckets Cousins’ described have been current and had a hand in a given drive’s lack of manufacturing. And with regards to turnovers: In Cousins’ profession, if not less than two interceptions are current in his last stat line, he is solely gained 4 video games out of 25 as a starter, in line with TruMedia.
Atlanta’s first drive of the second half ended with the fumbled snap described a number of graphs above. The second, third and fourth drives of the half resulted in a third-down palms to the face name that worn out a 17-yard advance, an offensive holding penalty that took away a first-down conversion and an unlawful formation that backed Atlanta as much as its personal 5-yard line. Important strain on Cousins was constant all through these drives, too, with Cousins both sacked or below duress and throwing the ball off-rhythm 5 occasions (by my depend).
Then, there was the ultimate true drive of the sport for Atlanta. A Grady Jarrett/Matthew Judon third-down sack had the Steelers punting. With strong subject place on their very own 40-yard line, over three minutes to go within the recreation, down by 5 and with a primary down already established by a Bijan Robinson 13-yard run, issues have been trying up for the offense. That’s, till Cousins’ threw his second interception of the day, and the third turnover by this offense. Returned to the Atlanta 18-yard line, the Steelers put the sport on ice.
Because the clock hit zero, the loss was a sobering reminder that the honeymoon interval of the preseason is formally over. The Falcons “did not play up the usual” they — and perhaps even the remainder of the league — anticipated them to.
“In the present day confirmed we could be a productive offense, however once we damage ourselves it is powerful to beat,” Cousins stated.
“… If we do not stub our toe and we do not damage ourselves in a few of these drives I believe we noticed what we will be, nevertheless it’s received to be each play.”
Shifting ahead, regardless of enjoying on Monday evening in Week 2, the Falcons wouldn’t have time to make these identical errors once more. They face the Eagles on the highway in Philadelphia, probably the most troublesome fanbases to play in entrance of at any level, however particularly in a primetime slot and with the Eagles coming off a 34-29 victory over the Packers in Brazil.
There is no such thing as a time to idle. There may be nowhere to cover. Actuality is right here and the Falcons’ offense is aware of it must rectify the fact that was the Week 1 loss.
