The Atlanta Falcons came into the 2024 season with their highest expectations in quite a long time. Everybody in the organization spoke to a common goal, winning the NFC South and breaking a six year postseason drought.
That was viewed as the bare minimum, given all of the investment into the roster. The Falcons handed Kirk Cousins $180 million and drafted Michael Penix Jr. 8th overall, taking care of the quarterback position now and for the future in one offseason. They also handed Darnell Mooney $39 million, while acquiring one of the top pass rushers on the trade market in Matthew Judon and signing All-Pro safety Justin Simmons to sure up the defense.
In a wide open NFC South — the weakest division in football — the Falcons were viewed as favorites coming into the season. After all, this is a team that just won seven games with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke under center. The pieces were in place to finally get back to the postseason.
Despite that, the Falcons experienced minimal improvement under first year head coach Raheem Morris. Kirk Cousins’ production fell off a cliff, and the defense took a massive step back despite the additions. Rushing the passer appeared optional and miscommunication on the backend became a staple under Jimmy Lake and Raheem Morris.
That was one of the most telling aspects of Morris’ first year as Falcons head coach. He’s been a defensive coach for most of his career, and the unit went from average to one of the worst defenses in football despite the additions of former All-Pros Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons.
Raheem Morris’ in-game decision making also hamstrung the Falcons numerous times. His time management at the end of the Commanders contest may have cost Atlanta a postseason berth, but his decision-making on fourth down throughout the season was questionable at best as well.
Motivation, which was a calling card of Morris as a coach, was also an issue. At times, it felt as if the Falcons failed to get off the bus on Sundays, looking lifeless and unprepared, a damning sign for a head coach.
As far as things Morris did well in his first season back with the Falcons, it’s hard to point to any. The coordinator hires underwhelmed. Jimmy Lake, who was a buddy-buddy hire, has already been fired, and Zac Robinson was average at best for most of the season. Morris’ words seemed to run stale as the season waned, and the lack of attention to detail was evident.
If this were Morris’ first rodeo, perhaps he should receive the benefit of the doubt in some areas, but it isn’t. He previously led the Buccaneers for three years before being let go after losing 10 straight games in his third season. His track record is shoddy at best, and after one year in Atlanta, there’s not much to suggest he’s learned from the things that plagued him during his time in Tampa Bay.
Grade: D-
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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