When the Falcons hired Raheem Morris, a breath of fresh air took over in Atlanta. The skies opened up and the sun came shining through.
As the 48-year-old said, he’s going to breathe life into this organization and the city. Flowery Branch immediately became a beacon of hope, instead of despair. That belief only grew over the course of the offseason.
The Falcons signed Kirk Cousins, solidifying the quarterback position for the first time since Matt Ryan. They capped it off with acquisitions of Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons, filling the two biggest holes on the roster.
The club finally had a balanced roster, and it gave Falcons fans a ton of confidence. The vibes were just different. Atlanta had done what so many other teams do every single summer — winning the offseason.
That all came to a screeching halt on Sunday. The Falcons fell to the Steelers, who failed to score a single touchdown. Atlanta’s new-look defense gave up 18 points. Typically, that would be enough for a team to win the game, but Kirk Cousins and the Falcons offense turned the ball over three times and probably should’ve had more turnovers.
That’s how you lose football games. Cousins, Robinson, and the offense looked horrible, and Morris’ answer for it? Rust. The head coach that was so adamant about not playing starters in the preseason to mitigate injuries is giving you the exact reason for playing them in the first place.
Even more so, the Falcons had to mesh a new quarterback in a new system with a first-time play caller. That’s not going to come together seamlessly with zero live-game reps. Fans are now frustrated, questioning whether things have actually changed under Raheem Morris.
The honeymoon period is officially over. Unlike most first-year head coaches, Morris has pressure to deliver immediately. The roster, quarterback, and division give him no excuse not to make the postseason.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Falcons either. They’ll travel to Philadelphia for a Monday Night Football showdown with the Eagles then will return home for another primetime matchup with the Chiefs.
History tells us that an 0-3 start is practically insurmountable to overcome in regards to a playoff berth. Raheem Morris is now in the thick of things, and his infectious energy is no longer a cure-all. It’s all about wins and losses now.
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Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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