It’s amazing how much can change in a month. The Falcons were 6-3, in firm control of the NFC South, and looked like they’d finally pushed all of the right buttons with Raheem Morris, Kirk Cousins, and the rest of the moves this past offseason.
Fast forward to the beginning of December, and the Falcons are losers of three straight, their division lead has shrunk to half of a game, Cousins hasn’t thrown a touchdown since Week 9 while tossing six interceptions over that stretch, and questions have risen about Morris’ competency.
If trends continue, what seemed like a sure thing of a postseason berth will turn into a seventh straight season without a playoff appearance. The Falcons’ only real path is through the division, and if trends continue, Tampa Bay will capture their fourth consecutive division title.
Of course, the Falcons hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Buccaneers and still control their own destiny. But let’s just play devil’s advocate for a second.
What if the Falcons miss the playoffs?
This season will look a lot like the previous three under Arthur Smith. The only differences are the Falcons gave Raheem Morris a five-year contract, Kirk Cousins $180 million in free agency, and spent a top 10 draft pick on Michael Penix Jr.
That would be an objective failure on the part of the organization. It would warrant some degree of change, right? But what? Should Raheem Morris get fired after declaring the postseason the goal at the beginning of the season? Should they move on from Kirk Cousins? Should Terry Fontenot shoulder any of this responsibility? Do they switch up coordinators?
In reality, the Falcons aren’t likely to make sweeping changes in any of the areas listed above because Arthur Blank is patient and loyal (to a fault). What’s most likely is that Atlanta will run it back. Although, it’s hard to imagine Kirk Cousins will be under center in 2025 if the Falcons miss the playoffs.
However, what should happen is a lot more severe. Raheem Morris is likely safe regardless, but defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake’s job should be dependent on how the seasons ends. In the front office, everyone should be on the hot seat, especially Terry Fontenot. The Falcons general manager somehow avoided being fired last offseason when the team decided to move on from Arthur Smith, despite being absolutely dismal at bringing in talent through the draft. That decision is looking like a mistake and should be reviewed again this offseason if the Falcons miss the playoffs.
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Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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