I don’t particularly love hypotheticals, but in this instance, I believe it’s important to make the difficult yet necessary decision. Would Raheem Morris still be the head coach of the Falcons had the Saints beat the Buccaneers?
It was well known that for the Falcons to capture a postseason berth, they needed the Saints to upset the Buccaneers while handling their own season finale in Atlanta against the lowly Panthers.
For much of the afternoon, it looked like New Orleans was going to upset Tampa Bay. Spencer Rattler looked better than ever, going 21-28 for 181 yards and a touchdown in the first half, but Baker Mayfield and the Bucs produced a 21-point second half to rally.
This all is really a moot point, but I just want to make a single one. If the Saints did top the Bucs, the Falcons’ loss to the Panthers would have been that much worse. It was already an embarrassing defeat that ensured their postseason drought would extend to seven years.
Bryce Young finished 25-of-34 for 251 yards, scoring five total touchdowns without committing a turnover, completely shredding Atlanta’s defense, a defense that Raheem Morris had taken a larger role in over the bye week.
It wasn’t only a lack of communication on the backend, which Morris noted; it was the effort too. The Falcons defense looked sluggish throughout the entire contest. In a must-win game, Morris’ defense allowed the Panthers to score 40+ points for the first time since Week 9 of the 2018 season. In total, Carolina racked up 425 total yards on Sunday, averaging 6.5 yards per play.
Yes, Michael Penix Jr. showed promise, finishing 21-of-38 for 312 yards and two touchdowns, adding a third score on the ground. But with their backs against the wall, Raheem Morris’ team failed.
When the Falcons lost four straight amid Kirk Cousins’ falloff, the playoffs slipped through their fingers. Then, they were gifted a miracle. The Cowboys upset the Buccaneers. All the Falcons had to do was win out. Michael Penix Jr. did all he could in Washington, but his head coach’s inexcusable clock management cost them a primetime victory.
The season was effectively over, but the Saints did provide a glimmer of hope in the first half on Sunday. The Falcons, on the other hand, failed to seize the moment. We know the Bucs didn’t lose to the Saints, which nullified any result from Atlanta, but it shouldn’t affect Arthur Blank’s decision.
Would Raheem Morris still be the head coach of the Falcons if the Saints beat the Buccaneers?
My answer: no. If that’s Arthur Blank’s answer as well, then he should have fired him.
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Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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