Raheem Morris Addresses Falcons’ Offensive Struggles with Confidence in Zac Robinson
The Atlanta Falcons are once again grappling with offensive inefficiencies, following a disheartening defeat in Week 10. The team’s recent performance, marked by an 0-for-8 showing on third downs during an overtime loss to the Colts in Berlin, has raised urgent questions about their ability to execute under pressure.
Continued Offensive Inconsistency
Head coach Raheem Morris did not shy away from acknowledging the team’s struggles. Despite their fourth consecutive loss, he expressed unwavering confidence in offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. “I do have confidence in him,” Morris stated. “He was able to go out there and get enough points. We should’ve had enough to be able to win that football game. We did not. We have a couple of different phases that we want to get better at.”
While the Falcons managed to score 25 points and converted three red zone opportunities, they could not maintain possession, holding the ball for just 26 minutes and 9 seconds compared to the Colts’ commanding 40 minutes and 20 seconds. This disparity can largely be attributed to their inability to convert third downs, a critical aspect of sustaining drives.
The Third Down Dilemma
The Falcons’ offensive struggles are glaringly illustrated by their failure to convert a single third down during the game. This marked a continuation of their recent woes, as they have only managed three conversions in the past three weeks. “You gotta get better on third downs,” Morris declared. “Something that was a strength for us has become a weakness over the last two weeks. You gotta find a way to convert third downs. You gotta get them shorter. You gotta get them more manageable. We gotta get them.”
This defeat represented only the second instance in franchise history where the Falcons failed to convert any third downs. The team often found itself in third-and-long situations, averaging eight yards to the first down marker, significantly hindering their offensive effectiveness.
Ground Game Abandonment
Interestingly, the ground game showed promise, with the Falcons rushing 29 times for 140 yards. The duo of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier appeared to be an effective one-two punch. However, there were moments during the game when the Falcons seemed to abandon this successful strategy, complicating their overall offensive performance.
The aerial attack also faltered. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. completed only 42.8% of his passes for 177 yards. While standout receiver Drake London shone despite facing a top-tier cornerback, the rest of the receiving corps struggled, with several dropped passes compounding the team’s issues. This inconsistency led to a series of three-and-outs, as Penix’s misfires preceded all six of the Falcons’ punts.
A Puzzle Yet to Be Solved
Morris acknowledged the mixed results, stating, “Offense, you want to get third down better, but we did have a chance to move the football and get a bunch of first downs. We did a nice job in the red zone. We gotta do a better job on some of those situations on third down. If we can do that, we’d be a pretty good offense.”
As the season progresses, the Falcons’ offense remains a collection of promising pieces that have yet to find cohesive synergy. Each week brings new challenges, and with time running short, the team must work diligently to align their strengths and improve their performance on the field.
