Here’s How Atlanta Falcons Are Winning Ugly, And It Goes Beyond Kirk Cousins
OK, this is suddenly becoming a pattern for the Atlanta Falcons, and they'll take it without apologizing, especially since they could sit 0-4 these days in the NFL standings instead of 2-2.
It could be their fairy godmother.
Maybe Jupiter Jupiter is aligning with Mars (you know, as in "Aquarius," the old song by The 5th Dimension).
How about just plain luck?
Whatever it is, it happened again Sunday for the Falcons. This time, "it" brought them from getting thoroughly outplayed in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium by their rivals from New Orleans to the Saints taking a one-point lead with a minute left in the game to the Falcons somehow moving from their 30-yard line to a 26-24 victory after a 58-yard field goal from Younghoe Koo.
It was the longest of Koo's seven-year NFL career.
Of course, it was.
These are the 2024 Falcons.
During the Falcons' second game of the season, they were losers in Philadelphia, and then they weren't.
Thanks to strange coaching down the stretch by the Eagles (ignoring a gimme field-goal try in the first quarter and refusing to run down the clock near the end of the game with the lead), the Falcons had new life. They went from trailing by six points with barely a minute left to play to a 70-yard scoring drive to tie the game.
Koo's extra point was the game winner at 22-21.
That's why I asked Falcons first-year head coach Raheem Morris Sunday after his team beat the Saints without an offensive touchdown if he believed his players were becoming a team of destiny.
"No. I don't feel like Cinderella," Morris said. "I feel like you got to go out there and play every single game, and you've got to try to go out there and win. And the more poised team usually wins. Right now, I'm trying to show my team poise and show them poise, what it looks and feels like, what it feels like to be resilient. They're showing us, and they're showing our city."
They're showing they can't be ignored until the end.
While seeking to make the playoffs for the first time in seven years, the Falcons sought help during the offseason through several huge moves, starting with a new coaching regime led by Morris.
Next up: Quarterback.
Since the Falcons traded future Pro Football Hall of Famer Matt Ryan after the 2021 season, they struggled behind center with the lesser likes of Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder. So, the Falcons paid $180 million for the perennial Pro Bowl right arm and the veteran's brain of Kirk Cousins.
Then the Falcons dealt for edge rusher Matthew Judon, the four-time Pro Bowl player who wanted a richer contract with his New England Patriots, but he settled after the move for a one-year deal worth $6.5 million .
Soon afterwards, the Falcons tried to strengthen one of the NFL's weakest defenses (fewer sacks than any team in the league over the last five seasons) with another Pro Bowler. They added safety Justin Simmons through free agency with a one-year contract for $8 million .
Well, forget all of that.
The biggest weapon for the Falcons thus far has been pixie dust, and they've gotten that for free. I mean, as was the case in Philadelphia, did they really win that game Sunday, or did the other team just lose it?
In this case, the Saints had more first downs (25 to 14), managed more plays (70-51), passed and ran for more yards (235 to 227 and 131 to 88 respectfully), was better in the Red Zone (3-4 compared to 0-1) and had fewer penalties (6 for 60 yards compared to 9 for 76 yards).
The Saints did have two turnovers (compared to one for the Falcons), and the Falcons scored touchdowns after each of those Saints' miscues — one by the special teams and the other by the defense.
It also helped the Falcons' cause that offensive everyman and Falcons tormentor Taysom Hill went from scoring two touchdowns in the first half to out for rest of the game with a chest injury.
Then again, such is the life for the charmed.
