Close is not good enough as the Falcons season continues to fade – Atlanta Falcons Blog

"Strange things have happened, man," said Matthews.

It is indeed a strange season for the Falcons, with a series of injuries that have delayed them since the beginning, then an incoherent game on both sides of the ball leading to the record of less than .500. The low point was a double-digit loss to Cleveland in Week 10, after which linebacker De Vondre Campbell admitted in a radio interview that the Falcons had underestimated their opponent and had failed to play with them. a sense of urgency. Cornerback Desmond Trufant thought the team had regained its "swaggering" look against the Cowboys.

The frustration of letting the season go astray was evident in the locker room in the tone of nose tackle Grady Jarrett.

"It's nothing to say, it's nothing to say if it's not to go back to work," Jarrett said. "Sometimes we talk too much … This is not an excuse for anything, that's how I live in life.This is not an excuse.You have to go to work.

"You're going to be flogged sometimes, you lose sometimes … Everyone checks it in. One thing, I do not speak for anyone else, I represent the name on my jersey, and I represent this organization with all that I like the fact that we have the opportunity to return to work. "

The quick turnaround against the Saints on Thanksgiving night in New Orleans does not make things any easier. The Saints are the most prominent team in the league.

At least, this gives the Falcons little time to dwell on what happened against the Cowboys. Errors were made: rookie receiver Calvin Ridley dropped a ball that led to an interception and touchdown of the Cowboys, and cornerback Robert Alford failed to intercept and not stop Cole Beasley who could have prevented the Cowboys from en route to the winning field goal.

No Falcon fell into the fumble caused by defensive tackle Jack Crawford in the third quarter, an expensive missed opportunity in a practice that ended with a four-yard touchdown of the play option, where Vic Beasley misinterpreted the game. And the Falcons offensive touted for its explosive ability failed to score in the first quarter for the second consecutive game and only managed three goals on its first three. quarters.

Then there was the decision not to attempt to score with a 55-yard pitch in the second quarter with a score of 3-3 and Matt Bryant back in training. Coach Dan Quinn said he and Bryant had decided on a cutoff point beyond which they would not want to kick. Bryant hit 53 yards later in the game.

Now the Falcons must find a way to save the season – or at least exceed $ 500 -. The Saints will evolve in a hostile environment, as well as two other challenging challenges on the road against Carolina (6-4). and Green Bay (4-5-1). A defeat against the Saints would shift attention to next season and the changes to be made during the off season for the Falcons to re-apply for the Super Bowl.

Close has not been good enough for the Falcons. They have lost three home games in the final seconds and four of the last six games, including a loss on the road in Philadelphia.