The Falcons got off to a slow start during Sunday’s loss to the Bucs, and just like that, the momentum this team had coming into the week is gone.
It was the type of effort that got Atlanta off to a 1-7 start in the first place. The offense sputtered, the defense got exposed and Dan Quinn’s seat got considerably hotter after cooling off a bit since the bye week.
Here are three takeaways from the Falcons’ crushing Week 12 loss.
Secondary was outmatched
Things looked good early on as the Falcons picked off Jameis Winston twice in the first half. Winston would rebound though and find Chris Godwin wide open for the rest of the afternoon. He would throw for 313 yards and three touchdowns, with two interceptions. While the pressure wasn’t as good as it had been over the previous two weeks, Atlanta’s secondary looked out of position for much of the day. Godwin and Mike Evans combined for 243 yards and two touchdowns on 11 catches. In fairness to the Falcons’ defensive backs, Evans and Godwin are two of the best receivers in all of football.
Offensive line gave up too much pressure
Matt Ryan never got comfortable as Atlanta’s offensive line was overpowered for much of the game. Kaleb McGary struggled to keep pressure coming off the right side, and the team gave up six sacks. Ryan had a number of bad throws due to some disruptive rushes from the Bucs’ front seven. He completed just 50 percent of his passes for 271 yards and an interception. Devin White had two sacks, and four other Tampa defenders each brought down Ryan once.
Special teams kept Falcons in the game
The offense and defense traded off blunders for much of the game, but Atlanta’s special teams units played well. Younghoe Koo was a perfect 3-3 on field goals, with an extra point. Atlanta would help cause three Matt Gay missed extra points, with one of them blocked and nearly returned for two points. The Falcons even chose to kick a field goal on fourth-and-long, down two scores late in the fourth. Special teams kept the Falcons in the game, but the offense and defense collectively wet the bed.
