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The Atlanta Falcons’ season came to an end on Sunday, even though it was extended for just a little bit. A Week 18 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers stings for a franchise now missing the playoffs for the seventh straight season.
This was supposed to be a season of hope, a season of change. Yet it delivered neither, offering only fleeting glimpses of progress before falling into familiar patterns that have been associated with this franchise far too long. Now, this season, like so many others, will blend into the long history of the team's disappointment without distinguishing itself.
The odds weren’t exactly in Atlanta’s favor from the start on Sunday. Not only did the Falcons (8-9) face a must-win scenario against the Panthers (5-12), but they also needed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to lose to the New Orleans Saints. Neither happened. While that may soften the blow of the Panthers’ loss to some degree, it’s still a tough look for a team led by new head coach Raheem Morris—a team many projected as favorites to win the NFC South.
So, that begs the question: who’s to blame for this one?
Jimmy Lake's defense falters again
While much of the criticism this season has been directed at the Falcons’ offense, the defense has had its fair share of struggles as well. However, something seemed to click for the unit led by first-year coordinator Jimmy Lake after the bye week.
Granted, the improvement wasn’t perfect—two of their games post-bye saw the defense allow more than 30 points, both resulting in losses. On Sunday, Lake’s defense hit a season-low, giving up a season-high 44 points to the Panthers. It marked the fifth time this season the Falcons have allowed 30 or more points in a game.
“Really disappointing day of defense,” Morris said. “We did not come out to play today on defense and it showed.”
Atlanta’s defense made second-year quarterback Bryce Young look like a star, as he accounted for five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing). The performance gave Panthers head coach Dave Canales all the assurance he needed that Young is “our guy” heading into next season.
Young’s big day was made possible by Atlanta’s inability to pressure him. After the bye week, the Falcons’ pass rush had been a bright spot, racking up 21 sacks. But in Week 18, the unit failed to record a single sack against Young—the most sacked quarterback in the NFL a year ago. It marked the fifth game this season where the Falcons’ defense produced zero sacks, exposing a glaring inconsistency.
Can Raheem Morris survive disastrous end to season?
For Falcons fans, it feels like déjà vu—yet another season ending with a mediocre record, false hope, and little to show for it. This year’s collapse is a particularly bad look for first-year head coach Raheem Morris.
Fans endured three consecutive seasons of Arthur Smith’s 7-10 records, but Morris entered the year with significant advantages that Smith never had. For one, Atlanta had the best cap space it has had in years, allowing them to make aggressive moves in free agency and secure top-end talent. The roster was the strongest it’s been in a long time, including two quarterbacks better than any the franchise has had in any of the last three seasons.
Despite these advantages, the Falcons crumbled down the stretch. After a promising 6-3 start and holding a two-game lead in the NFC South, Atlanta managed just one more win than any of Smith’s finishes.
Is one game better enough to keep Morris? Time will tell. Losing this Week 18 game—whether or not the team believed they had a realistic playoff chance based on the Buccaneers-Saints result—is just another glaring blemish on a season that spiraled out of Morris’ control in a hurry.
“I was really fired up about the direction we were going,” Morris said of the team's strong start to the season, according to ESPN. “We took a step back today, a huge step.”
It's not all bad for the Falcons
While this season didn’t go the way anyone in Atlanta hoped, there are some positive takeaways. One of the brightest spots is Bijan Robinson, who solidified himself as the Falcons’ lead back this season. His 170 yards and two touchdowns in Week 18 brought his season totals to 1,887 yards from scrimmage and 15 total touchdowns—a stellar performance for the rookie.
On the other hand, while it was disheartening to witness Kirk Cousins’ significant decline—especially given the hefty contract Atlanta handed him—it was encouraging to see glimpses of what the future might hold with Michael Penix Jr.
Though we only saw three games from Penix, the signs are promising. Out of all the questionable decisions this team made in 2024, Penix might just be the lone bright spot and a beacon of hope for the future.
