With a chance to move themselves ahead in the race for first in an inconsistent NFC South, the Atlanta Falcons faltered yet again, losing 29-25 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, relinquishing the No. 1 spot to their rivals.
Not that the Falcons have been a poster child for consistency themselves this season, but they had been the most promising of teams in the division coming into 2023. With it being Year 3 under Arthur Smith, with notable moves made during the offseason, including through the NFL Draft, this was supposed to be the year the Falcons made it back to the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. And, as has been seen, the division is easily winnable — but maybe we gave them too much credit.
The Falcons had won their last two games, making it twice this season they had done so. However, they couldn't complete the trio, which would have been their first since 2019. But this loss felt a lot like the Falcons of the last half-decade, the ones that have blown late leads. So who is to blame?
Desmond Ridder continues making turnovers
Look, until it becomes non-existent or at least cleaned up to some degree, Ridder's turnovers will continue to put this team in holes. Ridder had two more on Sunday against the Buccaneers, both an interception and a fumble. While the fumble was recovered, the late first-quarter interception inside the Falcons' 10-yard line set up a Buccaneers touchdown two plays later to give them a 10-3 lead.
In saying that, it was something to see Ridder then overcome those turnovers late in the fourth to shrug off the Buccaneers' Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to score on a six-yard run to give the Falcons their one and only lead of the game. The two-point pass play to Drake London was just as impressive.
Younghoe Koo misses field goals
In my bold predictions for the Falcons against the Buccaneers for Week 14, not only did they fail me once again in picking them, but Younghoe Koo failed. I said that Koo would most likely be a pivotal part of the game like he was in their Week 7 game, hitting the game-winning field goal as time expired.
Week 14 was a much different story for Koo. After going 24-for-25 leading up to the Buccaneers game, Koo then missed a 50-yarder and a 52-yarder all in the first half on Sunday that could have given the Falcons a lead at the break. Those who watched the game know those misses would later come back to bite the Falcons later in the game as well.
“This is a team,” Ridder said in the postgame, via ESPN. “We've got to be able to put him in better positions where he's not kicking important field goals every single time.”
The offense as a whole continues to be non-existent most of the game
Before Bijan Robinson capped off a seven-play, 67-yard drive on a three-yard run to start the fourth quarter, the offense was abysmal, especially in the third quarter. In their three drives in the quarter, they ran 19 plays for three first downs for 49 yards. Two of those drives had six plays for -1 yard with no first downs.
This is what this offense does on a week-to-week basis. At this point in the season, it's not going to change. It will have moments where you'll see the promise, like Drake London and his 172 yards on 10 receptions this week. Or Kyle Pitts finally finding the end zone again. But overall, it's what's keeping this team from running away in the division, and even losing leads late in the game like today.
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