Are these Atlanta Falcons trying to become the 21st-century version of the Kardiac Kids (the 1980 Cleveland Browns, for those whippersnappers out there who don’t get the reference)? Every single one of their games so far this season has been a one-score game. All three of their wins have been of the come-from-behind-at-the-last-moment variety. Their loss to the Chiefs could have been one of those types of wins, too, if not for a missed pass interference penalty (among other reasons). It’ll be nice to see Atlanta get a dominant type of win at some point this season (perhaps in Week Six against what should be an outclassed Carolina Panthers team?), but for now just take the W’s, Falcons fans
Falcons Week 5 Review
The Merry
Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins had his best game as a Falcons by far Thursday night, going 42 for 58 (a 72.4% completion rate) for 509 yards (a Falcons franchise record), four touchdowns, and a 114.8 passer rating. All that despite being sacked four times and hurried eleven times. He wasn’t perfect, getting picked off once, and getting lucky that was wasn’t picked on multiple other throws (see his first TD pass to Darnell Mooney where he was throwing into triple coverage and the winning TD toss to KhaDarel Hodge), but he was clearly the best player on the field on October 3rd.
Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and Kyle Pitts
The numbers speak for themselves. Drake London caught 12 passes (out of 13 targets) for 154 yards and a score. Darnell Mooney caught nine balls for 105 yards and two touchdowns (he did have a couple of drops, including one which could have been very costly). Kyle Pitts, after going without a catch in Week Four against New Orleans, had his best game of 2024 by snagging seven throws (out of 8 going his way) for 88 yards.
Reversing Trends
Much has been made of here regarding the Falcons’ struggles with converting third down and fourth down and controlling the clock. For one game, at least, they seemingly fixed those issues. Atlanta had the ball for 33:37 of a 61:15 game, despite not really establishing a running game. They converted 6 of 14 third-down attempts and two of three fourth down attempts.
Now if only the defense could’ve done better than allowing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to convert 54.5 percent of their third downs…
The Messy
The Offensive Line
As referenced above, Cousins was sacked four times and pressured eleven times. Tampa made a half-dozen tackles for loss. Atlanta averaged 4.1 yards a carry in the run game, but if you take away a 28-yard jaunt by Bijan Robinson that average drops to a hair under 2.7 yards a carry. Even with starting right tackle Kaleb McGary back from injury, the o-line looked overmatched too often on this night.
The Defense
Things tightened up in the second half, but the was the worst showing by Jimmy Lake’s unit so far this season. 30 points surrendered, 24 in the first half. Baker Mayfield finished the night with a 137.5 passer rating and a 79.2% completion rate. He also wasn’t picked off and was only sacked once. He was only hurried once. The Bucs as a team ran for 160 yards at 6.2 yards-per-carry clip. Those numbers from a team that had previously been averaging 96 yards per game at a 4.1 yard-per carry rate. If not for the late-game forced fumble by Jessie Bates that was recovered by Kaden Elliss (the the offense promptly squandered), the night would’ve been a total bust for Atlanta’s D.
Special Teams
Where to begin? Younghoe Koo missing a field goal, then getting a chance to re-kick it from five yards closer thanks to a Tampa penalty and still missing it. Then later he’d have a field goal attempt blocked. Then near the end of regulation he had a long attempt made longer thanks to a complete lack of situational awareness from the coaching staff creating a delay-of-game penalty. Sloppy tackling contributed to the Bucs averaging 36.5 yards per kickoff return and nearly breaking one for a touchdown.
The Meh
Injuries
There were moments where it seemed like every other play resulted with a player from one side or the other on the turf with his medical staff around him. Dee Alford left with a concussion. Mayfield got his lower leg rolled up on at one point. London took a shot late in the game. Both sides trainers were busy in this one, but fortunately, with the possible exception of ALford’s concussion, none of the injuries appeared to be major.
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