Dirty birds. What's up? And welcome to another edition of Falcons Final Whistle, presented by Zaxby's I'm your host Will McFadden. I am joined by Omni Sabh and Taylor Vismore, and we are here to recap the falcons first NFC South loss of the season. They fell to the New Orleans Saints. Ah. God, that hurts to say, twenty to seventeen on the road. They fall to six and four on the season and four and one in the division. First loss. It's it's kind of crazy again to say five games in that's their first loss, which is a good thing, but today it doesn't feel, you know, like it's about the good. This is again another game in which after they've started six and three, they have failed to move to seven and three and win that next game. They still have not done that since nineteen eighty, which is another crazy stat. But honestly, the Saints made the plays and the Falcons didn't in this one. Taylor, when we look at the missed field goals, the explosive plays that you know, the Saints were able to hit early in this game, it kind of did feel like it really came down a handful of plays that the home team made and the visiting team didn't.

Dirty birds. What's up? And welcome to another edition of Falcons Final Whistle, presented by Zaxby's I'm your host Will McFadden. I am joined by Omni Sabh and Taylor Vismore, and we are here to recap the falcons first NFC South loss of the season. They fell to the New Orleans Saints. Ah. God, that hurts to say, twenty to seventeen on the road. They fall to six and four on the season and four and one in the division. First loss. It's it's kind of crazy again to say five games in that's their first loss, which is a good thing, but today it doesn't feel, you know, like it's about the good. This is again another game in which after they've started six and three, they have failed to move to seven and three and win that next game. They still have not done that since nineteen eighty, which is another crazy stat. But honestly, the Saints made the plays and the Falcons didn't in this one. Taylor, when we look at the missed field goals, the explosive plays that you know, the Saints were able to hit early in this game, it kind of did feel like it really came down a handful of plays that the home team made and the visiting team didn't.

Yeah, I mean, I think obviously when you go down to New Orleans, it's always a topic. Whether it's the Falcons or the Bucks or the Panthers or any of the other thirty one teams in this league.

Yeah, I mean, I think obviously when you go down to New Orleans, it's always a topic. Whether it's the Falcons or the Bucks or the Panthers or any of the other thirty one teams in this league.

It's always a tough place to play.

It's always a tough place to play.

It doesn't matter if they're two and seven or seven and you know two, it doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter if they're two and seven or seven and you know two, it doesn't matter.

It's always a tough place to play.

It's always a tough place to play.

And then playing in the rivalry matchup, it's even louder in there, and you've got you know this four and oh kind of over your head. I mean, everyone's thinking that going in, right, can they be five and oh?

And then playing in the rivalry matchup, it's even louder in there, and you've got you know this four and oh kind of over your head. I mean, everyone's thinking that going in, right, can they be five and oh?

Or are they going to fall to four and one?

Or are they going to fall to four and one?

And then yeah, you talk about you talk about Coup and the missed field goals. I mean, I think we can kind of dive into that a little bit more and why that seems to be happening as of late.

And then yeah, you talk about you talk about Coup and the missed field goals. I mean, I think we can kind of dive into that a little bit more and why that seems to be happening as of late.

But I think it's not you. Here's the thing.

But I think it's not you. Here's the thing.

I'm not gonna get out my soapbox too much today, but I think blaming Coup for a loss is like, I think it's so wrong to do. You cannot blame one person that touches a ball. For the entire game, there's sixty minutes that is played. There are so many people that contribute to the game, and blaming it on one person. I don't think that's right at all. I know that he missed three, but Kirk Cousin said in his press conference today, when you have to kick field goals, you're going to be losing the game. When you're scoring touchdowns, you're gonna be winning the game. So I think that was more so Kirk saying, look, this is more of the offense's fault than it was the special team's fault in KU's fault.

I'm not gonna get out my soapbox too much today, but I think blaming Coup for a loss is like, I think it's so wrong to do. You cannot blame one person that touches a ball. For the entire game, there's sixty minutes that is played. There are so many people that contribute to the game, and blaming it on one person. I don't think that's right at all. I know that he missed three, but Kirk Cousin said in his press conference today, when you have to kick field goals, you're going to be losing the game. When you're scoring touchdowns, you're gonna be winning the game. So I think that was more so Kirk saying, look, this is more of the offense's fault than it was the special team's fault in KU's fault.

But yeah, I mean, I think this was such a weird little game.

But yeah, I mean, I think this was such a weird little game.

And when you like in Week four was a weird game like this, you know, matchup between the Saints this year with the Falcons has just been weird, right.

And when you like in Week four was a weird game like this, you know, matchup between the Saints this year with the Falcons has just been weird, right.

Oh, they absolutely have been. I mean I feel like everything that could have gone wrong in this game. Did you know, like at least an interception hasn't been thrown. There's an interception, there's just like from all facets. I'll give the credit to the defense and we'll get there. But a lot of weird special team stuff happened like a blocked field goal. When does that happen? Not very often? Uh yeah, Like obviously this was Kup's first game in his career where he missed three field goals. That's a marker. And you kind of saw him a little bit like, I won't say, look frazzled, but he's such an even keeled guy. Marcus Williams, a special teams coordinator, talks about all the time, make er miss Like he's the same type of guy, same reaction, And we kind of saw him be like, oh, like, how did that happen?

Oh, they absolutely have been. I mean I feel like everything that could have gone wrong in this game. Did you know, like at least an interception hasn't been thrown. There's an interception, there's just like from all facets. I'll give the credit to the defense and we'll get there. But a lot of weird special team stuff happened like a blocked field goal. When does that happen? Not very often? Uh yeah, Like obviously this was Kup's first game in his career where he missed three field goals. That's a marker. And you kind of saw him a little bit like, I won't say, look frazzled, but he's such an even keeled guy. Marcus Williams, a special teams coordinator, talks about all the time, make er miss Like he's the same type of guy, same reaction, And we kind of saw him be like, oh, like, how did that happen?

Yeah, that last kick, he definitely he had the surrender cobra kind of like exasperated, you know what happened there? Obviously it bounced off the uprights, and and that's a tough place to be, especially when you kind of get that reaction from somebody who is so even keeled. Whether he makes a fifty eight yarder to win the game in overtime against New Orleans, I mean when very even keeled after that. He had both arms in the air for different reasons, but he is just always so inflappable, and and today did feel a little bit like, you know, but for all factors, a lot of things were going, not the Falcons way. I mean, Kirk Cousins brought it up that second third down of the game when he just misses Drake who gets one foot in bounds, but the second foot just is over that sideline boundary, And it feels like that was a little bit indicative of the way the entire game played out. And Taylor, I think you're right about you know, it shouldn't all come down to Young Wayku because the offense certainly would like to do its job and finish with seven points. It's just the unfortunate life that a kicker lives where every single time they're up to the plate, it's bases loaded and you either get a hit or you don't. And so everybody looks at that as you know, runners on base a scoring opportunity, and did you get those runners in or not? And today was a day where he didn't kind of come through in the clutch like we're so used to seeing Young Wayku do. But are you worried about Young waykup at all at this point?

Yeah, that last kick, he definitely he had the surrender cobra kind of like exasperated, you know what happened there? Obviously it bounced off the uprights, and and that's a tough place to be, especially when you kind of get that reaction from somebody who is so even keeled. Whether he makes a fifty eight yarder to win the game in overtime against New Orleans, I mean when very even keeled after that. He had both arms in the air for different reasons, but he is just always so inflappable, and and today did feel a little bit like, you know, but for all factors, a lot of things were going, not the Falcons way. I mean, Kirk Cousins brought it up that second third down of the game when he just misses Drake who gets one foot in bounds, but the second foot just is over that sideline boundary, And it feels like that was a little bit indicative of the way the entire game played out. And Taylor, I think you're right about you know, it shouldn't all come down to Young Wayku because the offense certainly would like to do its job and finish with seven points. It's just the unfortunate life that a kicker lives where every single time they're up to the plate, it's bases loaded and you either get a hit or you don't. And so everybody looks at that as you know, runners on base a scoring opportunity, and did you get those runners in or not? And today was a day where he didn't kind of come through in the clutch like we're so used to seeing Young Wayku do. But are you worried about Young waykup at all at this point?

Listen, I don't know Ku super super well, like I know some of these guys on this roster, But what I do know about Ku is that he has a very high ceiling, that he consistently likes to hit, and that it consistently likes to find.

Listen, I don't know Ku super super well, like I know some of these guys on this roster, But what I do know about Ku is that he has a very high ceiling, that he consistently likes to hit, and that it consistently likes to find.

I think what you were saying about.

I think what you were saying about.

Yeah, like he's not on the offense, and they had some rough goes and they made some mistakes. But when you're a kicker, that's expected of you, right. But like, let me let me say this, Kirk Cousins. You don't expect him to complete all twenty six of his twenty six passing attempts, do you. You don't expect Darnell Mooney to catch every single pass that's thrown to his way. You don't expect Jesse Bates to have three pass breakups and an interception every single game. What I'm saying is, I'm not saying, let's bring down our expectations of Coup because he's the one that set our expectations so high. But it's like I think that in every game with every player, you have off days, and you have good and you have great days. You have walk off days where you can't miss, even if you're going from the fifty yard line, like you can't miss, you know the upright, So I'm not worried about Coup and I think if you are worried about Coup, I just need you to all like concise, like all together, like breathe in and breathe out. Take a moment, make a breath, because what this Falcons offense is not doing is scoring in the red zone and getting out of those you know, field goal needed opportunities.

Yeah, like he's not on the offense, and they had some rough goes and they made some mistakes. But when you're a kicker, that's expected of you, right. But like, let me let me say this, Kirk Cousins. You don't expect him to complete all twenty six of his twenty six passing attempts, do you. You don't expect Darnell Mooney to catch every single pass that's thrown to his way. You don't expect Jesse Bates to have three pass breakups and an interception every single game. What I'm saying is, I'm not saying, let's bring down our expectations of Coup because he's the one that set our expectations so high. But it's like I think that in every game with every player, you have off days, and you have good and you have great days. You have walk off days where you can't miss, even if you're going from the fifty yard line, like you can't miss, you know the upright, So I'm not worried about Coup and I think if you are worried about Coup, I just need you to all like concise, like all together, like breathe in and breathe out. Take a moment, make a breath, because what this Falcons offense is not doing is scoring in the red zone and getting out of those you know, field goal needed opportunities.

And when you zoom out, you look at the first Saints game, like, why did they win that game? At the end, that was because of young Wayku Raheem said it after the game, he said, I have all the confidence in the world in Coup had an off day shooter. Shoot those are you know along the lines of the things that he was saying, And yeah, like you kind of have to. I feel like Kho's given this coaching staff, fans, this franchise the benefit of the doubt to say, hey, I'm not gonna like I can be really good. Let me show you that I can be really good in the next one. But like, I don't think that there's a trend developing. But when you start to see that trend, that's when you can start really poking those questions. I don't think we're there yet.

And when you zoom out, you look at the first Saints game, like, why did they win that game? At the end, that was because of young Wayku Raheem said it after the game, he said, I have all the confidence in the world in Coup had an off day shooter. Shoot those are you know along the lines of the things that he was saying, And yeah, like you kind of have to. I feel like Kho's given this coaching staff, fans, this franchise the benefit of the doubt to say, hey, I'm not gonna like I can be really good. Let me show you that I can be really good in the next one. But like, I don't think that there's a trend developing. But when you start to see that trend, that's when you can start really poking those questions. I don't think we're there yet.

Yeah, And something to note about Ku too, about his story. If you are not familiar with his story of being an NFL kicker, he was cut when he first got into the NFL.

Yeah, And something to note about Ku too, about his story. If you are not familiar with his story of being an NFL kicker, he was cut when he first got into the NFL.

Yeah, he was cut by.

Yeah, he was cut by.

The Chargers, and he actually took time off from the league and being part of a team, and he went to a trainer and learned the mentality of being a kicker and not letting everything weigh you down and not letting every single kick be a super Bowl moment for you. And he learned the mentality of it. And then obviously he came in with the Falcons. He got on the team, and he's done such an amazing job. So I think, what if you know that story about cou, you understand that, yeah, he's dealt with some adversity, but he also takes the adversity and says, I'm going to learn from this. This is no one else's fault but mine. The miskicks, those are my fault. I have to figure out what I'm not doing right. What maybe Liam McCullough isn't doing right, whatever, Bradley Pinyon isn't doing right well, the three of us are not doing correctly in order to get the ball through the uprights. And I think you know, like you asked, Obviously, I'm not worried about Coo at all. I think that he's such a competitor that'll he'll figure it out.

The Chargers, and he actually took time off from the league and being part of a team, and he went to a trainer and learned the mentality of being a kicker and not letting everything weigh you down and not letting every single kick be a super Bowl moment for you. And he learned the mentality of it. And then obviously he came in with the Falcons. He got on the team, and he's done such an amazing job. So I think, what if you know that story about cou, you understand that, yeah, he's dealt with some adversity, but he also takes the adversity and says, I'm going to learn from this. This is no one else's fault but mine. The miskicks, those are my fault. I have to figure out what I'm not doing right. What maybe Liam McCullough isn't doing right, whatever, Bradley Pinyon isn't doing right well, the three of us are not doing correctly in order to get the ball through the uprights. And I think you know, like you asked, Obviously, I'm not worried about Coo at all. I think that he's such a competitor that'll he'll figure it out.

Yeah. I think that he has been so steady, you know, ever since he kind of did work on his routine, on that mentality, he's been so rock solid in the thing that I really hate to see is is kind of on social media when you know, two months ago you've got everybody just like Ku is money, he cannot miss. He is the goat, He's the greatest. I literally tweeted at Marvel being like, make Young Wayku a superhero, you cowards. So like that's where we were out at one point, I know, right, and now for everybody just to be like get him out of here, I hate That's not what this is. Guys like you are to your point allowed a bad air too. But the key is just not to let them build. And it does stink to kind of see again, in a game that was so tight, these were some of the missed opportunities where the outcome could have been swung in a totally different direction. But somebody who made those opportunities when he got them was Marquez Faldez Scantling and nobody saw this coming. No, he has not been on the Saints for very long. They were obviously without Chris Olave Rashid Shihied in today's game, and yet Marquis Faldez Scanling had three receptions for one hundred and six yards and two touchdowns. Crucially, they were all in the first half. The explosive forty yard touchdown catch one in the red zone. I mean, did you see him coming at all? And what did you think when he was just starting to cook in that first half? Was it like, oh, no, this is gonna be a long day, and who saw this coming?

Yeah. I think that he has been so steady, you know, ever since he kind of did work on his routine, on that mentality, he's been so rock solid in the thing that I really hate to see is is kind of on social media when you know, two months ago you've got everybody just like Ku is money, he cannot miss. He is the goat, He's the greatest. I literally tweeted at Marvel being like, make Young Wayku a superhero, you cowards. So like that's where we were out at one point, I know, right, and now for everybody just to be like get him out of here, I hate That's not what this is. Guys like you are to your point allowed a bad air too. But the key is just not to let them build. And it does stink to kind of see again, in a game that was so tight, these were some of the missed opportunities where the outcome could have been swung in a totally different direction. But somebody who made those opportunities when he got them was Marquez Faldez Scantling and nobody saw this coming. No, he has not been on the Saints for very long. They were obviously without Chris Olave Rashid Shihied in today's game, and yet Marquis Faldez Scanling had three receptions for one hundred and six yards and two touchdowns. Crucially, they were all in the first half. The explosive forty yard touchdown catch one in the red zone. I mean, did you see him coming at all? And what did you think when he was just starting to cook in that first half? Was it like, oh, no, this is gonna be a long day, and who saw this coming?

No?

No?

I did not see this coming. I ended up looking up his stats later on and I was like, oh, okay, so he's had a couple of good seasons with Green Bay, like led the league in like yards per reception one year, and I'm like, Okay, this is why he's getting like he's he knows how to get these Yeah, he knows how to get these chunk plays. I mean, I felt like the Falcon secondary definitely had a chance to kind of assert themselves in a way that they haven't in previous games, just based on the injuries.

I did not see this coming. I ended up looking up his stats later on and I was like, oh, okay, so he's had a couple of good seasons with Green Bay, like led the league in like yards per reception one year, and I'm like, Okay, this is why he's getting like he's he knows how to get these Yeah, he knows how to get these chunk plays. I mean, I felt like the Falcon secondary definitely had a chance to kind of assert themselves in a way that they haven't in previous games, just based on the injuries.

But they did in the second half.

But they did in the second half.

Yeah, they changed to.

Yeah, they changed to.

His block who who was targeting him.

His block who who was targeting him.

I mean they put aj on him and obviously that shut him down. But kind of you know, not to like interrupt here, but I think what you're getting from this player in particular, you have to look at the big picture here. They have a an interim head coach, meaning come January when the season is over for them, their entire coaching staff is changing. But they're bringing potentially, they are bringing an entirely potentially they're bringing a new vibe, not even in January. Right now, the way that he has, Rizzy has come in and changed every single thing from the top to the bottom in terms of practicing and the culture of this building.

I mean they put aj on him and obviously that shut him down. But kind of you know, not to like interrupt here, but I think what you're getting from this player in particular, you have to look at the big picture here. They have a an interim head coach, meaning come January when the season is over for them, their entire coaching staff is changing. But they're bringing potentially, they are bringing an entirely potentially they're bringing a new vibe, not even in January. Right now, the way that he has, Rizzy has come in and changed every single thing from the top to the bottom in terms of practicing and the culture of this building.

It's changed. And so what's going to happen in January.

It's changed. And so what's going to happen in January.

Everyone's going to clean out their locker and they're going to get an invite back to come for training camp. And what he's saying right now is I'm not going to just prove it to you in training camp that I can be on this team. I'm going to prove it to you now that I am an impact player on this team like I was in Green Bay, and I am still the guy from Green Bay, but on a different team with a different helmet on.

Everyone's going to clean out their locker and they're going to get an invite back to come for training camp. And what he's saying right now is I'm not going to just prove it to you in training camp that I can be on this team. I'm going to prove it to you now that I am an impact player on this team like I was in Green Bay, and I am still the guy from Green Bay, but on a different team with a different helmet on.

Yeah, you talked about the impact. I mean that that forty yard reception came with Jesse Bates, Justin Simmons and a J. Trell in coverage. I mean you you literally couldn't pick a better three out there to be on one guy, and yet he was a couple yards behind all of them in the end zone. And so he had a huge day. The Saints needed him to have a huge day. Otherwise. You know, there was that eighty eight yard touchdown by Taysom Hill on the first drive that gets called back. There was a potentially big play that Alvin Kamara dropped later in the game. But outside of that, the Falcons defense did a decent job, I think limiting the Saints' kind of possessions. But again, it comes down to those handful of plays and when you've got some missed opportunities from Atlanta and some made explosives by the Saints in a rivalry game on the road against team that had all the urgency in the world to your point tailor coming into this, that's going to be the difference. And it is very clear that there are some things that you do need to get cleaned up moving forward, and I think part of that is as it continues to be the pass rush. The Falcons once again had no sacks, but they did get a little bit of pressure on Derek Carr at times, but honestly didn't feel like they were affecting him all to my which I don't know what you see out of Atlanta's pass.

Yeah, you talked about the impact. I mean that that forty yard reception came with Jesse Bates, Justin Simmons and a J. Trell in coverage. I mean you you literally couldn't pick a better three out there to be on one guy, and yet he was a couple yards behind all of them in the end zone. And so he had a huge day. The Saints needed him to have a huge day. Otherwise. You know, there was that eighty eight yard touchdown by Taysom Hill on the first drive that gets called back. There was a potentially big play that Alvin Kamara dropped later in the game. But outside of that, the Falcons defense did a decent job, I think limiting the Saints' kind of possessions. But again, it comes down to those handful of plays and when you've got some missed opportunities from Atlanta and some made explosives by the Saints in a rivalry game on the road against team that had all the urgency in the world to your point tailor coming into this, that's going to be the difference. And it is very clear that there are some things that you do need to get cleaned up moving forward, and I think part of that is as it continues to be the pass rush. The Falcons once again had no sacks, but they did get a little bit of pressure on Derek Carr at times, but honestly didn't feel like they were affecting him all to my which I don't know what you see out of Atlanta's pass.

Rush what I've seen for most of the season. Yeah, it's been a topic of conversation for weeks and weeks. It's like every time, you know, we go into the press conference with Raheem or Jimmy, like like it's gonna be asked about and they're gonna have to answer it. And we saw last week them kind of like show a glimpse of like what this could be.

Rush what I've seen for most of the season. Yeah, it's been a topic of conversation for weeks and weeks. It's like every time, you know, we go into the press conference with Raheem or Jimmy, like like it's gonna be asked about and they're gonna have to answer it. And we saw last week them kind of like show a glimpse of like what this could be.

Like.

Like.

It wasn't definitely those floodgates that they've been talking about. They didn't completely open. They still said, like Jimmy said after last week, that there's still a lot of meat left on the bone and you can't help but feel like it's the same thing again. So you were really trying to to find out, you know, what can work there. They tried some different rotations last week. We saw that again in this one, Arnold Abakati and James Smith Williams started, You're still missing Lorenzo Carter, but like it when you look at the personnel, it's like you can switch it up as much as you want, but you're still getting the same results.

It wasn't definitely those floodgates that they've been talking about. They didn't completely open. They still said, like Jimmy said after last week, that there's still a lot of meat left on the bone and you can't help but feel like it's the same thing again. So you were really trying to to find out, you know, what can work there. They tried some different rotations last week. We saw that again in this one, Arnold Abakati and James Smith Williams started, You're still missing Lorenzo Carter, but like it when you look at the personnel, it's like you can switch it up as much as you want, but you're still getting the same results.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, I think you know, looking at last week, you left that game and looking towards this week, you left the game asking yourself, is that pass rush from week nine, the pass rush that.

Yeah, I think you know, looking at last week, you left that game and looking towards this week, you left the game asking yourself, is that pass rush from week nine, the pass rush that.

We've been waiting to see.

We've been waiting to see.

Is this who they are, what they're going to make out of out of who they have in terms of personnel, or are they Is that just a glimmer, Is that just a flash in the pan moment that that's just going to be a Week nine great game and then we're going to go back to not doing a ton. There's a stat from nixtion Stats think you will McFadden the Falcons defense splits more in this game, or their second highest rate of this season and Week ten against the Saints, but only generated two pressures when blitzing and failed to record a sack. So what you're seeing like it leaves me with the question of can this Falcons defense get back to where they were in Week nine, creating pressures, creating tackles for loss, and ultimately creating and generating sacks, or are they going to be a Week ten team for the rest.

Is this who they are, what they're going to make out of out of who they have in terms of personnel, or are they Is that just a glimmer, Is that just a flash in the pan moment that that's just going to be a Week nine great game and then we're going to go back to not doing a ton. There's a stat from nixtion Stats think you will McFadden the Falcons defense splits more in this game, or their second highest rate of this season and Week ten against the Saints, but only generated two pressures when blitzing and failed to record a sack. So what you're seeing like it leaves me with the question of can this Falcons defense get back to where they were in Week nine, creating pressures, creating tackles for loss, and ultimately creating and generating sacks, or are they going to be a Week ten team for the rest.

Of the season.

Of the season.

Yeah, And I think that you know, when you see that blitz rate, that is the coaching staff trying to create and generate pressure. Right. So I get a lot of questions in the mailbag about is this scheme just not conducive to pressure. I kind of think it's the opposite. I kind of think when you see Caden Ellis getting the amount of pressure that he does from an off ball linebacker position, that is the scheme working to utilize a player who has a unique skill set in the appropriate way. When you are seeing, hey, we need to manufacture and generate some pressure on Derek Carr, they are sending extra guys to do just that. And I think Rahie Morris has been correct at times this season when he has pointed to some of the production and said, we need the players to kind of do what we expect of them a little bit more. I don't think he's throwing anybody under the bus by any means. I just think he's trying to hold guys accountable. And today kind of feels a little bit more like that, where when you look at New Orleans getting three sacks on Kirk Cousins, you know, all three of them ended up with with no points. One came on that final drive they had to burn their final time out like that. Again, when we come down to just the minuscule differences in this game, a three sack to zero sack advantage like that could swing it just as much as some of these missfield goals too, And it's just continues to kind of be tough. The Falcons also had a one zero deficit in the turnover margin. Of course, Tyron Matthew stealing the ball there Taylor at the kind of the most promising drive that Atlanta had, I think late in the game. I know, like Kirk Cousins afterwards said, you have that turnover, you don't even know if you're going to get the ball back. They ultimately did it. They couldn't make anything of that last drive. But you know when Tyron Matthew steps in front of that ball and picks it off, what was kind of the first thring that went through your head.

Yeah, And I think that you know, when you see that blitz rate, that is the coaching staff trying to create and generate pressure. Right. So I get a lot of questions in the mailbag about is this scheme just not conducive to pressure. I kind of think it's the opposite. I kind of think when you see Caden Ellis getting the amount of pressure that he does from an off ball linebacker position, that is the scheme working to utilize a player who has a unique skill set in the appropriate way. When you are seeing, hey, we need to manufacture and generate some pressure on Derek Carr, they are sending extra guys to do just that. And I think Rahie Morris has been correct at times this season when he has pointed to some of the production and said, we need the players to kind of do what we expect of them a little bit more. I don't think he's throwing anybody under the bus by any means. I just think he's trying to hold guys accountable. And today kind of feels a little bit more like that, where when you look at New Orleans getting three sacks on Kirk Cousins, you know, all three of them ended up with with no points. One came on that final drive they had to burn their final time out like that. Again, when we come down to just the minuscule differences in this game, a three sack to zero sack advantage like that could swing it just as much as some of these missfield goals too, And it's just continues to kind of be tough. The Falcons also had a one zero deficit in the turnover margin. Of course, Tyron Matthew stealing the ball there Taylor at the kind of the most promising drive that Atlanta had, I think late in the game. I know, like Kirk Cousins afterwards said, you have that turnover, you don't even know if you're going to get the ball back. They ultimately did it. They couldn't make anything of that last drive. But you know when Tyron Matthew steps in front of that ball and picks it off, what was kind of the first thring that went through your head.

Of course it's Tyron Matthew.

Of course it's Tyron Matthew.

I mean, like, I mean, like, look at this cler the same secondary when you look at god, who gets the interception and who has consistently gotten those season through season, It's Tyron Matthew. And he is a Ballhawky's like a Jesse Bates in a way, and he is greedy with the ball, and he loves to make the picks like the one that he did today. He likes to run from behind you and almost like shock you out out of that catch and pick it off himself. And I think I really thought it was bound to happen at any moment, but I just don't. I just wish it wasn't then, right it was. It just felt like the Falcons were really rolling and they finally found their footing towards the end of the game, and then obviously the pick happens, and that's kind of the wind out.

I mean, like, I mean, like, look at this cler the same secondary when you look at god, who gets the interception and who has consistently gotten those season through season, It's Tyron Matthew. And he is a Ballhawky's like a Jesse Bates in a way, and he is greedy with the ball, and he loves to make the picks like the one that he did today. He likes to run from behind you and almost like shock you out out of that catch and pick it off himself. And I think I really thought it was bound to happen at any moment, but I just don't. I just wish it wasn't then, right it was. It just felt like the Falcons were really rolling and they finally found their footing towards the end of the game, and then obviously the pick happens, and that's kind of the wind out.

Of your sales there. But I really thought.

Of your sales there. But I really thought.

Going into this game, I thought, he's he's gonna have at least one pick because that's just who he is and the kind of player that he likes to be.

Going into this game, I thought, he's he's gonna have at least one pick because that's just who he is and the kind of player that he likes to be.

Yeah, he's he makes some incredible plays throughout his career, like the honey Badger. Don't care. You know, we've known that forever, right, So that's a throwback the honey Badger don't care. Yeah, and he didn't care about Atlanta's fans feelings on that one. He made a huge play at the end. But again, like that's I keep saying it. This game has been defined by the handful of plays that the Saints made that the Falcons didn't. But somebody who was doing their dang near best to make every single play out there was Bajon, Robinson and Amna. He had yet again an incredible game. This was his fifth straight game over one hundred total yards. He finished with one hundred and forty four yards and two touchdowns. He had a thirty seven yard touchdown catch a one yard touchdown run. What'd you see out of Beajon today?

Yeah, he's he makes some incredible plays throughout his career, like the honey Badger. Don't care. You know, we've known that forever, right, So that's a throwback the honey Badger don't care. Yeah, and he didn't care about Atlanta's fans feelings on that one. He made a huge play at the end. But again, like that's I keep saying it. This game has been defined by the handful of plays that the Saints made that the Falcons didn't. But somebody who was doing their dang near best to make every single play out there was Bajon, Robinson and Amna. He had yet again an incredible game. This was his fifth straight game over one hundred total yards. He finished with one hundred and forty four yards and two touchdowns. He had a thirty seven yard touchdown catch a one yard touchdown run. What'd you see out of Beajon today?

I'm seeing a guy who's just looking so much more confident and comfortable, and you see it throughout this entire season, and you can almost go back to the last time they played the Saints in that final game and he had a breakaway. I don't remember if it was a touchdown, but he had a breakaway and it was just like, oh, this.

I'm seeing a guy who's just looking so much more confident and comfortable, and you see it throughout this entire season, and you can almost go back to the last time they played the Saints in that final game and he had a breakaway. I don't remember if it was a touchdown, but he had a breakaway and it was just like, oh, this.

Is what he could really explode and do.

Is what he could really explode and do.

So for him to, you know, have like a season high rushing yards and two touchdowns. Now he has more rushing touchdowns than he had his entire last season. He's talked about it, like just the comfortability that he's feeling, like really becoming that workhorses we've talked about and being a guy that you can rely on, especially when things aren't going well, for someone to have a little bit of a bright supply and like to get you in position to have a chance to win when when things aren't going well and going your way the entire game. That's definitely going to prove to be important as he keeps developing and you just sky's the limbit for this guy.

So for him to, you know, have like a season high rushing yards and two touchdowns. Now he has more rushing touchdowns than he had his entire last season. He's talked about it, like just the comfortability that he's feeling, like really becoming that workhorses we've talked about and being a guy that you can rely on, especially when things aren't going well, for someone to have a little bit of a bright supply and like to get you in position to have a chance to win when when things aren't going well and going your way the entire game. That's definitely going to prove to be important as he keeps developing and you just sky's the limbit for this guy.

Today's episode of Falcons Final Whistle is brought to you by Zaxby's. And after a long game, when I'm tired and I need to refuel, I turned to Zaxbies their marinated, handbreaded fried to perfection chicken fingers. They get the spot every time. Get yours with seasoned crinkle fries, a nice drink in whichever of their twelve signature sauces you're feeling at the moment, but it always hits just right. So next time you need to refuel, go get yourself some Zaxbies.

Today's episode of Falcons Final Whistle is brought to you by Zaxby's. And after a long game, when I'm tired and I need to refuel, I turned to Zaxbies their marinated, handbreaded fried to perfection chicken fingers. They get the spot every time. Get yours with seasoned crinkle fries, a nice drink in whichever of their twelve signature sauces you're feeling at the moment, but it always hits just right. So next time you need to refuel, go get yourself some Zaxbies.

We've talked about expect a lot during this podcast, and I think what the style of you know, this is his fifth consecutive one one hundred yard rushing game this season.

We've talked about expect a lot during this podcast, and I think what the style of you know, this is his fifth consecutive one one hundred yard rushing game this season.

That is the expectation for him.

That is the expectation for him.

The expectation is to have a lot of rushing yards and to score touchdowns. Now that that going forward is the expectation of Bajon Robinson.

The expectation is to have a lot of rushing yards and to score touchdowns. Now that that going forward is the expectation of Bajon Robinson.

I think, yeah, we could kind of.

I think, yeah, we could kind of.

Talk about him all day long and how special a player that he is and you know the yards after contact that he produces. Yeah, but I think that at this point now in his sophomore season.

Talk about him all day long and how special a player that he is and you know the yards after contact that he produces. Yeah, but I think that at this point now in his sophomore season.

If you will, this is the expectation. This is why the.

If you will, this is the expectation. This is why the.

Falcons brought you in eighth overall out of Texas. This is what we want to see from you, game in and game out.

Falcons brought you in eighth overall out of Texas. This is what we want to see from you, game in and game out.

Interesting, Okay, it sounds like you're a little bit more like cool, Yeah Bajon did that, But like what else is new? You know, we we expect this from him, and so that shouldn't necessarily be the thing to hang your hat on in a loss like this.

Interesting, Okay, it sounds like you're a little bit more like cool, Yeah Bajon did that, But like what else is new? You know, we we expect this from him, and so that shouldn't necessarily be the thing to hang your hat on in a loss like this.

I mean, like, listen, I think it's great, Yeah, great, go Bajon for getting two touchdowns. But I think, you know, I learned something from Matthew Judne this year when I when I've sat down with him a couple of times and I asked him. It was after Tampa Bay Week five and I asked him. I watched him on the on the bench and Ko comes out and I mean, Matthew Judon could not look less interested.

I mean, like, listen, I think it's great, Yeah, great, go Bajon for getting two touchdowns. But I think, you know, I learned something from Matthew Judne this year when I when I've sat down with him a couple of times and I asked him. It was after Tampa Bay Week five and I asked him. I watched him on the on the bench and Ko comes out and I mean, Matthew Judon could not look less interested.

Just like whatever, like it's fine.

Just like whatever, like it's fine.

And so I asked him about it and he said, look, who has to get paid too. Who has a job to do, and he gets paid and that's what we expect who to do. And you know, I was thinking with the pass rush, like, well, they're getting paid to sack the quarterback. Where is that coming from? And and Jean Robinson, he's getting paid to rush and rush heavy and get a lot of yards and make touchdowns. They they drafted the guy from Texas. Go back and watch his tape from Texas.

And so I asked him about it and he said, look, who has to get paid too. Who has a job to do, and he gets paid and that's what we expect who to do. And you know, I was thinking with the pass rush, like, well, they're getting paid to sack the quarterback. Where is that coming from? And and Jean Robinson, he's getting paid to rush and rush heavy and get a lot of yards and make touchdowns. They they drafted the guy from Texas. Go back and watch his tape from Texas.

That's who he is.

That's who he is.

And so I think, yeah, you give him your rookie season and you let it figure figure it out a little bit in the footing of the NFL and how you play in the NFL, and then you see that come to life your sophomore season. It's like, that is who we drafted, and that's what we expect from week in and week out.

And so I think, yeah, you give him your rookie season and you let it figure figure it out a little bit in the footing of the NFL and how you play in the NFL, and then you see that come to life your sophomore season. It's like, that is who we drafted, and that's what we expect from week in and week out.

Yeah, it is great to see him morphing into this player, but again it was a little bit of all for not and looking at like it is wild when you look at kind of the overall breakdown of this game. The Falcons had twenty five first downs, the Saints had fourteen. The Falcons had four hundred and sixty eight total yards, the Saints had three hundred and sixty five. The Atlanta had one hundred and eighty one rushing yards to New Orleans ninety six. In a lot of these metrics, Atlanta was the better team. And yet that's why again I keep circling back to just those missed opportunities and those moments, and we do trust Atlanta to I think have the players who come through in those clutch situations. Right, Kirk Cousins has shown he can do it. Drake London, Darnell Mooney, they've shown they can do it young Wayku has Shooney can do it. So it's unfortunate the Bajan kind of felt like the player. And that's not to take away from Drake London or Darnell Mooney, who both had over ninety yards receiving again today Kirk Cousins went over three hundred yards. Like, guys had good games, but it did feel like Bijan was the that showed up ready to take this game over, and you know, unfortunately it didn't go that way. But I were you interested ONMNA afterwards when Raheem Morris kind of took a little bit more of a positive spin on this game and kind of seeing him go to bat. I think for his players in the way that they made a fight of this when at halftime it felt like, oh man, this was really maybe the worst case scenario start for Atlanta. Yeah, they didn't have a pick six, as Taylor mentioned when I brought that up to her at halftime, but it just felt like a little bit of another They came out flat game and then to see them fight back and they're going to have all these moments. Did you buy kind of what Raheem was saying there where it was I'm proud of these guys for fighting back or are you still like yeah, but you didn't ultimately get it done.

Yeah, it is great to see him morphing into this player, but again it was a little bit of all for not and looking at like it is wild when you look at kind of the overall breakdown of this game. The Falcons had twenty five first downs, the Saints had fourteen. The Falcons had four hundred and sixty eight total yards, the Saints had three hundred and sixty five. The Atlanta had one hundred and eighty one rushing yards to New Orleans ninety six. In a lot of these metrics, Atlanta was the better team. And yet that's why again I keep circling back to just those missed opportunities and those moments, and we do trust Atlanta to I think have the players who come through in those clutch situations. Right, Kirk Cousins has shown he can do it. Drake London, Darnell Mooney, they've shown they can do it young Wayku has Shooney can do it. So it's unfortunate the Bajan kind of felt like the player. And that's not to take away from Drake London or Darnell Mooney, who both had over ninety yards receiving again today Kirk Cousins went over three hundred yards. Like, guys had good games, but it did feel like Bijan was the that showed up ready to take this game over, and you know, unfortunately it didn't go that way. But I were you interested ONMNA afterwards when Raheem Morris kind of took a little bit more of a positive spin on this game and kind of seeing him go to bat. I think for his players in the way that they made a fight of this when at halftime it felt like, oh man, this was really maybe the worst case scenario start for Atlanta. Yeah, they didn't have a pick six, as Taylor mentioned when I brought that up to her at halftime, but it just felt like a little bit of another They came out flat game and then to see them fight back and they're going to have all these moments. Did you buy kind of what Raheem was saying there where it was I'm proud of these guys for fighting back or are you still like yeah, but you didn't ultimately get it done.

It didn't completely surprise me his reaction because obviously, as a head coach, that's kind of what you're you're going to hang your hat on, you're gonna fight for your guys. You're going to feel like, you know, especially to the media, you're gonna maybe say one thing in the locker room and say one thing.

It didn't completely surprise me his reaction because obviously, as a head coach, that's kind of what you're you're going to hang your hat on, you're gonna fight for your guys. You're going to feel like, you know, especially to the media, you're gonna maybe say one thing in the locker room and say one thing.

Yeaha in terms of like, you.

Yeaha in terms of like, you.

Know, being hard on guys and things so that short, things of that sort. But for me, I didn't completely buy it, just because when you look at the Seattle game and them coming up flight, I compare it in the same way. And yes, they had a chance, a couple of chances at the end of the game. But that's the thing, they had so many chances, Like the defense finished the game with four consecutive three and outs, they shut down Faldus Gantling, gosh, what a name. You didn't have any production in the second half. And then looking at third down, because that's the thing that the defense has been really great at is conversions on third down, not allowing those. They had seventy one percent in the first half, they finished with thirty eight. They didn't allow another one. They had five in the first half, none in the second half. So the fact that they had these opportunities, Raheem said he was fired up about the fact that they did, but.

Know, being hard on guys and things so that short, things of that sort. But for me, I didn't completely buy it, just because when you look at the Seattle game and them coming up flight, I compare it in the same way. And yes, they had a chance, a couple of chances at the end of the game. But that's the thing, they had so many chances, Like the defense finished the game with four consecutive three and outs, they shut down Faldus Gantling, gosh, what a name. You didn't have any production in the second half. And then looking at third down, because that's the thing that the defense has been really great at is conversions on third down, not allowing those. They had seventy one percent in the first half, they finished with thirty eight. They didn't allow another one. They had five in the first half, none in the second half. So the fact that they had these opportunities, Raheem said he was fired up about the fact that they did, but.

They didn't do anything. The offense didn't do anything with that.

They didn't do anything. The offense didn't do anything with that.

Yeah. I think what was interesting about his press conference was him talking about the time of possession, and obviously, at the end of the game, the time of possession the Falcons had the ball for thirty five minutes and seven seconds and the Saints had it for twenty four minutes and fifty three seconds, but he said it felt like they had the ball the entire first half. So I actually went back, I did the numbers, and the Falcons came away at the half with fourteen minutes of possession time, Saints a little over fifteen. But it's the first quarter that is that enormous time chunk that the Saints took. In the first quarter alone, they had eleven minutes and forty seconds of possession.

Yeah. I think what was interesting about his press conference was him talking about the time of possession, and obviously, at the end of the game, the time of possession the Falcons had the ball for thirty five minutes and seven seconds and the Saints had it for twenty four minutes and fifty three seconds, but he said it felt like they had the ball the entire first half. So I actually went back, I did the numbers, and the Falcons came away at the half with fourteen minutes of possession time, Saints a little over fifteen. But it's the first quarter that is that enormous time chunk that the Saints took. In the first quarter alone, they had eleven minutes and forty seconds of possession.

That's crazy because Atlanta started with the ball.

That's crazy because Atlanta started with the ball.

Yes, and the Falcons only had three minutes and twenty seconds with the ball. And so I think, and I kind of got on a little soapbox before we even started this podcast. I think what you're seeing from Raheem is him saying, listen, yeah, we lost this game, but we it sounded to me, and what I took from it personally was we lost the game. In the first quarter, we gave them the ball for eleven For almost twelve minutes of the first of a fifteen minute quarter, we gave them the ball for twelve of those minutes. That's wild, that is that's an enormous amount of time to have the ball. And I think that's kind of what he was saying. And I told you guys, this too, is like if your leader, the face of your team, the face of your franchise, cannot go in front of the media and say, listen, I still believe in this team, I still know what we're on the We're still on the same journey that we were on before.

Yes, and the Falcons only had three minutes and twenty seconds with the ball. And so I think, and I kind of got on a little soapbox before we even started this podcast. I think what you're seeing from Raheem is him saying, listen, yeah, we lost this game, but we it sounded to me, and what I took from it personally was we lost the game. In the first quarter, we gave them the ball for eleven For almost twelve minutes of the first of a fifteen minute quarter, we gave them the ball for twelve of those minutes. That's wild, that is that's an enormous amount of time to have the ball. And I think that's kind of what he was saying. And I told you guys, this too, is like if your leader, the face of your team, the face of your franchise, cannot go in front of the media and say, listen, I still believe in this team, I still know what we're on the We're still on the same journey that we were on before.

The game started.

The game started.

We had the same plan, we have the same structure, we have the same messaging. If your leader cannot do that in one loss in your division, you have much bigger problems to figure out inside of the building than just the loss that you had.

We had the same plan, we have the same structure, we have the same messaging. If your leader cannot do that in one loss in your division, you have much bigger problems to figure out inside of the building than just the loss that you had.

I think that's really well said. And I think that as I was thinking about what he said a little bit more in the aftermath of that press conference, it reminded me of what and I know this particular Sunday maybe the wrong day to bring up Kirby Smart, but hey, after George's lost Alabama. He said, I learned a lot about this team tonight, And even though the outcome was not the way that Georgia wanted, he saw his group fight back from a twenty eight point deficit and ultimately scratching klwon take the lead in that game at one point, and I wonder if that's a little bit about what Raheem was getting at. And this wasn't a game where you ultimately ended up losing by double digits to Seattle and you bring in your backups late in the game because it's essentially over and done with. And they were right there at the very end. They had multiple opportunities to walk out of New Orleans with a victory, even though they didn't play nearly their best football. And I kind of do think I land on the side of that is what good football teams do. Now. There's a very fine line between actually getting it done and not. The fact that the Falcons are at that fine line and learning now to get it done, and kind of that's the next step. I do think when we pull back and we take that thirty thousand foot view of where the Falcons were this time last year, where they have been and where they are now, like there is real growth. And yeah, I know there's no moral victories, there's no silver linings in the NFL. But I'm not a coach, I'm not a player. I'm allowed to kind of analyze and take that bigger picture view. And I do think that the further we get away from this, it'll be the missed opportunities. But let's expect and hope that they make the most of those opportunities and they learn the lesson from this loss. As Raheem Morris likes to say, yeah, the winner, you learn a lesson.

I think that's really well said. And I think that as I was thinking about what he said a little bit more in the aftermath of that press conference, it reminded me of what and I know this particular Sunday maybe the wrong day to bring up Kirby Smart, but hey, after George's lost Alabama. He said, I learned a lot about this team tonight, And even though the outcome was not the way that Georgia wanted, he saw his group fight back from a twenty eight point deficit and ultimately scratching klwon take the lead in that game at one point, and I wonder if that's a little bit about what Raheem was getting at. And this wasn't a game where you ultimately ended up losing by double digits to Seattle and you bring in your backups late in the game because it's essentially over and done with. And they were right there at the very end. They had multiple opportunities to walk out of New Orleans with a victory, even though they didn't play nearly their best football. And I kind of do think I land on the side of that is what good football teams do. Now. There's a very fine line between actually getting it done and not. The fact that the Falcons are at that fine line and learning now to get it done, and kind of that's the next step. I do think when we pull back and we take that thirty thousand foot view of where the Falcons were this time last year, where they have been and where they are now, like there is real growth. And yeah, I know there's no moral victories, there's no silver linings in the NFL. But I'm not a coach, I'm not a player. I'm allowed to kind of analyze and take that bigger picture view. And I do think that the further we get away from this, it'll be the missed opportunities. But let's expect and hope that they make the most of those opportunities and they learn the lesson from this loss. As Raheem Morris likes to say, yeah, the winner, you learn a lesson.

Yeah, I one hundred percent agree with you.

Yeah, I one hundred percent agree with you.

I think Raheem and coaching staff came away from this learning a lot about this team on all.

I think Raheem and coaching staff came away from this learning a lot about this team on all.

Three phases of the ball.

Three phases of the ball.

And as I was telling you guys before this too, I think the way that he came into that press conference so calm, speaks a lot about this team.

And as I was telling you guys before this too, I think the way that he came into that press conference so calm, speaks a lot about this team.

I think we live in such a world where.

I think we live in such a world where.

There it's such instant gratification with everything top to bottom, from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed, everything is instant gratification. And when I clicked on the press conference and the live chat came up, it was cut this person, fire, this person cut, cut, cut, fire, fire, fire, And I think what you're seeing in Raheem and that coaching staff is, you know, we're not gonna panic. We're not gonna blink. They always say that, don't blink, don't panic. We're not gonna do that. This is the NFL, and they all say it. Every single game is hard to win in this league. There's not an easy win in this league. And so we're not gonna blink. We're not gonna panic, and we're not gonna cut anybody. We're not going to fire anybody. Everyone, just take a breath, Calm down. It's week ten. We're gonna go on Week eleven. We're gonna go up to Denver, it's what they're saying. And then we're gonna hit the buy and we're gonna come back afresh and rejuvenate a team coming into a week thirteen.

There it's such instant gratification with everything top to bottom, from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed, everything is instant gratification. And when I clicked on the press conference and the live chat came up, it was cut this person, fire, this person cut, cut, cut, fire, fire, fire, And I think what you're seeing in Raheem and that coaching staff is, you know, we're not gonna panic. We're not gonna blink. They always say that, don't blink, don't panic. We're not gonna do that. This is the NFL, and they all say it. Every single game is hard to win in this league. There's not an easy win in this league. And so we're not gonna blink. We're not gonna panic, and we're not gonna cut anybody. We're not going to fire anybody. Everyone, just take a breath, Calm down. It's week ten. We're gonna go on Week eleven. We're gonna go up to Denver, it's what they're saying. And then we're gonna hit the buy and we're gonna come back afresh and rejuvenate a team coming into a week thirteen.

Yeah, I'm old enough to remember when everybody wanted to fire Kyle Shanahan after the twenty fifteen season. So you know, you live long enough to see all of your takes become horrible takes. Let's go ahead and really quick before we get to kind of what we need to see change next week for Atlanta. I want to just update everybody on the closest to the pin results. Let's go ahead and start with me because I'm a loser. Once again, I am still just totally just putting the l in will every single week. I Hadjeon Robinson rushing yards. I guess ninety seven. I wasn't far off. No, he finished with one hundred and sixteen, which most weeks would be a close enough guest to get me.

Yeah, I'm old enough to remember when everybody wanted to fire Kyle Shanahan after the twenty fifteen season. So you know, you live long enough to see all of your takes become horrible takes. Let's go ahead and really quick before we get to kind of what we need to see change next week for Atlanta. I want to just update everybody on the closest to the pin results. Let's go ahead and start with me because I'm a loser. Once again, I am still just totally just putting the l in will every single week. I Hadjeon Robinson rushing yards. I guess ninety seven. I wasn't far off. No, he finished with one hundred and sixteen, which most weeks would be a close enough guest to get me.

You Putjon Robinson a game for closes, it's been it better be over on yard.

You Putjon Robinson a game for closes, it's been it better be over on yard.

Yeah, I mean I think I learned that lesson so disrespectful and yet and yet when I said it, I was like, is this a little high? But no, I've learned my lesson and we readjust our expectations. So Tarn had Kirk Cousins passing yards, she gets two forty one. Talk about disrespectful, and Kirk finished with three hundred and six. But once again it is our own omni sabah. Yeah, almost just got a hole in one.

Yeah, I mean I think I learned that lesson so disrespectful and yet and yet when I said it, I was like, is this a little high? But no, I've learned my lesson and we readjust our expectations. So Tarn had Kirk Cousins passing yards, she gets two forty one. Talk about disrespectful, and Kirk finished with three hundred and six. But once again it is our own omni sabah. Yeah, almost just got a hole in one.

Hey, I'm gonna give a little bit of a peek behind the curtain because I said fifty five I did. I like double numbers. I like triple numbers. That's a weird thing about.

Hey, I'm gonna give a little bit of a peek behind the curtain because I said fifty five I did. I like double numbers. I like triple numbers. That's a weird thing about.

You shamed her in a change and she's like you you.

You shamed her in a change and she's like you you.

Did Will tells me.

Did Will tells me.

He said, you did fifty five for Tyler last time, go fifty six. So I said, okay, fine.

He said, you did fifty five for Tyler last time, go fifty six. So I said, okay, fine.

I said you did fifty five last time, and you said, okay, fine, I'll do fifty.

I said you did fifty five last time, and you said, okay, fine, I'll do fifty.

No, no, no, no, this is you have a tall idiot.

No, no, no, no, this is you have a tall idiot.

You typically remember you saying fifty six, and I wrote it down with the girl.

You typically remember you saying fifty six, and I wrote it down with the girl.

You're going to be in a sports industry. You got to stand firmin.

You're going to be in a sports industry. You got to stand firmin.

I will see I tested you.

I will see I tested you.

I fully learned from the lesson as the Falcon in this game.

I fully learned from the lesson as the Falcon in this game.

Hey, the sharpens iron and you'll learn a lesson for next time. But congratulations on you now are too. You're leading to one to zero again, So don't listen to a loser. That is your lesson. I'm is you shouldn't ever listen to me.

Hey, the sharpens iron and you'll learn a lesson for next time. But congratulations on you now are too. You're leading to one to zero again, So don't listen to a loser. That is your lesson. I'm is you shouldn't ever listen to me.

Trap game.

Trap game.

I don't know what I'm talking about exactly, all right, But let's get back to a more serious topic. What needs to change for the Falcons next week against the Denver Broncos to walk out with a win?

I don't know what I'm talking about exactly, all right, But let's get back to a more serious topic. What needs to change for the Falcons next week against the Denver Broncos to walk out with a win?

You know, going in I always again, let me do a Shane, let's plug here, pregame show on YouTube every game way Homer Away.

You know, going in I always again, let me do a Shane, let's plug here, pregame show on YouTube every game way Homer Away.

It's great.

It's great.

It's an hour before the game starts with me and Derek Brackley, and I always give my preference of the game, right, Derek gives his three keys and I give my one preference, and mine today was I need this team to start winning early. I need them to start with a lot of points. Not a lot of points on the board, but with substantial numbers on the board. I need to get this team rolling early. And I think you know, Raheem has said it, Drake London has said it. A lot of these guys on this team, on all phases and all sides of the ball, have said, we're at the point in the season and we're at the part of this team where we need to start voting teams away now and we need to start finishing games convincingly. We don't need to be doing these two minute drills anymore. We don't need to be in this one minute thirty six second drill anymore.

It's an hour before the game starts with me and Derek Brackley, and I always give my preference of the game, right, Derek gives his three keys and I give my one preference, and mine today was I need this team to start winning early. I need them to start with a lot of points. Not a lot of points on the board, but with substantial numbers on the board. I need to get this team rolling early. And I think you know, Raheem has said it, Drake London has said it. A lot of these guys on this team, on all phases and all sides of the ball, have said, we're at the point in the season and we're at the part of this team where we need to start voting teams away now and we need to start finishing games convincingly. We don't need to be doing these two minute drills anymore. We don't need to be in this one minute thirty six second drill anymore.

We need to put teams away.

We need to put teams away.

And I think moving forward, not just in week eleven and not just in week thirteen, I mean the rest of the season. This team needs to come out and be explosive, not just that very first drive, but the entire first quarter, why not the entire half, Right, I think that's what Atlanta struggles in and I think you saw that today against the Saints. They really struggled in the first half, and then you're playing catchup game, and that who likes to play catch up?

And I think moving forward, not just in week eleven and not just in week thirteen, I mean the rest of the season. This team needs to come out and be explosive, not just that very first drive, but the entire first quarter, why not the entire half, Right, I think that's what Atlanta struggles in and I think you saw that today against the Saints. They really struggled in the first half, and then you're playing catchup game, and that who likes to play catch up?

No One?

No One?

And so I think moving forward, especially against Denver, I would like to see this team win and win early.

And so I think moving forward, especially against Denver, I would like to see this team win and win early.

Yeah. I think that's a great point because it's something we saw from the twenty sixteen Falcons, right, who kind of started the year in a similar spot. They were winning some games big, but then there were also some some close losses things like that. But then you felt them almost take that next step and they really then started to dictate the terms with which the game was played. They played their style, they imposed their will on the opponents, and when they got leads, they didn't relinquish it. So I think that you're right, that's kind of that next step to cross that threshold in that line that I was talking about between being a good team who's in every single game and a great team who wins a lot of these games no matter which form they take. Amna, what's the next thing you need to see?

Yeah. I think that's a great point because it's something we saw from the twenty sixteen Falcons, right, who kind of started the year in a similar spot. They were winning some games big, but then there were also some some close losses things like that. But then you felt them almost take that next step and they really then started to dictate the terms with which the game was played. They played their style, they imposed their will on the opponents, and when they got leads, they didn't relinquish it. So I think that you're right, that's kind of that next step to cross that threshold in that line that I was talking about between being a good team who's in every single game and a great team who wins a lot of these games no matter which form they take. Amna, what's the next thing you need to see?

You know, I am going to build off Taylor a little bit because I had written down, just take care of business. That's something they obviously didn't do today, and that was a big thing coming into this one. We talked about it all week. I wrote a story on it. The Saints were on a seven game losing streak, they had a new head coach. There's all these outside factors, and when asked about it, the players and coaches just said, we can't worry about that. We have to have our energy. We need to take care of business. We need to play our game and not let anything dictate how you play. So when you're going down to Denver and you're in a different altitude, maybe it's a little bit colder than you're used to playing, and you know, there's all these different factors, you can't let that change how you take care of your own business.

You know, I am going to build off Taylor a little bit because I had written down, just take care of business. That's something they obviously didn't do today, and that was a big thing coming into this one. We talked about it all week. I wrote a story on it. The Saints were on a seven game losing streak, they had a new head coach. There's all these outside factors, and when asked about it, the players and coaches just said, we can't worry about that. We have to have our energy. We need to take care of business. We need to play our game and not let anything dictate how you play. So when you're going down to Denver and you're in a different altitude, maybe it's a little bit colder than you're used to playing, and you know, there's all these different factors, you can't let that change how you take care of your own business.

So you're saying they need to take their game to New Heights literally.

So you're saying they need to take their game to New Heights literally.

A New Heights podcast.

A New Heights podcast.

Oh I mean I think we are now look out, Travis and Jason, We're coming for you. Oh yeah, I think that they need to take care of their business. They need to just play a sharp all three phases. Like when they've won their games, it's been complimentary football picking up the other and this has been something that you could say honestly most weeks. But mine is going to be you got to get the pass rush going, you got to get the pressures. Because when you look at bon Nicks, and I say this knowing that Denver is fifth in sacks per pass attempt allow so their offensive line has been good, I think boon Nix's mobility is probably more on par with like Baker Mayfield than some of these other quarterbacks that you've played. You're looking at me, weird, Taylor.

Oh I mean I think we are now look out, Travis and Jason, We're coming for you. Oh yeah, I think that they need to take care of their business. They need to just play a sharp all three phases. Like when they've won their games, it's been complimentary football picking up the other and this has been something that you could say honestly most weeks. But mine is going to be you got to get the pass rush going, you got to get the pressures. Because when you look at bon Nicks, and I say this knowing that Denver is fifth in sacks per pass attempt allow so their offensive line has been good, I think boon Nix's mobility is probably more on par with like Baker Mayfield than some of these other quarterbacks that you've played. You're looking at me, weird, Taylor.

I mean that's I haven't heard that come Harrison at all.

I mean that's I haven't heard that come Harrison at all.

I mean I would love to hear you, like elaborate on it.

I mean I would love to hear you, like elaborate on it.

Yeah, I love disagree.

Yeah, I love disagree.

I just haven't heard that is a.

I just haven't heard that is a.

True dual threat quarterback. But I think he's got the necessary mobility to turn, you know, a blitz that you don't get home into a sixteen yard pickup, right if he kind of sneaks out. I don't know if Derek Carr has that. I don't know if Andy Dalton has that. But when you look at some of the quarterbacks that Atlanta's played. It's kind of like Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield. Bon Nicks is in that category of guys who aren't necessarily run first. Players like even Josh Allen probably falls in that category where his running is a weapon, but as a backup plan it can still be dangerous. And so I think bon Nicks his legs could hurt you, but his decision making under pressure is really what I think you need to stress. I think you need to really try to force him into some bad decisions and then allow guys like Jesse Bates who can bait a young quarterback all day long and go get some turnover against a really good Denver defense. I wonder what kind of the overall scoring total will be in next week's game. So, just like this one, if it's gonna come down to a handful of plays, I think that getting your pass rush to pressure a young quarterback into maybe making mistakes against a veterans secondary, if that swings the outcome. But I think that's going to start up front more so than it's going to start on the back end. Sure Jesse Bates can make a player or not, like he's he's so good or Justin Simmons, great points, A great point I totally overlooked at. But yeah, like, let's let's get both of the safety as a pick next week. I think that would really go a long way.