As has been the case against many playoff teams this season, the Falcons didn’t do enough to win when the opportunity was there. They couldn’t put together drives against the Steelers. They couldn’t execute in the red zone against the Chiefs, albeit with the officials bailing out the Super Bowl champions. They couldn’t stop turning the ball over against the Chargers. In another close game against a playoff-bound team in the Commanders, they didn’t make enough plays on both sides of the ball.
As much as Raheem Morris warrants criticism for his situational mismanagement, the Falcons were significantly outplayed in the second half. The defense was completely overwhelmed, which transferred over into overtime, where they never looked close to stopping Washington from scoring. It was the latest cruel reality for a team that seems likely to miss the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year.
There aren’t many quarterbacks more challenging to contain than Jayden Daniels. While the defense tried to make him uncomfortable, the stellar rookie quarterback responded every time with his blistering mobility and pinpoint accuracy. Arnold Ebiketie knew how much of a tall order it was to defend him. The defense had to prepare wisely to contain and rattle him. To accomplish both on a player with tremendous pocket command and high football IQ is incredibly difficult.
“His ability to move in the pocket made it hard for all of us,” Ebiketie stated. “It’s tough to prepare for him. We were all trying to control our rush angles. We had to be strategic in how to attack him while remaining disciplined. He’s going to be a problem for every defense in this league. We tried to contain him but you don’t want to go there and rush scared. You still want to go out there and play your game. It’s just keeping a fine balance knowing the type of quarterback he is and how he can hurt you if you don’t play with discipline.”
With the future offensive rookie of the year comes the revival of Kliff Kingsbury, who has been one of the top coordinators in the league this season. His play-calling was terrific in the second half and overtime. As well as he dialed up creative stretch runs and exploited space in the middle of the field, none of it surprised Justin Simmons. The efficiency on early downs proved to be their biggest issue.
“I don’t think we were caught off guard by anything,” Simmons said. “At halftime, they made adjustments and came out running the ball more efficiently. We did a good job against their RPOs and drop back pass game in the first half. We generated solid pressure as well. In the second half, they got us on first downs. That’s what hurt us. They got into manageable second downs often. When a team does that consistently, the playbook opens up from there when your play caller and offense are as good as what they have.”
A controversial illegal contact penalty called on DeAngelo Malone on 3rd and 22 negated a sack from Ebiketie at the start of the third quarter. It resulted in a first down leaving most viewers perplexed at the officiating decision. The Commanders went on a 15-play touchdown drive that started their comeback. As frustrating as the penalty was, Simmons and Ebiketie know that play didn’t lead to the Falcons’ downfall. They didn’t make enough plays in pivotal moments.
“I didn’t see it,” Simmons admitted. “It was a tough break for us at that moment. There were still three other third downs on that touchdown drive where we didn’t get off the field when we could have. It makes a big difference if we hold them to a field goal or punt. That scoring drive isn’t on Malone. We have to learn from what went wrong on that drive and in the second half as a whole.”
“We made a couple of mistakes,” Ebiketie said. “There were some missed sacks. DeAngelo (Malone) had a penalty that we didn’t understand. That said, we know we left some plays out there. They were able to capitalize off it. We got to be accountable as a unit.”
Drake London Remains Determined
The rising star wide receiver had a terrific performance, which included three massive catches on the game-tying drive. It was evident the rapport between Michael Penix and London was growing stronger. The timing was on point on several of London’s seven receptions, particularly when he ran an out-breaking route. As he was creating separation at the top of his route, the ball was already out and Penix was fully in sync with the team’s leading pass catcher.
Although the rookie quarterback struggled with accuracy during stretches of the game, London sees something special brewing after his first start on the road.
“We are working relentlessly together in practice,” London stated. “I kept reiterating to him that this was only going to be eight quarters that we played together going into the game. For us to perform like this in a high-pressure situation in a hostile environment is encouraging. Of course, we want more. But look, I know we will get more and grow as a team. Things are going to get fun here later down the road.”
“He’s an absolute dog. That goes with everyone on our offense. We don’t need any extra motivation. We don’t need anything to get us going. We all stay ready to perform. Mike says poised. You may not see it all the time, but he’s locked in. I see it in his eyes. He’s our guy.”
London is fully confident in the direction of the team. An excruciating overtime loss that likely costs them a playoff spot can only be viewed as a minor setback. Despite falling short in Washington, London earned his first 1,000-yard season. When asking him if it was relevant to him at that moment, he glared at me knowing I should know better than to ask about an individual achievement to a competitor like him.
“It’s irrelevant as s***,” London told me with a withering look. “That stuff doesn’t do anything for me when the team isn’t winning.”
Generating Pressure, Collecting Sacks
For the fifth consecutive game, the defense produced more than two sacks. They managed to sack Daniels five times. It has been a staggering development for a defense that struggled to get near quarterbacks for the first 11 games of the season. The coaching staff has done well using simulated pressures to create deception where opposing offensive lines aren’t sure who is rushing and dropping into coverage. With Kaden Elliss at the forefront creating chaos, more pressure is being caused and players are stepping up. Grady Jarrett believes the success comes from everyone across the defensive front being dialed in on the same page.
“The work we put in behind the scenes has really made the biggest difference,” Jarrett said. “Whether it’s on the practice field, in the weight room, or the meeting room, we got everyone involved in how we are going to get after the quarterback. It’s a collective effort. We are starting to see the results of the extra effort we put in from everyone. We all knew we had to step up during our time off on the bye week.”
The player who has stepped up the most has arguably been Ebiketie. The emerging edge rusher has produced five sacks in the last five games. There have been plenty of flashes in his three years as a pro, but the consistency in converting pressure into sacks hasn’t been there until now. Ebiketie is making his presence felt in every game since his two-sack performance against the Chargers. Even when he didn’t get a sack against the Raiders, he produced one hit and five hurries per Pro Football Focus. Jarrett has been hugely impressed by his ascendence.
“You see his effort, finish, and intensity jump out,” Jarrett explained. “He’s on a real hot streak. I’m super proud of him. To do what he’s doing when we need it most makes me very happy. I want to see him continue to grow. The work he put in was always going to lead to production. We are starting to see him shine. I know he’s going to continue pushing and get everything he can. He’s got everything to be a productive player in this league for a long time.”
Ebiketie firmly believes a notable shift has happened since the bye week. The defense is more diligent and cohesive with their pressure plans. There has been more success running twists, particularly when the young edge rusher combines with Jarrett or Elliss. That has led to a few sacks over the last five games, including one on Daniels. The extensive preparation in practice has resulted in real-time game execution.
“We found our identity,” Ebiketie said. “We know who we are. We are focused on staying as consistent as possible. Ever since the bye week, we are all more locked in on the same page. Now it’s a matter of just staying consistent.”
“I love how we are using Kaden (Elliss). He is a pretty good pass rusher. He creates mismatches with the pressures up front. We practice those stunts a lot in practice, which helps us be in sync when it’s time to go on the field. It’s second nature to us when we are in the trenches trying to sack the quarterback.”
The improvement goes beyond the defensive line and linebackers. There has been a solid dosage of coverage sacks and blitzes featuring defensive backs. Simmons has done his share of blitzing to force quarterbacks into becoming more uncomfortable. The impact of the secondary can’t be discounted with how well they have generated pressure recently. Everyone has worked in unison to turn a pass rush in complete disarray into a unit doing everything possible to rattle quarterbacks with personnel stepping up and coaches being more proactive, even if the results were not what the Falcons wanted on Sunday night.
“I believe our recent success is all inclusive,” Simmons said. “When you have the bye week, you do a lot of self-scouting and self-reflection. From a players’ standpoint, the effort had to be intensified. We are setting up the pressures and calling them a bit better. There’s been more attention to detail from our coaches. They have done a great job of laying out the plan for us in what’s going to be successful and how we should execute it.”
A Special Reunion
As devastated as Jarrett was, he appreciated the opportunity to speak about the coach who truly believed he could be great in the NFL. It was only right for me to ask one of the two remaining players from the Falcons’ 2016 Super Bowl team about reconnecting with Dan Quinn. Quinn always spoke glowingly about Jarrett when he coached the Falcons. Meeting before the game after all the battles together meant so much to Jarrett.
“I got to see him before the game,” Jarrett shared. “Much love to DQ. I love him like a brother. He is someone who believed in me from the beginning. He gave me opportunities to shine right in my first year. He put me in a position to have a great career. He trusted me to become an elite defensive lineman and a leader in the organization. I got to showcase everything I got under his leadership. I’m super proud of him for what he achieved with the Cowboys and what he is doing now with the Commanders. Of course, I wanted this win tonight more than anything but my love for DQ is endless. He’s family forever.”
