Raheem Morris on challenges during Atlanta Falcons matchup vs San Francisco 49ers | Press Conference

Raheem Morris on challenges during Atlanta Falcons matchup vs San Francisco 49ers | Press Conference

Uh coach, take me through just two parts here. The fourth down call, decision not to go for the field goal and then the personnel package, no Bonan on the field. Uh kind of just talk me through and walk me through that decision process. You know, obviously the play before I I go I go to I go the other way for you, but the play before that obviously in the third one we ran a toss to Bjan. Bjan ran a toss outside. We got stuffed on the toss and then Tyler came in right for him. Um we made the play call that we’re going to throw it. Tyler came in right for him and um we’re ready to go with our best play going to Drake on a play that we felt really good about some things that we’ve done before in the past and be able to get that off and do those things. But, you know, obviously it was the aggressive mindset. You know, right there you kick the field goal. You still leave him a bunch of time to go down and kick a field goal to win the game, holding the ball like Kyle wants to do. You know, in order to win those type of games, as you know, I’m sure all your analytics say right there 100% go for it. Um, and we were right on the mindset of going for it right there. Uh, you know, from pretty far out, you know, like analytics at that point, you know, would tell you to go for it on the fourth and one no matter where you are in the field. And we don’t want to be reckless with it, but we do want to be aggressive. So, we took the aggressive mindset um and went out there and tried to get it to one of our best players and best moments and some of the roughs that he’s caught before in his past. You early in the game, you had Penn on center for a dive to Alier on the third and one. Was there any thought of going back to that as simple as it was to make it work? Um we, you know, it was always a thought, you know, you know, obviously it’s a thought and sometimes you overthink it as a coach when you don’t want to repeat a play, but I know that’s something that we really rely on as well, something we really feel good about. Um, you know, obviously a couple weeks ago the 49ers stuffed the Rams on a duo play. Same type of deal on a fourth and one and ended and they got criticism for it. You know, we came out had a dive early and this time we went out there and went for a play that we feel really good about going to Drake on and they got a great play and they made a great plan and then not stopped it. So, it’s never going to be good decision when they stop it. But, we’re definitely going to be aggressive and go for it. Thank you, Zach. Yeah. I’ve always said, coach, you guys have forgotten more about football than I’ll ever know. So, I’m not I’m just curious and if you can educate just go ahead and ask your your question and leave. Well, it just I mean you said that Bejian’s the best player in the league. So, why not have the best player in the league on the field in the biggest moment? You know, the best player in the league for sure. You know, obviously, um do you want him in there? You know, obviously, but you know, when you got a lot of really good players 1A, 1B, 1B, 1A, we just talked about with Zeno, he went out there and we got a third one earlier with Tyler. You know, they got roles. We have different things that we can do. You know, obviously runs B runs some third one situations. He had just run a third one to play before. We got stuffed on the toss crack. Uh we got a lot of really good players on our football team. We believe in a lot of players on our football team. And Zach, looking back at right now, you know, obviously you want Be on the field all the time. Um and and you can easily second guess that one. Don’t don’t disagree with you, Zach, if you want to put him on the grass. That’s all. Hey, Raheem. Um just wanted to kind of get your thoughts in general on Mike’s performance last night. Um, you know, we lost the game, so nobody played well enough. Um, that’s always going to be the case, Joe. You know, Joe, when you come out and you got to do a better job on normal DND, of controlling the game, running the football. Um, when we get in those pass situations, we got to do a better job of finding completions. Um, they came out, played a little more man than we would that we had accustomed to seeing from these guys. Um, they did a nice job and we got to find ways to get open and we got to find ways to get completions. And then on third down, we got to be really settled down so we can move the chains and keep the ball in our possession. You know, we had been claiming our identity as a possession based team. You know, really keeping the ball for about 31 plus minutes or whatever the case may be. And last night it was flipped. We only had it about 27. They kept it to 30. Um they played the brand of football that we like to play. You know, actually we stole it from them. Uh we love the way they play. Um and they came out there and out Atlantaed us um with their own fashion, their own style. Um, so we didn’t play well enough. Uh, Mike always wants to play better. You know, there’s always some good things you can take from Mike’s game, couple connections with Cal Pittz, couple connections with Drake. You know, a lot of good things in those type of situations. U, but there’s always things that can be correctable when you’re a young quarterback. Um, and always things that you’re going to have fun correcting him with. On that vein of of finding more completions, I believe the stat was that he was 1 for 10 last night when he was under pressure. And I’m just curious how you feel like you can get him to be at least a little bit more effective. Obviously, those are going to be tough situations for any quarterback when you’re under pressure like that, but how can you um get more completions in those situations with him so that you can keep that D and D where you want it? Yeah, obviously Joe, he has been one of the better players on with the pressure throughout the year and last night was a good night for those guys. We didn’t play as well as we had normally played. Um he had been one of the more clutch guys in the fourth quarter. He had been one of the clutch guys in third downs. He had been one of the clutch guys versus pressure. Um he’s done an awesome job doing some of those different things. So, we got to get back to doing that. Last night, they play outplayed us. They did a better job than we did. They were a more physical team. They deserve the win. Uh and the same thing with coach, I know it’s hard to make these evaluations in season and I caveed understanding it’s only Mike’s ninth game, but the point is I guess the question is where are we with his development? Some throws look so crisp and some throws look just so off the mark. It’s hard to see that level of inconsistency and not wonder where he is in his development. I know you didn’t see it on the broadcast. They were highlighting his lack of footwork and him using his hips more than his feet to throw the ball, sort of accentuating it as something unique and positive for him. But I’m curious, when you evaluate the film on him, again, only nine games, but there’s a couple of hundred hours of practice. Where are we with his development, his footwork, and and sort of the consistency and him delivering the football? Mark, I I love where his development is, number one. Um, and but yes, you know, there’s always going to be times and places, especially for a young quarterback, when you want him to use his footwork, use the proper footwork, you know, do all the things that you want to do. And those are always the things you’re going to consistently fight with a guy with as much arm tunnel on his mic. You know, these guys with these off off platform throws, his ability to throw from anywhere, his ability to reach people in different areas, but you for sure um can always see a little bit of inconsistency when he throws it at times. And that’s a little bit who he is. That’s who he was in college. That’s who he is right now. And he’s gotten better and better throughout the process. So, I’m loving where he’s going as far as his development and uh you know, just remain in the fact that he he’ll continue to get better with all those things with some of the core fundamentals of his play. Um just based on the stuff and the work that he does with DJ, you know, TJ and Zach. I mean, I got a lot of confidence where he’s going with that. Zach, uh update on Penn’s ankle, leg, and Diablo’s arm. Uh Diablo be week to week, you know, so we’ll kind of get a feel for what that is. You know, we’ll he’ll miss some time, you know, obviously. Um pinnix will be daytoday you know obviously you know he’s sore all those different things from the game last night um he’ll have a chance to come in he have a Tuesday day off he’ll be back ahead Wednesday he’ll have some type of status you know to his report obviously when we talk about the health report but you know really feel good about him he’s as tough as it gets last night we were looking at him when he did get tangled up a little bit he gave us a thumbs up from the sideline you know Kurt was ready to go right there with me he gave us both the thumbs up um he was able to stay in the game you know one of those throws that we’re probably talking about is where he didn’t have his whole full control in his body and those things of the nature, but um got a lot of lot lot of lot of lot of toughness in this guy. Um and I believe in him, so I can’t wait to see where he is on Wednesday. Josh is Yeah, I’m here. I’m here. I think I found the right button. Um is it was it ankle for Michael? Is that right? Um it wasn’t ankle. Uh it was um some form of a boom bruise that I’ll get more information for you. Um as we get it, you know, obviously um he came in today, he saw our guys, saw our doctors. There’s definitely some limitations. I don’t want to sit here and lie to you guys and act like um I was really locked in to see what it was. I was seeing how fast he can get back and how well he would be. Um so I’ll get all the stuff to you as we get to Wednesday. And uh Diablo, is that a break? Is it a uh I know he’s going to miss some time, you know. Um it’s a it’s it’s probably it’s a fracture I believe. Um so miss a little bit of time. Uh but we look forward to getting him back at some point this year. Any update on Ray Ray Mloud since Friday? Uh none yet. You know obviously going through that process right now. Uh talk with him. Um but you know that’s a distraction that I’m dealing with. No one else. And if I Josh go ahead. Sorry Josh. Oh sorry. One more. As the trade deadline approaches I wonder how you view your team. uh a buyer, a standpoint, a you know, how how do you approach that deadline? You know, first and foremost, I love our team, Josh. I love who we are. I love who we can be. Um obviously, last night didn’t go the way we wanted to go. Um but the thing I did love is we almost found a way to pull out an ugly win. And the really good teams, they find ways to pull out ugly wins. And when that score was 13-10 and we had an opportunity to do it, you know, particularly in that fourth and one or getting the ball back in that critical situation and being able to go down, I thought we had a chance and those where you want your team to be, you know, but you know, obviously in this league, um, Terry, you know, and all those guys in our in our pro department and all those type of things, they’re always looking to upgrade. So, you know, that there’s nothing dire or nothing that we’re going to actively search out, but like there’s always possibility of anything that can happen. Thank you. Thank you, Mark. Coach, last night after the game, I understand sort of the reaction in the moment when you were asked about the 10 guys on the field on defense and asked how it happened. You said it didn’t matter. Uh, now that you’ve had some time to step away from it, um, my opinion, it does matter. Do you have any different response as to how and why it happened and and what sort of, you know, things went on that we that was missed? Oh, for sure. You know, obviously that’s communication that we got to have throughout the coaching staff and that’s communication we got to have throughout our players. So, we got to do a better job of getting all the guys out there. We got to do a better job of getting all those guys out there and we will. Um, you know, obviously when I said it didn’t matter, I was referring to it being third and 15 and the three techniques was missing. And in third and 15, that shouldn’t matter. You should still have a catch, tackle, get off the grass, not have to waste the timeout that you may need in order to go win the football game. So, I wasn’t being angry at you and I just was referring to the moment and how I felt about stopping that play. Sure. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m I’m sorry. I was sitt with you. I understood the emotion, but like generally it wasn’t. I apologize. If I can tell you this, if it would have been if it had been a corner or a a a deep dropper in third and 15, I would have called timeout. Or if it had been third and one and we had a D line missing, I would have called timeout. But when I said it didn’t matter, it was like we should have stopped them. That’s what didn’t matter with with with eight on the grass. Yeah, coach with with Yeah, with Devon situation. Um, uh, do you have an update on Troy Anderson’s timetable? Could you fast track him? And then, uh, Storm is Storm getting close to his window at least getting open. I’d say I say everybody’s close, but that means with that being said, no new news on either. Um, obviously if something happened with Storm, um, we I’ll let you know. I’ll keep you posted, but nothing has happened yet. Um and and nothing with Troy as of yet. You know, both those guys status remain the same on IR.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris speaks with the media on the Monday following the Atlanta Falcons loss to the San Francisco 49ers and reflects on the current state of the Atlanta Falcons.

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