Raheem Morris discusses Atlanta Falcons’ performance vs Indianapolis Colts | Press Conference

Raheem Morris discusses Atlanta Falcons’ performance vs Indianapolis Colts | Press Conference

Coach, obviously another tough loss yesterday. Um are there any changes coming um with, you know, play calling, coaching staff, uh any any of the operations going to change going forward next week? No. Uh we got a really good group here. We got a really good group of guys and uh we’ve been in two tough games from back-to-back weeks and versus two really good football teams that we were highly competitive. There’s a lot of things we want to get better. You know, obviously Zeno, as you know, particularly third down when it comes to offense, um, moving the ball on third downs, but we got some things that we did get better as far as our red zone offense and being able to get down there and getting our run game going yesterday. You know, defensively, obviously, we want to do a better job of stopping the run. Knew that would be a tough challenge with these guys and who we had. And um, but we got to get to the ball and tackle, you know, James with with some with some u population and not allow some of the big plays that we gave up. Um but they did a lot of production out of the sacks again and some of the guys rushing the passer and and really we had a nice day on third down on defense. Um those are things that really well for us. And then on special teams, you know, obviously um we got to go out and play better than we played yesterday. We can’t allow people to return the ball on us and get short fills that way. Um had a couple penalties earlier which you kind of feel like you got lucky with. Um but they were able to call them back whether they were penalties or not. You can’t let them break out. And then the ones they did get out there towards the end of the game and um you know in all all the all all the areas that they were able to get out and I guess some return yards whether it be punt returns or kickoffs and like those things we got to do better and then if we can find a way to win that game we can go out there and coach those be really positive. You know we were so close you know from the third and 20 um he was able to scramble making a fourth and two uh to the fourth and two playing that thing correctly and just barely not making that play. um we had had a lot happier flight um and been really pleased with the production of the trip and the things that was able to go on. So long long answer for a bunch of nothing for you Zeno, but no. Real quick, as far as calling the timeout before that final field goal, why for a guy who’s missed two, why give him a chance to settle himself instead of just making him go field goal rush and try to put it through? So, I thought it was going to be a gimm. I thought he was going to make that like he did. So, I wanted to give us more time to be able to go out there and if we got the ball and had the two timeouts and able to complete that ball of Mooney, we make one more completion and we’re kicking the long one to try to win it and walk off. Um, and I thought that was a smarter deal there cuz he was so close um where they were and all things of that nature. So, we kind of went that route. Um, we could have let him rush out there and go to try to kick in, try to make it and, you know, make it under pressure, but it felt like a game for him. Um, it felt like something that was going to be pretty easy for him. We feel like we can get some more time for our offense to go out there and if we get that big completion to Mooney um that we dropped and we can get another one uh we might be having a different conversation right now. Raheem with regards to some of the game strategy stuff. Why receive in overtime yesterday? Uh that’s part of our strategy to get the ball. You know, you get the ball uh you know you’re going to have to get it back. They’re going to kind of know what they need to go to win it, but you also know what you need to do on defense to go out there and get a stop. um you also have a chance to get that third possession and then after that man it gets scarce um from running out of time and going into you know potentially um the tie situation. So like for us that’s kind of what which direction we chose to go Joe and um that’s something that we we’ve talked about at Nauseium a little bit and that’s kind of where we wanted to go with it. With regards to the the third down problems that you’ve had offensively, is there anything that you see that stands out to you when you watch the tape as to you know why why the problems have been ongoing? Yeah, we first of all we got to get shorter third downs. We had a couple more long third downs yesterday. Um and then the other thing about it is we got to execute better. You know, our first third down of the game, we get sacked for sack fumble. We got to execute what Mike’s saying, what he’s telling us to do. We got to get those things done um from a communication standpoint from whether it be Mike, whether it be us listening, whatever the case may be that we can get those things done because it was clear look um something that we worked on, something that we practice, something we got to execute. So, we got to execute better across the board. We got to execute better for Mike really um to be to be absolutely honest with you like across the board. You know, Mike’s got to play better. He wants to play better. He’s always going to be one of those guys that’s very hard on himself. Um, but he is a young man. Um, he’s a first year quarterback in his first year and we got to play better for him and around him. Hey Rob, we all know stats can be misleading. So, when with Mike’s um completion lack there percentage yesterday, how much of that was on him and how much of that was when you looked at the film, other guys just not doing what they needed to do? So, you never want to really want to blame anybody when it comes down to that. Mike is going to be so hard and critical on himself um that it’s always going to be his fault no matter what and where they were. But we got some things that we can clean up well around him, right? Whether it be drops, whether it be in the right spot, or whether it be just getting the stuff that you got to get across the board from Mike. Um, but he will go out there and execute those things. That’s why you love him so much. Those are things that let you know he’s so accountable. He’s so resilient. He’s such in that way. And he’s going to hold it high in himself. Like I called him, you know, recently and just talked to him about, you know, this there’s two guys that get all the blame in this business and they get all the credit as well when it goes well. It’s myself and you. And I said, “Hey, man, like we got to be resilient. We got to be there for each other. We’ll be accountable. we’ll do all the things together, but we got to play better for for you around you as well. Um, and we trust and believe in you that you’re going to be able to go out there and do those things. So, when you say um he’s playing well, that means he’s developing and he’s doing the right things and he’s knowing what he’s want to do. Um, and we just got to get executed better for him. Well, yeah. Along those lines, um, specifically when facing pressure and some of How do you feel about the the alert packages, the hot routes, kind of Mike’s command of that, where the offense is with all of that? I feel really great with uh Mike’s command. We got to get everybody on the same page. Everybody has to be the same way. You know, we just talked about that first third down of the game. Um, where his command is great, you know, his check is great, and we got to get it and execute it, and then we got to see how that can play out after that. But, you know, all of those things have to be on us. They got to be on us as coaches. It’s got to be on us as players. It’s got to be on us as the quarterback, the head coach, all of us. So, like, uh, we take all those things, you know, not not lightly. Um, those are things that we have to go out there and be executed every single week. And like the last two weeks, it’ be hard to talk about the command of it all, you know, with the percentage that we had on third down. But, you know, we start off early in the season, he was really good, and we’ve kind of fallen off in the last couple of weeks, you know, at a historic fashion. Arc Mike’s pocket presence. Um, I mean, is it fair to grade it at this point? And and for a guy who’s athletic and mobile, it feels like there are opportunities for him to use that to his advantage and it doesn’t happen and we get throws that are off time and off target more often than not. How are we evaluating this and are you encouraging him to try to use his mobility more? Yeah, yes, we are. Actually, Mark, you know, that’s a great observation and what we’ve done with him is tell him to be able to use his legs like he did, you know, week before prior with the big long scramble versus the Patriots. Um, that’s something that you love to happen. You know, yesterday used it a little bit when he got out the pocket and hit Drake on the scramble when the prey broke down. He’s kind of scrambled to his left. Drake did a nice job of shadowing him and following him. He did another big scramble when he was able to hit Bejian along the sideline. You know, you like to see those things happen more and they could happen more often because he is so athletic and he has that in his body. You know, sometimes you get out the pocket if you go the wrong way and and you not I shouldn’t say the wrong way. If you go away where there’s not people that scramble for you, um it’s not going to look as good. um because he’s a thrower first and he’s always going to look down and feel the throw as opposed to just taking off using his legs at all times and like um he we can get better at all those things and that’s something that he can get better at as well and I don’t know if it’s necessarily pocket presence because he’s very comfortable in the pocket. He loves being in the pocket. He loves going through the whole you know dynamic of his progressions. I just think it’s sometimes man he can use his athleticism at times that he can really exploit people. Ben Raheem, there have been two instances in your coaching career where you’ve seen a three and six team make it to the playoffs, both with the Rams and Washington when they were still the Redskins. Can you look back on those days and use lessons from that time period and portray them to this team now? I don’t like to, Taran, to be honest, you know, because every team has it own individual taste and like what you like to do is get better every single day. I don’t think when we’re at the Rams or when we’re at Washington, I don’t think we ever came out and said, “Hey, we’re going to make this run and let it happen, right?” It just kind of happened just by getting better and better every day. And the only way you can do that is go out and practice preparation, play better, you know, own your faults, own the things you want to do better, you know, do all those different things and go out there and get those things done. So like I think it’s one step at a time is one day at a time. And like I think it’s got to start on Wednesday. Does that experience at least help you mentally be like, “All right, we’re still in this.” Yeah, I think Taran, for me personally, I think the whole National Football League has allowed you to be that way. Like, since we’ve been in it, um, we’ve seen these type of things happen all the time. We’ve seen players, coaches, teams, you know, find a way and get it done and and that’s that’s what we want to go watch and hope happen have happen. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, T. Um, at the end of the first half, uh, Kaden got the sack and you decided not to call timeout and then they threw the interception. What was your thinking there not calling timeout? They were in scoring position. They were in score position, Ken. They were on the 50 yard line somewhere, right? Right around that point. We got the sack. You know, these they had shown already that they scored in two two two two two plays in a couple different possessions. Um, so we were not thinking about that. We got the interception. Uh, we got the taunt ping got knocked back. We would have had a little bit of time with a timeout there, been able to use it. I was not interested in using that time frame on what it looked like for us in our clock and in our management. That wasn’t a a deal. They were too close. If we’d had him back a little bit further, they were, you know, in plus territory at that point. That wasn’t something I wanted to use at that moment. Unrelated, uh, there was a Michael had a throw into the end zone to Kyle. Blitz was picked up nicely to the left side. Um, could could Kyle have made a better effort on that ball that hit off the quarterback’s head? I hate to say effort, you know. I I love to say those are the plays you got to make for your quarterback every once in a while if you’re Cal because he’s because he’s capable of making it. You know, you like a better throw for Mike, obviously. you get the ball out there, do all those different things, let him catch it in stride. But, you know, you would say that every single week, you know, just last week we threw a double move to Drake and it was up in the air, kind of gave him a a an effort ball to go up in the air and Drake comes down with it and lands on top of the defender and gets up is a huge play. You know, you like to see something like that happen just to make a better play for you, a better opt for you. So, yes, Ken, you like to see some of those plays really come out in your favor. Um, because we’re capable of doing it and especially those two, you know, when you’re talking about Cal and you’re talking about Mike, those two, one of those two guys are capable of making that play better. Thank you. Break down to third and 21 for me. Um I I from what I saw, they ran like all go route straight down the field and took all the coverage deep. I don’t think it was Dale Jones intention to take off and run, but was there anything anything you could have done better? Do you wish you had rushed more? I mean, just, you know, hindsight being 2020, how do you see it? Yeah, it’s hard to say it. You know, it was third down and 20. We actually had the drop on like you mentioned. We covered it up all down the grass. Uh we get one we get one small mistake by a contained player on the edge that Daniel was able to bounce outside. You get that thing turned back in. We possibly get him tackled. You’re talking now fourth and 10. Uh you know a much favorable position for us or whatever the case may be. And you know it wasn’t came down to the fourth and two. They ran the exact same play as the Patriots ran the week before. I mean we played almost perfectly other than knocking the ball down or picking it off. Um but it was it was um it was it was it was it was a tough draw. One more real quick. Um I I get after the game it’s hard to not always find words, but the last couple weeks you said we’ve got to find a way and obviously you’re not finding a way. Do you want to alter that message to the fans about, you know, the losses that we’re taking over the last couple of weeks? You know, Mark, you got to find a way to make those plays. You just mentioned two of them right there. Right. You make that third and 20 play. you know, whether it’s a fourman rush and somebody makes a play in the back field in third down and 20 or you get them tackled and then you make the play on fourth and longer or you make that play in fourth and two, you know, or you find a way to catch that ball before you go to overtime and potentially set yourself up for for a field goal. You got to find a way to make those plays and those plays got to come from us, you know, so it’s not that we got to find a way, we got to make the plays that present themselves and give us an opportunity to win the football game. Um, and I think that’s the most important message for our guys. Yeah, but it’s tough because you’re not finding a way. It looks like at least the results are that losses were not finding the way and that’s that’s sort of the angst. Yeah, I don’t disagree with you, you know, but you got to find it, right? You can’t say all of a sudden that somebody’s going to find a different way, you know, somebody’s got to make a play and we got plenty of guys that are capable of making it. Whether you talking about offensive guys and drakes, the the cow pits, the Bjon Robinsons or you talking about on defense yesterday just a quick version of it and Billy and our young guys rushing the passive shown that they can beat a person and rush and get a sack at some critical moments and those are things happen. And that’s how you want it to happen for yourself. Joe, uh, wish I had a I don’t know a smarter way to say this, but what what’s going on with Darnell Mooney? It just feels like the targets that go to him look particularly like ugly, I guess, uh, in relation to like the way that some of the other passes work to some of the other receivers. Is that um, the kind of coherence that he has with Mike, having missed so much of preseason, injury related, anything that you can put your eye on? You you hate to make any excuses for any of it because nobody cares, right? it is more is more important that they are not having a great connection right now. You know, the connection with Drake has been has been been outstanding particularly over the last couple of weeks and you want to look more you want to look closer to that with Mooney. You know, like whether it’s a really good throw on a drop or whether it’s a bad throw and a miss and a misop um you got to make those things to come together. Kind of what Zeno just alluded to is like how do you get that stuff to happen? And the only way to do it is to practice and to go out there and do it together. Um and you got to have that time to do it. They’ll be out there doing those things and like that’s all the growing pains that we’re going through right now. We got to have all those things happen for us um the right way. We want Mooney to go out there and be a deep threat. Want Mooney to be able to go out there and get balls in his hands, get some receptions, be a to catch and run, do some of the things he did for us in a special way last year. Uh and we got to get those things going. Uh it looked like D’Angelo had a significant ankle injury. Is there anything you can say about his status? Yeah, he’ll be out. Uh Ken, I don’t have the exact uh on what it is because I didn’t have my medical meeting yet with the guys, but I do know he’ll be out. He’ll miss some significant time. Um, I don’t know exactly how much they This is not like the coach speak right now. I haven’t talked to those guys yet. And then the other one gets mad at me when I give him coach speak and I’m not trying to get him coach speak. Um, first thoughts about Carolina, what you’ve seen so far. I spent obviously several weeks since you saw last saw them. Yeah, very early. You know, obviously just started the process with these guys and looking at some of the stuff they’re doing on defense when I was willing with Zach and and how they’re playing the run and doing some different things in their fronts differently. um some of the stuff that we did out in LA. And then obviously on offense, they got, you know, Rico and their run game really going. Um they’ve done a nice job in that area. Um that’s really kind of carried them and been their identity since about week five or so. Um they’ve done such a nice job of doing some of those things. So like this is very early in the process. Don’t want to talk too much about Carolina, but um we got to go upstairs and start it. You know, obviously the coaches already going at it and soon as I get finished talking with you, you guys, I can go do that. Thank you.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris speaks with the media on the Monday following the Atlanta Falcons OT loss to the Indianapolis Colts in their international matchup in Berlin, Germany.

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