COLLAPSE: Atlanta Falcons DOMINATED by Seahawks in 37-9 Blowout Loss

COLLAPSE: Atlanta Falcons DOMINATED by Seahawks in 37-9 Blowout Loss

There’s no quit. I’m sorry, I got that backwards. There’s only quit in the Atlanta Falcons. [Music] You are Locked on Falcons, your daily Atlanta Falcons podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Welcome back everyone to another illustrious episode of the Locked On Falcons podcast. Your daily Atlanta Falcons podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network, now the number one sports podcast network in the entire galaxy. And today’s Locked on Falcons is brought to you by FanDuel. If you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit fan.com and place your live NFL bets all season long. So I am of course your humble host Aaron Freeman and I think each and every one of you that is an everyday the podcast you are the reasons why the Locked on Podcast Network is the number one sports podcast network in the galaxy. Shout out to you the everydayers. And we’ll be talking about another way that you guys can show your support for this podcast and this network by joining an exclusive everyday club later in today’s episode. but just to be an everyday that shows up each and every day. All you have to do is subscribe and follow for free on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcast. So on today’s episode, we’ll break down this week 14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks 37 to9. Talk about how the Falcons quit and really kind of failed to capitalize on the opportunities that they had against the Seattle team early in this game and Seattle was like, “Oh, we’re the better team and we’re going to prove it uh in the second half.” We’ll give Jaden Pierce Jr. some love, right? And we’re not going to give him too much love because I got to push an anti-Terry Fontauo agenda here on this podcast. But we’ll also be talking about, you know, why I’ve been slacking in my anti-Re Morris agenda and we’ll try to rectify that on today’s episode. But basically, the Falcons failed to capitalize on their opportunities. They had several opportunities to to to kind of take early lead against this Seattle team, and we’ll outline some of those opportunities that they failed to take advantage of. And then Seattle later in the game when the Falcons were gift wrapping them opportunities, they fully took advantage of that, particularly in the second half, scoring 31 uh points in the second half to really blow this thing out the doors. Um but when you look at this game, you know, the Falcons had a great start for their defense for basically two and a half quarters. We’ll break down that later in today’s episode. And they also had um you know two drives uh to to sort of start this game in their first two and a half quarters where they started the ball in Seahawks territory but they failed to capitalize it. The first time um they got a field goal and then the next time rather you know off of a turnover. Um they failed to put the ball in the end zone and they settle for a field goal and then that field goal was blocked. Shout out to Matthew Bersron. looked like he he blew that block on that particular play. And you know, the defense had played great for two and a half quarters, but then the issue that seems like it feels like an issue almost every single week where the opposing offense gets into their two-minute drill, and this defense really can’t stop anybody um in those situations. Um and the Seahawks were able to go down the field, get a field goal. Uh and then of course uh the Falcons had an opportunity prior to that point where they had a touchdown. It got taken off the board on a fade to Darnell Mooney because he stepped out of bounds and the referees were like, “Oh, he didn’t reestablish himself in bounds before catching that touchdown, that 30-yard touchdown on a fade.” And so that led to one of those field goals for the Falcons uh in the first half um the second of those field goals um in the first half to take a 6-6 game into halftime. And you know, for those of us for those of you that are, you know, relatively new every day of the podcast, you know, the longtime everyday know that I don’t sit here and harp too much on on officiating. Um, you know, we we will point out when we think officials blow the call, but you know, you’re going to win some, you’re going to lose some. It’s just part of the game. And you’re the Falcons. You shouldn’t have been in a situation where you needed that touchdown. E even then what happened in the second half pretty much negated pretty much anything that could happen because after that point third quarter woes we know this team is terrible in the third quarter right uh they go opening kickoff 100 yard kick return for a touchdown from Rasheed Shahed bejan then fumbles on the next drive Seattle turns that into seven points Kurt Cousins throws an interception later Seattle turns that I believe into a field goal or points or whatever you know they were able to get another touchdown. They started to attack AJ Terrell with some crossers to Jackson Smith and Jigba. They got a 30-yard play off of it and then they got a 27 yard touchdown off of that. And so the Falcons wound up with three turnovers in this game, two Kurt Cousins interceptions as well as um you know a Bejian fumble and Seattle got 17 points off of that and the Falcons got an interception in this game. Mike Hughes got an interception in this game. Mike Hughes of all people and no he heard he he you know he heard the slander um and you know played reasonably well for the first half um and the Falcons were not able to convert that into that that was the drive that led to the block field goal and then like you know the third quarter finally ends thank god because you know you know and then the Falcons get into field goal get into scoring range and get inside the the Seahawks 10 and they settle for field goal and you know they were down 17 at that point inside the 10 yard line you it was a fourth and three or fourth and two, whatever it was, and they settle for the field goal. And I just assumed that they were going to go for it in that situation. And the broadcast team was like, “Oh, that’s the right call. You you kick uh in that situation because you’re down 17. You need three scores. You’re not guaranteed at the start of the fourth quarter to get, you know, three more possessions, especially if you don’t make it.” Um, and that all makes logic logical sense, but like you know, the Falcons did only get two more possessions uh the rest of the game or technically three, but at that point it was like with 20 seconds left. Um, and they got zero points. Those two possessions resulted in an interception and a turnover on downs and c the Seattle scored on their two possessions right after that situation. So, it was basically moot at that point in time. And to me, like, you know, I get the logic behind going for those points, but like that’s where I mean when I talk about the quit in this team because it was just like they, you know, I think early in the game when they went for it, uh, settle for points, you know, like don’t don’t don’t put yourself in a hole early on. I had no problem with the Falcons kicking the field goal though and not being aggressive there especially on a fourth and three where like you know it’s zero at that point in time and there’s no reason to think that the Falcons without Drake London their their main guy on on critical downs uh are going to convert a fourth and three like the fact the last two games like their first third down conversion in this game was a slant to Bean like the fact that they’re creating plays on third downs to Bean the last two games is basically telling you you know how bad this receiver core is. And so like I get that, but like when you’re down 17 points and you need a touchdown to just even try to break this thing and like you you settle for the field goal, like that to me is where the Falcons kind of quit in this game. And like that’s kind of the story of this team is just like they they just quit every single time that they have. And that’s a testament to their poor coaching, which we’ll get into more at the end of today’s episode when I go on my when I break down my anti-RAMe Morris agenda, uh which I haven’t necessarily done. uh on this podcast, but like that’s to me the kind of the story of this game. This game really personifies the Falcons season. They start off strong. They give you some hope and optimism and then they hit a, you know, some adversity and they just do not respond well at all to adversity and it has been a slide. They’ve won one out of the last eight games after starting the season three and two again. Like that Bills game that week after that Bills that Monday Night Bills game feels like it was ages ago. You know, you remember you remember how high we were. It it’s just like the vibes, you know, it’s it’s so similar to 2023 where the Falcons started off 2 and0 and the vibes were so great. It was like, oh, they’re going to do something, right? And of course not. And that’s just the problem with the team. I don’t know what else to say. again, I’m I’m contractually obligated to be here. And so, I appreciate every one of you that is also still here rocking with me um the rest of the season. So, we will talk about the one good thing coming out of this game, which is James Pierce Jr. in this defense. Um and, you know, we’ll talk about why I continue to not give James Pierce the the amount of love that I think a lot of people who listen to this podcast think I should give him. And again, it’s part of my anti-Terry Fontau agenda. And we’ll get into all of that as well as the Kurt Cousins chaos meter uh as we wrap up today’s uh or continue today’s locked on Falcons. Today’s episode is brought to you by Auraf Frames. If you’re shopping for the perfect gift this holiday season and you’re looking for something meaningful, personal, and guaranteed to get that reaction, Aura Frames is the gift that delivers every single time. It’s not just something you wrap. It’s a way to share the memories because Aura isn’t your average picture frame. You can preload the frame with photos before gifting it. So when they plug it in, the memories are already there. No apps to figure out, no setup headaches, just instant smiles. The perfect gift for grandparents, parents, and newlyweds, anyone who loves photos. So for a limited time, save on the perfect gift by visiting aframes.com. And you’ll get $35 off on Aura’s bestselling carver mat frames, named number one by Wire Cutter by using the promo code locked on at checkout. That’s a rurframes.com. Promo code locked on. This deal is exclusive to our listeners and frames sell out fast. So order yours now to get it in time for the holidays. Support the show by mentioning us at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. And today’s episode is also brought to you by Georgia Access. Have your health or family needs changed lately? Georgia’s got you covered. Georgia Access is our state’s marketplace for Georgians to compare, apply, and enroll in health insurance plans that offer the best value for their individual needs. Open enrollment is happening right now. Don’t wait. Visit georgia.gov today. Georgia Access Health Insurance for Georgia by Georgia. And I once again want to thank all of you that make Locked On Falcons your first listen of the day. And you have you are the reason why Locked On is the number one sports podcast network. And if you’re an everydayer of this show, as I know many of you are, uh, and you never miss a show, you’re already one of the everydayers. But you can sort of make it official now for as little as $5 a month by joining the Everydayer Club today, a community for the most loyal Locked on Falcons fans. Check out the link in the show notes or head to locked on falcons.supcast.com for more information. So let’s talk about James Pierce Junior. I got called out on Twitter by the general 387. He said, “Hey, they only rushed three and they got home locked on Falcons. Hey Aaron, make sure you mention this later today. Referring to the James Pierce Jr. sack on the opening drive where he’s right. The Falcons only rushed three on the third down. Uh and James Pierce was able to get a solid win against Charles Cross, the Seahawks left tackle, and get that sack. Um and James Pierce is doing his best to beat the allegations, right? Started out the game hot and then much like the rest of the Falcons team, then kind of no-showed. And again, I’m not doing that to throw shade at James Pierce. I’m just explaining because I know a lot of people did not watch the game today because y’all are checked out on the season except for you all the everydayers, right? You know, he tweaked his quad on the next series. That’s an excuse, you know, but that was basically the his one win in this entire game. But hey, you know, we’ll take it uh at this point in time. Now, Arnold, I believe, led the team with three pressures today, but of course, Arnold didn’t get a sack because Arnold doesn’t finish. At least James Pierce finishes. That’s the thing we will praise about that. you know, that speaks to uh JPJ’s and and so to to you the general 387. I mentioned it on the podcast, but you know, let’s talk about the defense getting their flowers. You know, AJ deserves their his flowers, right? He was I you know, I I wasn’t confident that the Falcons would try to man him up with Jackson Smith and Jigba in this game and they did early in the game and it was very effective for basically the first half. He basically kept JSN in check. I think in you know JSN had two catches for almost 60 yards on one of those drives in this third quarter. Uh but outside of that I think he finished with like nine catches for 90 yards. So that basically means or something like that. Seven catches for 90 yards. So that basically means um you know he was he only caught like five passes for like 30 40 yards or something like that. And that’s exactly what you wanted to see from AJ in this game. Unfortunately, it felt like the Seahawks figured out, oh, like they’re playing man coverage, so we’ll just run crossing routes. That’s the most difficult thing to defend in man coverage, and the Falcons safeties weren’t necessarily in position to help AJ on those particular instances. And the Falcons pressure wasn’t there, right? And early on in the game, the Falcons pressure was there. They were able to get some critical pressures, including James Pierce Jr. on that sack. Then you had on the I think the next series, Arnold Becketti had a pressure in the red zone. Then you had the uh block field goal for the Falcons. And then they started off the next series with a sack from Contavius Street uh as well as there was another pressure for AK early in the game. And so you had that good pressure up front. You had the good coverage on the back end taking away JSN in the first half. And and so that was the big reason why the Falcons for two and a half quarters or two point two two and three/4ers quarters right until the final two-minute drill. The defense was able excuse me to lock down one of the best offenses in the NFL. And so kudos goes to the defense, right? They started strong, but then it stopped because, you know, it is what it is. Like Seattle, there’s a reason why it’s the Seahawks are now 10 and three and and potentially in a position to be the number one seed in the NFC. You’re not going to be able to shut them down for more than two quarters in and the Falcons, you know, giving them a run for their money for a quarter and a half or two quarters or whatever, um, was all you could really expect. And the offense really needed to to carry their weight. they weren’t able to carry the weight. So, we’ll circle back to the James Pierce Jr. trade and why I don’t give JPJ enough credit on this podcast as part of my anti-Terry Fontino agenda. But, let’s get the Kirk Cousins chaos meter out of the way for those of you not familiar here uh with the Kirk Cousins chaos meter. Every week we on these rapid reactions, we break down the Falcons quarterback before with Michael Penn was the pinnac meter where Kirk is the chaos meter which comes from like locked on Vikings because Kirk tends to be a chaotic quarterback. Kirk had two interceptions in today’s game, but like they were not really on Kirk. They were on good defensive plays or bad offensive plays from the receivers. Um and so Kirk gets a two uh a level two chaos meter. You know, level two is basically he managed the game. Again, we’ll probably go back and look at the film and be like, “Yeah, it was a pretty meh performance from Kirk, but that that’s pretty typical at this point in time. Kirk Kirk out here getting checks like just the right like me right out here getting checks.” I I see you, Kirk. I see you right now. Uh, you know, let’s let’s give you right just out here getting jacked. He don’t want to be here. He’s been held hostage the whole time. So, Kirk is just out here. I’m going to give you level two performance and it’s up for the rest of y’all to take care of business. Uh, because I’m just here because I got to be here, right? So, they don’t find me, right? You know, you you we know Kirk don’t want to be here. So, I salute you, Kirk, on that front. But uh let’s talk about why I continue to hate on James Pierce Jr., right? The reason is because Terry Fontino’s got to go, man. And so JPJ, I need you to chill, man. Because too far too many people are sitting here praising that trade. Like, oh, JPJ is is winning the trade single-handedly by getting these sacks five games in a row now with sacks. And I’m just like, JPJ, you got to chill, my guy, because we got to get Terry Fontino out the paint, my guy. And you cannot play this well to make people forgive Terry Fontino for the horrifically bad trade that he’s had, right? And and JPJ’s off to, you know, has had a great November and December so far after a very quiet October and, you know, is having a a great year one. He’s he’s he’s elevated our expectations, all that stuff. On pace to have the best rookie season for a Falcons pass rusher that we’ve ever seen, all that stuff and more. And it’s great in isolation, but in the bigger picture, guys, you you know, you got to keep your eye on the prize. The Falcons have to get Terry Fontineau, their general manager, up out the paint. And sitting here praising that trade is not helping matters. And that’s why I will not, you will not see me on this podcast ever, ever praising that trade until the day after Terry Fontineau is fired. And then all of a sudden, hey, we’re going to be sitting here being the biggest fans of Jane Pierce Jr. on the Lockown Falcons podcast. I can promise you that, ladies and gentlemen. uh once Terry Fontino is fired. But you know, again, the reason why I don’t praise that trade is basically the same reasons I gave last week. It’s like the Falcons basically constantly believe themselves to be one piece away and this trade embodies that where they’re like, “Oh, all we need to do is fix our pass rush. We have no other holes and we’re we have no path to improve this year this off seasonason without a first round pick.” Right? A first round pick would do so much wonders. Again, this is not a Jame Pierce Jones, James Pierce Jr. James, sorry guys, James Pierce Jr. Um, you know, uh, situation. I was thinking of James Earl Jones. Um, you know, insert your Darth Vader, uh, you know, sound bite right there. But like, um, the issue is like we’ve discovered this year, right? This is the problem with Terry Font. This is why Terry Fontto has to be fired. We’ll get to Raheem Morris in a second. But like this is the reason why Terry Fontau has to be fired because they constantly convinced this has been the Falcons problem for eight years guys. They constantly convince one piece away. We Right. Raheem and Terry were like, “Oh, in 24 we just got to solve the quarterback issue and we’re good to go.” And they haven’t solved the quarterback issue. Right. Again, you can blame injuries, all that stuff, but they haven’t solved the problem. And it’s like, “Oh, well, we’re going to solve the pass rush.” And it’s like, you have solved the pass rush. The Falcons, you know, are what 43 sacks or whatever, 45 sacks, whatever. They’re going to have 50 sacks. I remember preseason, you know, talking about projecting the Falcons sacks. We’re like, we’re not going to project 50 sacks because that would be ridiculous because there’s no way the Falcons of all teams can get 50 sacks and we got, you know, we’re like four or five sacks away from that with, you know, four games left. And so we’re we’re almost there, guys. But guess what? It don’t mean nothing because the Falcons are 4-9 and this is the problem. Like they they’re not one piece away. We see all the flaws in their pass catchers. We see this offensive line needing to be rebuilt. Man, a top 10 pick would do wonders to solve that offensive tackle need that is inevitable right now. Beefing up the interior D line, right? There’s a couple of DTackles that are worth top 10 picks. And boy knows, again, Mike Hughes played better this week, but boy knows the Falcons need another quarterback to tag it. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they had two AJ Torrell caliber corners uh on the outside to lock up the JSN’s and the Mecca Ibukas and all that stuff, right? this, you know, and that’s the problem with the Falcons is they’re constantly feeling like, “Oh, we’ve solved it. We figured it out.” And they haven’t figured it out. And that’s why I hate the James Pierce Jr. trade. Not because I hate James Pierce Jr., not because Jane BJ is doing is not playing at a high level. It’s because the Falcons, it’s a big bigger issue for the Falcons. Um, their overall issues over this last decade of constantly believing that we’re one piece away and they’re not one piece away. And that gets to why I haven’t been focusing as much attention on Raheem Morris because, you know, I think a big part of why I haven’t been killing Raheem Morris as much as people think I should on this podcast, we’ll get to it. Um, is because I think a lot of people are basically doing the same thing, which is convincing. Once we get a competent head coach in here, all of our problems go away. and we’ll break down why I don’t believe that. But we’ll also break down why the Falcons cannot sit here and run it back with Raheem Morris uh after this season moving forward. Even if it’s the quote unquote fair thing to do, it’s not the right thing to do. And we’ll break that down, guys, as we wrap up today’s lockdown on Falcons. Now, the World Cup is coming back to North America for the first time in over 30 years. It’s going to be massive. But let’s be honest, getting tickets to this massive venue is going to be very hard. But it’s not going to be that hard. With Game Time, who’s going to come in clutch and finally give the fans the advantage when it comes to snagging seats? With Game Time, you can track the price drops in real time, get alerts when great seats open, and buy tickets the moment they hit the app. It puts the power back in your hands and makes going to the World Cup realistic instead of impossible. And we love Game Time because the price you see is the price you pay. No hidden fees at checkout and we love the panoramic seat view. So what you see is what you get. So take the guesswork out of buying World Cup tickets or tickets to other sports concert or events near you with Game Time by downloading Game Time app, create an account, and use code locked on NFL and you’ll get $20 off your first purchase. Again, download the app, make an account, and use code len NFL for $20 off. Swipe tap ticket go time. And today’s episode is also brought to you by FanDuel. Uh, NFL Sundays move fast and one big play can change everything and FanDuel is going to make those opportunities more exciting where you’re not just watching the game, you’re reacting to it in real time. You can place bets on FanDuel as the action unfolds from every drive, every momentum swing, every highlight moment. And live betting is best when the game starts to shift. Whether it’s JSN getting hot, whether it’s JPJ getting home for a sack, or that momentum flip after multiple turnovers in a Falcon Seahawks game, and FanDuel’s gonna let you jump into every single moment. So, make sure you stay locked in with those live bets and money lines that adjust instantly, those player props that go up and down as guys heat up or cool down. So, if you’re ready to get right into the middle of the action this season, make sure you visit FanDuel, download the FanDuel app, and place your NFL live bets all season long. FanDuel, the game moves fast and so can you. So, this comes from an insider who hit me up. Uh, and for those of you that don’t know, you know, the Lockdown Falcons insiders, uh, you can join at the link in the description below, as well as be join that every day club, uh, at the link in the description below. But an insider hit me up last week and being like, Erin, I don’t, basically paraphrasing, Erin, I don’t think you spend enough time knocking the coaching staff. And that’s a fair criticism on this podcast. And the main reason why is part of it is, you know, I know I’m not going to beat the contrarian allegations, but like to me, I I I watch and listen to other shows and that’s all they focus on. And, you know, I don’t focus on it because I don’t think I need to come on this podcast and and tell you why this team is a poorly coached team. And part of it is that we were among the first people here on Locked on Falcons to talk about the poor coaching. That was a big talking point this off seasonason coming off the heels of the 2024 season where I think a lot of people just boiled that season down to Kurt Cousins lying about his injury and that’s why the season fell apart. And we here on this podcast, me and my ego, the Royal Wii, uh basically like no, it was a poorly coached season. That’s why the Falcons underachieved because they were not coaching, right? We talked about how if you looked at their nine losses and look and ranked the reasons why they lost each one of those nine games, not to say it was one reason why they lost a game, but the number one reason, the quarterback, Kirk Cousins, was the number one reason in basically one game. Now, he was probably the number two, three or four reason in multiple games, but the number one reason in one game, the coaching staff was the number one reason in four games. That Steelers game, that Washington game, that final Carolina game, and that Denver game where this coaching staff to me underachieved. He spent, you know, all the offseason talking about Zack Robinson’s poor play calling while everybody else was like, “Oh, Zack did a good job in year one, right? And now all of a sudden everybody’s else is coming for Zack Robinson.” So that’s part of it. Again, part of that is just maybe that’s a Aaron Freeman ego issue. Why we why we use the royal we on this podcast where I’m like, “Oh, that thing that you guys heard from me last year, everybody else is now talking about this year.” It’s like while everybody else is now catching up to my 2024 takes, you know, in 2025, you’re all going to be sitting here catching up to my 2025 takes in 2026 when it comes to the roster and the holes there. But part of it is it is a fair criticism. We don’t spend enough time talking about Raheem. But we spent a lot of time this offseason talking about this coaching staff talks the talk, but they don’t wind up backing up by walking the walk. And it’s to me it’s very clear watching each and every Sunday that they are not walking the walk. And we could absolutely spend more time focusing on that and me explaining all the reasons why this is a poorly coached. That is a fair criticism of this podcast. I will own up to that. But like part of the reason why I don’t focus on that is because I again I think this is the same thing that happened in 2020. It’s the same thing happened in 2023 and I feel like it’s happening again in 2025 is other people hyperfixate on the coaching issues and it leads to fans basically believing that this one this team has one problem and it’s just coaching. And I don’t think that’s the case. And so we try to outline the other issues that this team is is dealing with, right? Um but yes, the coaching staff is not good. The special teams coordinator, everybody’s clamoring for Maris Williams to get fired after another bad day from the special teams, but you know, I’m not going to sit here and defend Maris Williams, but I’m like, who’s going to take over special teams? You can fire a guy, but especially on a short week, like is that going to solve the problem? Probably not with his assistant coach. But, you know, you know, maybe maybe you have somebody in Stephen King, who I’m sure 99% of you listening didn’t even know was the assistant special teams coach, right? Zack Robinson, his play calling has not been good, right? He’s had a couple of good games this year, and we we we’ve tried to give Zack the grace to show his year two improvement. The play action has improved. The red zone offense has improved, but overall, it’s still not a well-run offense. And that was on display today where again you heard me complain about this on the Falcons squad postgame show where it’s like why are we designing players for David Sills and Devin Tomkins and whatnot. You know I don’t get that. But you know that’s the Falcons and their choices at wide receiver that they were sitting here talking about. Well, we’re good at wide receiver all summer long and then it’s been a absolute disaster. And again that’s that’s the whole issue of talking the talk, right? where it’s like they’re talking about big, oh, Casey Washington’s doing Casey Washington a healthy scratch for three weeks now, right? You know, oh, we’re good. We got Cadero Hodgej. He’s a solid. Cado Haj is not getting any opportunities. And I’m like, why are you playing David Sills over Cadero Hodgej? I will not understand that, but we’ll leave that aside for another day. And you’ve seen the those issues, right? They talk and talk, right? Raheem was like, I remember during the summer, he was like, “Oh, Darnell Mooney not missing time, you know, due to his uh broken collar bone that we found out later on, you know, is is going to be a non-issue. him and PennX have, you know, connected so many times over the offseason that he’s not going to skip a beat when he comes back from his injury. And then Darnamoon has been basically been a no-show this entire season. He’s made like one good play all season long. Had one good play today, got wiped out, nullified on a penalty. But like that’s basically it. He’s made two good plays the entire season, right? And so that’s what I mean when I say they talk the talk and they don’t walk the walk. And yeah, we absolutely should spend more time on this podcast talking about all the things that this coaching staff has gotten wrong. And it’s to me the reason why if it’s not been clear to you guys, I do not believe that Raheem should be back in Atlanta next year. And to me, my worry is ownership is not going to think that way. Ownership is going to look at the improvement of the defense and being like, oh, they’re trending in the right direction, this young defense and Jeff Ober, and let’s let’s keep this thing moving. And again, again, this is not me making the case for keeping Raheem, but I’m just sitting here going like if you squint and you ignore, you know, you just look you just hyperfocus on like the one things that are go the positives and ignore all the negatives, you can you can convince yourself, you can delude yourself. That’s that’s a better word. You can delude yourself that staying the course is the right move of your ownership here. And that is my biggest concern is that ownership is going to look at this defense, this young defense, and and say, “Hey, they’re trending up.” And look at how the red zone offense has, you know, they were like 0 for four or whatever they were today. But like, you know, prior to that, they were the number one red zone offense in the league for uh the previous month or whatever it was. And then we’ll look at the play action passing. It’s like, oh well, you know, if we can just get what we were doing in the middle of the season and the second half of the season, man, this team is a playoff team. And it’s like, no, they’re not. Because what’s going to end up happening if you retain this coaching staff is the same inconsistency that we see week to week. It’s just going to return. You’re going to see good moments. you’re going to see positives. That’s the problem with the team. They’re inconsistent, right? This coaching staff does not you and you see this with the Seahawks where like the details are there for the Seahawks that you don’t see with the Atlanta Falcons, right? And to me, it basically boils down how I will explain it is my frustration with this team is, you know, over the last 17 games that they’ve played under Raheem Morris, they are six and 11, right? But every single time this team has an opportunity and and this is one of the reasons why I push back against the fan base in the media because I think that they contribute to this as well by hyperfixating on the coaching issue is they basically and the and but more importantly the team does this and so we’ll leave the fans aside for that but like this team always convinces themselves even though the product on the field is a six and 11 team right and they have shown that consistently over the last eight seasons. that they are much closer to a six-11 team whether they win seven games or eight games like last year than the opposite which is an 11 and 16 but this team constantly convinces themselves no actually we’re secretly an 11 and6 team even though the product on the field clearly states they’re a six and 11 team we’re actually an 11-6 team and we just got to solve this one problem whether it’s the James Pierce J we got to get the edge rusher we got to solve the quarterback we and and now it’s going to be we just got to upgrade you know the play caller or the the head coach and we’ll be, you know, an 11 and6 team. And basically, the point I keep doing on this podcast, the reason why we don’t spend as much time on the coaching is to me, we’re trying to outline why this team is actually a six and 11 team. They are not that good. It’s not to say that they’re talentless, right? It’s not to say they don’t have positive pieces, but at the end of the day, this is a 6 and11 football team, guys. And to me, the future of this team with Raheem Moors at the helm is just more the same, right? Maybe they can get slightly better than six and 11. Maybe they get to seven and 10. Maybe they even get back to eight and nine next year with with some of the improvements that they will have difficulty making with no cap space and no first round pick. But maybe they can piece it together and get back to being that same inconsistent but underwhelming football team. And to me, I just sit here and I go like, why Arthur Blank? Why would you do that? And there’s a lot of people out there that would sit here and it’s the fair thing to do. You got to give Raheem three years. And I’m like, it’s fair to give Raheem three years because that’s typically what you do in the NFL. And see if he can figure it out. See if he can hire a new special teams coordinator after the season. See if he can get uh, you know, an offensive coordinator, a capable offensive coordinator is more capable than Zack Robinson or retain Zack Robinson and hope that Zack Robinson finally with some of the positives that you’ve seen from him this year can do that for 17 games. Good luck with that. But, you know, give Raheem another chance and and and see, you know, what Michael Pennix can do and all that stuff. That’s a fair conversation. But the the thing I pose to Arthur Blank right now is like do you want to be fair or do you want to win football games because if the goal is to win football games and I believe Arthur Blank that is your goal, you’re not care about fairness. Okay, you care about winning football games and you’re not going to win football games with Raheem Morris at the helm. So hopefully the Falcons will make the right call. I’m not one of these people that sits here and goes like you got to fire Raheem tomorrow and if he’s still the coach on Monday, blah blah. You got a short week coming up against Tampa Bay Buccaneers. You know, forcing that on an interim head coach is not solving any problems. Okay. So, you make that decision, you make the right call at the end of the season, all is forgiven. All is forgiven. Arthur Blank, we’ll see. If you clean house and you start over again, it’s it’s not going to be pretty, guys. It’s not going to be pretty. But what is going on in Atlanta is not pretty. and sitting here and pretending that this team is like a couple of pieces away from 11 and six as we have been in denial and I say we not meaning me because you know if you Mr. Negativity Mr. Drew here on the podcast ain’t been pushing that narrative at all. It’s been hopeful that we would go 11 and six. If everything goes right we might go 11 and six but like we sit here going like this is a six and 11 football team and hopefully Arthur Blank realizes that and will make the right moves and be like we got to start fresh. But like I sit here and I go like you gotta you gotta you got to pull the trigger. But we will see. So I appreciate all of you guys for hearing me you know defend my lack of Raheem agenda uh and and continuing to push my anti-Terry um agenda on the podcast. And you know for those of you that are every make sure you hit that link in the description as as an everyday dare club. That’s a new feature that we are unveiling here um for folks where you get not only um you know your favorite show ad free but you also get access to a membersonly discord channel uh and you can hit that at lockedonfalcons.supcast.com supercast.com. And of course, if you had Lock on Falcons on your Spotify rap, you know, make sure you prove it, guys. Uh, and you can secure a free month of our brand new Everydayer Club by just tagging our National Locked on Podcast Network account on any social media platform. And we’ll drop you a code and if you’re one of the first to join the Everyday Air Club, you will get that new show ad free exclusive access to the members only discord channel for lockdown falcons and uh you will get that free for a month. So go check it out at the link in description below. Appreciate you guys. Uh, I hope you there were better days for the Atlanta Falcons, but it ain’t going to be in 2025. So, we can hope for 2026 will bring better favor for this football team. But until then, appreciate you. Continue to make Lockdown Falcons your first listen. Check out Lockdown Info as your second listen to get the scoop on all week 14 action. It’s all part of Lockdown Podcast Network, now the number one podcast, sports podcast network on the planet. Your team every day.

The Atlanta Falcons quit against the Seattle Seahawks as costly turnovers, blocked field goals, and missed red zone chances defined a disastrous Week 14. Is it time for owner Arthur Blank to clean house and start over? Host Aaron Freeman breaks down the Falcons’ unraveling, from Kirk Cousins’ interceptions and Bijan Robinson’s fumble to James Pearce Jr.’s lone defensive highlight. Hear why the team’s lack of urgency, the coaching staff’s poor decisions, and faulty roster building have set Atlanta back. Key talking points include the defense’s brief early success against Sam Darnold, the underwhelming receiver group minus Drake London, and growing pressure on GM Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris. Will the Falcons finally abandon the “one piece away” myth, or are more lost seasons ahead?

#atlantafalcons #nfl #seattleseahawks #nflweek14 #week14 #bijanrobinson #kirkcousins #ajterrell #jamespearce #raheemmorris

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOFalcons?sid=YouTube

Locked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNFL

Become a Locked On Falcons Insider for in-depth analysis every day!
https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonfalcons

Join our Discord server!
https://discord.gg/lockedonfalcons

Everydayer Club
If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans.

Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonfalcons.supercast.com/

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Aura Frames
For a limited time, save on the perfect gift by visiting https://AuraFrames.com to get $35 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames – named #1 by Wirecutter – by using promo code LOCKEDON at checkout.

PrizePicks
Download the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.
Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFL

Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.

Mint Mobile
Turn your expensive wireless present into a huge wireless savings future by switching to Mint. Shop Mint Unlimited Plans at http://MINTMOBILE.com/LOCKEDONNFL.
Disclaimer: Limited time offer. Upfront payment of: $45 for 3-mo., $90 for 6-mo., or $180 for 12-mo. plan required ($15/mo. equivalent). Taxes & fees Initial plan term only. Greater than 35GB may slow when network is busy. Capable device required. Availability, speed, & coverage varies. See https://mintmobile.com.

Zocdoc
Stop putting off your doctor’s appointments and get the care you need.
Go to https://Zocdoc.com/lockedonnfl to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today.

FanDuel
If you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit https://FanDuel.com and place your NFL live bets all season long.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at https://sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit https://FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit https://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit https://ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)