The Atlanta Falcons’ season might come down to 1 resolution — when head coach Raheem Morris foolishly didn’t name a timeout within the remaining minute of the fourth quarter.
After driving the size of the sphere and hitting tight finish Kyle Pitts for a game-tying landing with below two minutes left in Sunday evening’s recreation towards the Commanders, the Falcons’ protection got here up with a three-and-out cease on the following possession to present rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. an opportunity at glory with 40 seconds left to get his group in place to kick a successful subject objective.
On the primary play of their remaining drive, starting with 40 seconds left, Penix instantly put the Falcons in enterprise by nailing Darnell Mooney down the precise sideline for 25 yards.
Mooney was tackled in bounds, and the Atlanta offense, which nonetheless had two timeouts, started frantically working to the road of scrimmage to get a play off as valuable seconds ticked off the clock.
By the point the following play had been accomplished — an incomplete move to Mooney — 23 seconds had handed, leaving Atlanta with 17 seconds remaining.
The Falcons would go on to have the ability to try a 56-yard game-winning subject objective, however Riley Patterson’s boot would fall a number of yards quick as Atlanta went into time beyond regulation with a timeout burning a gap of their again pocket.
Jayden Daniels made them pay. The Commanders’ stud rookie quarterback led a 70-yard landing drive on the primary possession of time beyond regulation to present Washington a 30-24 win and a spot within the playoffs.
The Falcons’ loss handed management of the NFC South again to the Buccaneers, who play host to the 5-11 Saints on Sunday with a win clinching the division.
“In hindsight, it could have been a good decision or a better decision to take that timeout, but I wanted to have the opportunity to move up there,” Morris stated, in response to ESPN.com.
“You always second-guess those things; you can always second-guess those motives. You can always go back and look at it and see if you can get it snapped a little bit quicker.”
With a win, the Falcons would have saved management of their very own future for the playoffs.
“He calls the timeout whenever he feels fit and he trusted us to get a play off and make the next play,” Penix stated after the sport. “So, we all trust coach’s judgment on that.”
Morris is in his first 12 months as head coach after being given the pinnacle teaching job over now-North Carolina Tar Heels coach Invoice Belichick within the offseason.
