The Falcons were not only defeated by the Broncos; they were humiliated, and Raheem Morris bears most of the blame.
To be fair, injuries were a factor in Atlanta’s catastrophe class. Mike Hughes, Dee Alford, and Antonio Hamilton, three of the Falcons’ top four corners, were out. They were also missing two more starters, Troy Andersen and Charlie Woerner, among others.
The Falcons were already shorthanded, which was exacerbated by the loss of Kevin King virtually immediately. However, injuries aside, this was a dismal performance, and Morris deserves all of the blame.
When the Falcons hired him, the general impression was that Morris was a defensive-minded head coach whose greatest strength was his ability to connect with and encourage players. Throughout training camp, we heard that there was a shift at Flowery Branch and that Raheem Morris would “breathe belief” into the team.
Well, I’ll tell you what: there was not a single ounce of that “belief” on Sunday against the Broncos. Morris is a defensive-minded head coach, but the Falcons’ defense could be among the worst in the league. He’s an excellent motivator, but the Falcons have fallen flat on their faces a couple of times, and they don’t appear motivated.
So, what does Raheem Morris add to the Falcons? This is the National Football League. The expression ‘any given Sunday’ exists for a purpose. The Falcons aren’t good enough to underestimate any opponent. The Falcons lacked preparation and motivation against the Broncos, and Raheem Morris bears full responsibility.
He has to take this one on the chin.
