Can the Falcons Find Their Way Into the NFC Playoff Picture?

SportsGrid

Watch Can the Falcons Find Their Way Into the NFC Playoff Picture? - SportsGrid on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00The Atlanta Falcons did what they had to do last night in Las Vegas, heck they even covered

00:08a five and a half point spread, courtesy of a safety and a block PAP in the final three

00:14minutes of regulation to snap a four game skid against the Raiders and get back to an

00:20even 500.

00:21Joe here's the incredibly compelling thing about the Falcons and where they sit now in

00:27the NFC South up until about three weeks ago before the four game slide really became

00:33that of a four game slide.

00:35It made us question everything we know about Kirk Cousins and Atlanta.

00:39The Falcons were in pole position despite not blowing people out, despite not looking

00:44overly impressive for a good majority of this season to win the NFC South because the Falcons

00:50against the only other team that really could give them competition, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

00:55had swept the Bucs in the regular season.

00:58So as long as they matched the Bucs who at the time were a four and six team in terms

01:04of the record, Atlanta would hold that decisive head to head tiebreaker.

01:09Well the tiebreaker only matters if you have the same mark and right now the Bucs have

01:14won fourth straight.

01:15The Falcons have snapped a four game skid to get back to an even 500.

01:20When you look at the Falcons price to win the NFC South based on last night and a victory,

01:26yes, a win in Las Vegas, does Atlanta have any life in your mind to contend for the division?

01:34No.

01:35I mean looking at the schedules that we were just laughing Ben, I mean Atlanta piece of

01:40cake except they got to take on the Giants this week.

01:44They'll have the commanders who are also battling here Ben in a big way.

01:49So that is going to be the most important game coming up for them.

01:53Then they end with the Panthers.

01:55And then in the meantime, you got the Bucs who are at the Cowboys.

01:59So what?

02:00Then they got the Panthers and the Saints.

02:03And even though the Bucs got swept, I believe by Atlanta this year, there's still a game

02:07up and I don't see any game that the Bucs have that is going to compare to the commanders

02:13game in two weeks for Atlanta.

02:14So I think it's very much in favor of Tampa being able to win it once again.

02:20Absolutely.

02:21So Joe and that price for the Falcons to win the NFC South even three, four weeks ago in

02:26minus money, the number now for the Buccaneers is minus 360 to win the divisional crown.

02:33As of this moment, that number had they split the season series would be closer to a minus

02:39600 price.

02:40It just is because of that looming tiebreaker.

02:44Joe, if Atlanta does miss out on the postseason, frankly, they are not going to contend for

02:49an NFC wildcard spot to fight.

02:51Despite the fact that technically there are only two games behind Washington, a team they

02:56play in just a few weeks, it will be seen as a failure.

03:03There is no doubt about it.

03:04And I wonder as we talked Michael Pennix jr.

03:07Before the break, if it would expedite, expedite, excuse me, the timeline of a quarterback change

03:14in the A, it felt like you invested $180 million, a hundred mil guaranteed over a four-year

03:20contract length in Kirk Cousins.

03:23So that when you selected Michael Pennix jr.

03:25Eight overall, you were going to have him play in two to three years, which would be

03:30near the end of his rookie deal and not really get a good look.

03:34If you wanted to pick up his fifth year option for a guy that is not necessarily a 20 year

03:40old rookie, even entering the NFL, Michael Pennix jr.

03:43I believe is already 23 years old.

03:45If not 24, if the Falcons miss out on the postseason, I wonder if that changes the thought

03:52process of what this off season has in store for Atlanta.

03:57Atlanta is going to be very interesting because you're right.

04:00They have all the pieces necessarily, certainly on the offensive side of the ball.

04:06They did have a big issue this year on the defensive side of the ball, trying to be able

04:10to rush the quarterback, which cost them a couple of games, Ben, certainly early on.

04:16But I think it's all going to come down to the real health of Kirk Cousins and that Achilles.

04:23And is he going to be a little bit more mobile moving forward?

04:27Because it looks to me like he's, he's trying to play through it and they're allowing him

04:32to try to play through it, Ben.

04:35Which means I don't think they believe Pennix jr. is the guy, is the answer at this point

04:40right now.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended