Overreaction Monday: Kyle Shanahan, have you met Roddy White?

Overreaction narrative: "Dan Quinn is overmatched and Kyle Shanahan needs to get a clue."

Reality check: No (on Quinn), and yes (on Shanahan). I'm not ready to turn the botched fourth-down decision as a referendum on Quinn's ability to be a head coach. But there's no question he screwed up Sunday when he opted to kick a field goal from San Francisco's one-yard line to narrow the San Francisco's lead to one point rather than his team try for the go-ahead touchdown. Michael Cunningham has a great blog illustrating how statistics show the Falcons had a much better chance of winning the game had they gone for the touchdown. In fact, the odds were superior of them winning even if Quinn elected to go for the touchdown and failed. Check out the blog by clicking here.

But that decision wasn’t even the biggest issue Sunday. The Falcons never should have even been in that position. The 49ers had lost six of their last seven games, were starting a backup quarterback, Blaine Gabbert, who morphed into a punchline when he played in Jacksonville, and they were decimated by injuries and personnel losses. Further, the Falcons were coming off a string of mediocre-to-awful performances, the most recent being a home loss to Tampa Bay last week. But they showed neither a sense of urgency or passion that Quinn mandates. Certainly, they didn’t play “fast and physical,” which has been his mantra. He needs to figure out quick how to light a fire under this team again.

Then there’s Shanahan. He had some success early this season. But the offense is not producing enough points now and he needs to use the week to blow the dust off some pages in the playbook – particularly the pages with Roddy White’s name on it. The Falcons’ second-best receiver and one of Ryan’s top weapons with Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman has been reduced to a glorified blocker and decoy. If White couldn’t still play, I would understand him being phased out. But that’s not the case. He’s good enough to start, good enough to make clutch catches, good enough to be an integral part in this offense. The problem is he’s seldom, if ever, the primary receiver on the called play and he’s so deep into quarterback Matt Ryan’s progression that he’s rarely even targeted. Ryan threw to him only twice Sunday, completing one – a 20-yarder with less than seven minutes left in the game that led to the field goal. The Falcons’ defense was expected to have shortcomings, with the pass rush still lacking and injuries beating up the secondary. But there’s no excuse for the offense to be producing as few points as it is. Turnovers had been an issue recently but that wasn’t the case Sunday. Managing just one touchdown and three field goals was on Shanahan.

GEORGIA

Skinny: 6-3 overall, 4-3 in the SEC (second place in the East Division). Last week: Defeated Kentucky 27-3. Next week: at Auburn (5-4, 2-4) Saturday (noon).

Overreaction narrative: "We're back!"

Reality check: Please. The only way this game would have meant something would have been if Georgia had lost, likely pounding a nail in Mark Richt's coffin. A win ensures nothing for him or Georgia, beyond officially making the Bulldogs bowl eligible. I can't read athletic director Greg McGarity's mind so I can't say for certain Georgia needs to win out for Richt to save his job, or if that will even do it. But it's fair to suggest the next game at Auburn carries a little more significance than the Kentucky game. The Tigers are coming off an impressive 26-10 win at Texas A&M after starting 1-4 in SEC. This game likely will come down to the two defenses, Jeremy Pruitt's in Athens and Will Muschamp's at Auburn. Georgia's SEC resume isn't impressive: The four wins have come over South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Kentucky (combined SEC record: 5-20). The four losses to Alabama (5-1), Tennessee (3-3) and Florida (6-1).

GEORGIA TECH

Skinny: 3-6 overall, 1-5 in the ACC (sixth place in the Coastal Division). Last week: Bye. This week: at home against Virginia Tech (4-5,, 2-3) Thursday night (7:30 p.m.)

Overreaction narrative: "This is our last chance for a win."

Reality check: Possibly, but not necessarily. Tech's odds of becoming bowl eligible by sweeping its final three games against Virginia Tech, at Miami and home against Georgia are astronomical. But the Jackets could win any of the three games. Virginia Tech could get an emotional lift with coach Frank Beamer having announced his retirement, but the team just isn't that great. Miami, since losing to Miami 58-0 and firing coach Al Golden, has won consecutive games over Duke and Virginia. Also, Tech has struggled at Miami recently. Georgia is a rivalry game but the Jackets will be an underdog. So yeah, this week could be it. The last time the Jackets played a home game on national television, they upset Florida State.

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