Dirty Birds Dispatch: Inching toward a historic losing stretch
Hope you all enjoyed Thanksgiving.
In the words of Bill Belichick, “We’re on to Christmas.”
And looks like, unless there is a major turnaround, the Falcons are giving their fans a “lump of coal” type of season.
When you think it couldn’t get any worse, they went out and lost to the 2-9 Jets.
A HISTORY LESSON
With one more loss, the Falcons will earn their eighth consecutive losing season.
That would tie the franchise mark for consecutive losing seasons with the 1983-1990 teams.
Dan Henning led those squads to 7-9, 4-12, 4-12 and 4-12 marks. Marion Campbell led them to 3-12 in 1987, 5-11 in 1988 and he combined with Jim Hanifan for a 3-13 mark in 1989.
Jerry Glanville was hired in 1990 and went 5-11.
- Fans dub Falcons worst sports team in Atlanta
- Receiver Drake London still unable to practice
- Orhorhoro and Dorlus coming on strong
Glanville stopped the streak the next year by guiding the Falcons to a 10-6 mark and the playoffs. Chris Miller was the quarterback. Mike Rozier led the Falcons in rushing and Andre Rison was the team’s top wide receiver.
The Bucs hold the record for most consecutive losing seasons, with 14 from 1983 to 1996.
COUSINS PASSES JOHNNY U.
Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins’s nine-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver David Sills V was the 291st of his career, which moved him past Johnny Unitas (290) and tied him with Warren Moon for the 16th most in NFL history.
Cousins needs four more touchdown passes to move past Carson Palmer (294) and into the top 15. John Elway is 14th with 300 and Fran Tarkenton is 13th with 342.
“I mean, when you start putting up names like Johnny Unitas, it’s kind of like, really?,” Cousins said. “It’s an honor to be in the same sentence of people like that.”
Cousins is fourth among active players behind Aaron Rodgers (522), Matthew Stafford (409) and Russell Wilson (353).
“I think so much of it is just, you got to stay healthy,” Cousins said. “You got to be out there. … I’ve been fortunate. (It’s a tribute) to the guys who have protected me over the years. (I’ve) been able to do it for a decade where I didn’t miss many games … I think the longevity thing just kind of plays into it a little bit.”
MACDONALD HAS SEATTLE CONTENDING
Seattle coach Mike Macdonald interviewed with the Falcons after Arthur Smith was fired.
Macdonald, 36, attended Centennial High in Roswell and went to Georgia. While a student in Athens he was an assistant coach at Cedar Shoals High in 2008 and 2009. He was a graduate assistant at Georgia in 2010 and was a defensive quality control assistant from 2011-13.
He was hired to replace Pete Carroll. He is 19-10 and has the Seahawks in contention for the NFC West title. They are tied for first-place with the Rams.
SAM DARNOLD TORCHED THE FALCONS
The Seahawks beat the Falcons 34-14 on Oct. 20, 2024, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with Geno Smith at quarterback.
Sam Darnold, who was with Minnesota last season, signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks in free agency.
- He has completed 221-of-324 passes (68.2%) for 2,913 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He has a passer rating of 103.1.
- Last season, he torched the Falcons and led the Vikings to a 42-21 December victory. He completed 22-of-28 passes for 347 yards and five touchdowns.
The emergence of wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been key to Seattle’s success. He has 82 catches for an NFL-leading 1,336 yards (16.3 per catch) and seven touchdowns.
WHERE TO WATCH (AND LISTEN)
This will be the teams’ 23rd regular-season meeting. The Seahawks lead the series 13-9.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
📺 On TV: Fox
- Play-by-play: Kevin Kugler
- Analyst: Daryl Johnston
- Sideline: Allison Williams
📻 On local radio: 92.9 FM The Game
- Play-by-play: Wes Durham
- Analyst: David Archer
PEARCE’S NEW PUP
James Pearce Jr. has a new dog.
“It’s a Giant Schnauzer,” Pearce said.
It’s a male and his name is Hermes Autobahn.
MAILBAG TIME
📬 From reader Lee Parks: I’ve been a Falcons fan since they were an expansion team. I still follow them from my home in the Sonora desert of southern Arizona (thanks to Sunday Ticket and RedZone). I thought drafting Penix was the right move before the draft. People need to remember that this was essentially his first year, cut short by the injury. Next year is going to be a gap year.
I would keep Morris, but require him to get a QB coach with a record of molding a young QB into an All-Pro and MVP. It just so happens there is one out there who just lost his HC job and they should snap him up ASAP — Brian Daboll. Look what he did in Buffalo with Josh Allen. He may not be much as a HC, but he is one heck of a QB coach. And, if necessary, get an OC whose system meshes with his training.
And do all this with the understanding that this is a multiyear project, and that the proof in the pudding likely isn’t going to appear until 2027 (and find a gap QB, whether it’s Cousins or someone else) until Penix is medically ready (and no rushing!). Lee Parks
My response: Hello Lee. Thanks for reading and sending along your email. I think you have a prudent plan. It takes time to develop quarterbacks. We are looking at the Cowboys’ old 20-game rule under the great Gil Brandt. After 20 starts, you tend to know if you have a quarterback or not. As far as the quarterback coach I like that Penix has access to three former college quarterbacks in D.J. Williams, T.J. Yates and Zac Robinson. He’s getting plenty of quarterback coaching. Brian Daboll would be a good hire, but he could be headed to the Eagles.
📬 From reader Jack Hyman: Being a billionaire does not make you a football savant.
Arthur Blank likes football, he does not know football and has proved it time and time again with his hires who have not proven to be winners.
In fact, he recently hired a coach who’s a loser based on his record. Did he expect a different result? (Raheem) Morris is a very nice guy, a player’s coach, but he is not tough enough to hold his team accountable as men and as highly played professional athletes. Terry Fontenot has not proved himself as a genius GM …. and (Raheem) Morris and his staff have proved themselves incapable of winning on a consistent basis. Why sign an aging quarterback coming off (Achilles) surgery to a mega deal that is seriously overvalued and then draft Penix — talented but still developing — with a history of knee problems? Clearly these are both bad management decisions.
The slate needs to be cleaned from top to bottom, and Arthur Blank needs to take himself out of football decisions. Stay off the sidelines and stay in your suite and cheer.
Sincerely,
A Sad Falcons Fan
(A former 10-year season ticket holder)
My response: Thanks for reading Jack. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You can’t ignore that Morris was dealt a losing hand in Tampa Bay and nearly turned them around without a quarterback. He continued to work in the league and has been a part of two Super Bowl coaching staffs. He has two Super Bowl rings. By definition, he’s a Super Bowl champ who currently has a losing head coaching record.
Also, there is an owner now who has on a headsets and follows the coaching staff around. How long before she starts calling plays? So, the new era of ownership is looking a little different from the old days.
I do think the franchises who have sustained winning traditions hire the best football men they can and get out of the way.
If I was owner, I’d be on the sideline with a bunch of my buddies!!!!
📬 From reader Bobby McClellan: In your assessment of Kirk Cousins you wrote:
“With the game on the line, Kirk Cousins didn’t come through.”
I would’ve said:
“With the game on the line, Kirk Cousins’ receivers didn’t come through.”
Second- and third-down passes were in the receivers hands and they both dropped the ball.
My response: You are correct. The first two were contested balls, but Pitts and Sills have to make the play. Mooney was just a flat drop.
TALE OF THE TAPE
Here’s a closer statistical look at the Falcons-Seahawks matchup, with league rankings in parentheses.
FALCONS — SEAHAWKS
20.3 (26) — Points/Game — 29.2 (3)
334.7 (17) — Total Yards/Game — 352.5 (9)
23.9 (9) — Rush Yards/Game — 116.9 (18)
210.8 (18) — Pass Yards/Game — 235.6 (9)
29:09 (20) — Time of Possession — 29:34 (18)
23.0 (17) — Opponent Points/Game — 18.1 (3)
318.9 (15) — Opponent Total Yards/Game — 289.4 (6)
131.2 (25) — Opponent Rush Yards/Game — 88.8 (2)
187.8 (8) — Opponent Pass Yards/Game — 200.7 (11)
+4 (10) — Turnover Margin — -4 (22)
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of the Dirty Bird Dispatch. Questions? Suggestions? Contact us at dledbetter@ajc.com. Follow @DorlandoAJC on X, too.
See you next week.
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
