SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Falcons know they must run the table to keep their faint playoff hopes alive.
After losing 31-13 to San Francisco, the Falcons dropped to 6-8 with their playoff hope diminished to 2%, according to FiveThirtyEight.com. The Falcons close out the season with games at home against Detroit, at Buffalo and at home against the Saints.
“We know that nothing is set in stone right now,” wide receiver Russell Gage said Sunday. “We know that we have three games. We could win out and anything could happen. This season has already been crazy as we’ve seen. Nothing is set in stone. We are going to go out here and try to win these last three.”
The Falcons have not beat a team with a winning record this season, but they are still aiming high.
“It is still in front of us, regardless of if we need help or we need this,” Gage said. “It’s still in front of us. We win these last three games anything can happen and we all know that. That comes along with our motivation. We can still do this.”
Falcons coach Arthur Smith knows his team has its backs against the wall.
“We’re going to compete every game,” Smith said. “You just keep swinging.”
The Falcons will need a lot of help. The Eagles, Washington Football Team and the 49ers all have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Falcons.
“A lot of crazy things have happened in the NFL,” Smith said. “So we’ll win the next one. Win one at home and just keep chipping away and see what happens.”
The Falcons have not won a game at home in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Their only “home” win came against the Jets in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“What it looks like today, that’s not how it’s going to look like after Week 18,” Smith said. “Guys that have covered this league a long time, you guys know that. Usually the last week of the season, you just want to have a mathematical chance. Crazier things have happened.”
The Falcons have not been to the playoffs since the 2017 season, but quarterback Matt Ryan is holding out hope.
“Still a chance,” Ryan said about not being mathematically eliminated. “So, you’re saying there’s a chance? Isn’t that the old movie line or whatever?”
Ryan has taken the Falcons to playoffs six times, including Super Bow LI after the 2016 season.
“I’ve seen crazy things happen in this league,” Ryan said. “So, we’ve got to hold up our end of the bargain and that’s starts next week.”
The Falcons will need some continued good play from Gage, who led the team with eight catches for 91 yards and spectacular 20-yard touchdown grab against the 49ers.
Gage believes his vertical leap is over 40 inches, although it’s been recorded at 39.
One thing is for certain, is that he needed all of his leap to snag a Ryan pass in the second quarter against the 49ers over cornerback Ambry Thomas.
“It was just kind of a simple go ball,” Gage said. “The guy was in simple press, man. We talked about it during the week that these guys didn’t really get their heads around to play the ball well. Matt did a great job of giving me a chance.”
Gage was targeted 11 times.
“Throwing it up there, giving me a 50-50 ball and I came down with it,” Gage said.
The Falcons were stuffed three times inside the 10-yard line against the 49ers. They’ll need to find some power so that don’t have to run finesse pass plays in short-yardage situations.
“For us, it always comes down to execution,” Gage said. “We had a lot of opportunities. Obviously, to start the game off, we’ve got to capitalize there. We understand that there are a lot of things we can do better. Finishing drives.”
The Falcons moved the ball well between the 20s.
“We move the ball on teams often,” Gage said. “We just have got to find a way to finish these dives. You know and execute. That, ultimately, would determine a lot for us I think.”
Gage isn’t sure what’s at the root of the offense’s red zone woes.
“I think honestly it’s a combination of all of it,” Gage said. “I think we’ve got to understand that we have plays that are implemented and we just have to find ways to execution them. I know that I sound like a tape recorder. It’s a combination of everything. We are playing on one accord. We do a good job of getting down there. We just have to understand that things happen faster in the red zone.”
Gage has a suggestion.
“Sometimes we may have to pick up the tempo,” Gage said. “It’s a number of things. You can’t put your finger on one thing exactly. We just have to find a way.”
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