FLOWERY BRANCH -- There’s no easy path to move forward after a 40-point loss.
The Falcons (4-5) will have a chance to rebound when they host the New England Patriots (6-4) Thursday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“We’ve got to get ready to go for Thursday,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said on Monday. “It’s a big game…. It’s a good thing to play Thursday when you play a game like that, you want to move on as quick as possible. So, I’m kind of glad we’re playing Thursday.”
It was the Falcons’ worst loss since a 56-10 defeat against Kansas City on Oct. 24, 2004. That team went on to finish 11-5 and reach the NFC championship game.
The film review session of the debacle in Dallas was not pleasurable viewing.
“It wasn’t pretty,” Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said. “Obviously, we didn’t play nearly to the level we’re capable of. You have to give Dallas credit. There is a lot that we can improve on. A lot that we can do better this week and I’m positive that we’ll be able to do that.”
In the first season under Smith, the Falcons are seeking to regain some respectability around the league after three losing seasons.
That bid suffered a setback in Dallas as they were outclassed by halftime.
The Falcons have reach the .500 mark twice this season at 3-3 and 4-4, but have lost to Carolina and Dallas when they had chances to move over .500.
The Falcons have not been over .500 since the end of the 2017 season, when they finished 11-7 after losing to the Eagles in the divisional round of the playoffs.
They are currently the ninth seed and one game back from the seventh seed, the last playoff spot.
“We’re in the hunt,” linebacker Foye Oluokun said. “Last year, we weren’t in the hunt. This year, we’re in the hunt. The fact that we’re here and feeling all ...hurt about this loss, I mean, how we are feeling about it is a credit to us. That’s how it’s going this year. We are always going to keep fighting to try to stay in the hunt.”
Oluokun led the defense with 14 tackles against he Cowboys.
“I know they beat us, credit to them,” Oluokun said. “They beat us. That’s what the film is going to show. But we know we can play with anybody. We just have to do it.”
The Falcons have eight games to play.
“We are in the hunt,” Oluokun said. “We want to play meaningful football. I’ve never been in the playoff hunt since I’ve been here. It feels good to have relevant games. I want to win and stay in the hunt.”
The Falcons plan to address the shellacking in Dallas. But they must be truthful and turn the page quickly.
“For me, I feel like it’s a good time to be able to get back on the field fast and try to get back to .500,” defensive tackle Grady Jarrett said. “Position ourselves for some postseason play. We have to flush this one and we’ve can’t let this one beat us twice.”
Ryan kept repeating that the brutal loss only counted for one game.
“It happens,” Ryan said. “It’s a long season. It counts just once. No matter how ugly it is, it counts just as one loss. We have to put it behind us.”
So, what’s the plan to move forward?
The Falcons haven’t been able to establish a credible rushing attack all season and the Cowboys showed the other teams how to shut down Ryan and the passing attack. Also, running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson has an ankle injury that may cause him to miss two games, according to league-owned NFL Media.
Among other issues, Smith lamented the fact that the wide receivers must get open against man-to-man coverage and that Ryan has to deliver passes on time.
Defensively, the secondary was torched by Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott. The Cowboys beat the man-to-man coverage and found the holes in the Falcons’ zone defenses.
If the Falcons can figure out a way to beat the Patriots, they’ll have a shot to get over .500 against Trevor Lawrence and Jacksonville.
The Bow Tie Chronicles
For more content about The Atlanta Falcons
Follow me on Twitter @DOrlandoAJC
On Facebook at Atlanta Falcons News Now
Atlanta Falcons coverage on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Falcons’ 2021 schedule features trip to London, January trip to Buffalo
Atlanta Falcons schedule and scores
Bye Week
Next four games
Patriots at Falcons, 8:20 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18
Falcons at Jacksonville, 1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 28
Tampa Bay at Atlanta, 1 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 5
Atlanta at Carolina, 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12
About the Author
