After dropping to 1-3 on the season, the Falcons were searching for answers.
“It was ‘Tell the Truth Monday’ for the team,” coach Dan Quinn said. “The truth is that you have to navigate through the tough stuff and that’s really the role that you have as the head coach. There are also times as coaches and players where you get to prove it this time of year.”
In all of the losses, they have started slowly as they’ve fallen behind 65-10. They were down 21-0 to the Vikings, 20-3 to the Colts and 24-7 to the Titans on Sunday.
“Honestly, it’s just us,” Falcons linebacker DeVondre Campbell said of the slow starts.
Quinn has no plausible explanation for the slow starts.
“That is one of things we discussed as a team,” Quinn said. “That’s the way we we’ll start practice. The way we’ll get going earlier. I’m not surprised that the second half is better because they are a bunch of fighters. But to have the first half and the slow starts like it is, if there was a reason behind it, I’d already put my finger on it.”
With no reason for the slow starts, the Falcons still plan to address the issue.
“Where are you at as a player?,” Quinn said. “As a unit after one quarter? If there is chance to elevate ourselves, we’ll do that. That’s one of the areas that we’ll look into hard.”
The Falcons are being hit by big plays.
“I feel like we’re having a lot of onesies,” Campbell said. “We’ll be playing really well and then we’ll allow a big play that results in a touchdown.”
That happened twice against the Titans and the Falcons helped them out with two penalties to aid another touchdown drive.
The Titans hit on a 55-yard pass play from Marcus Mariota to A.J. Brown. Later, Mariota found wide receiver Corey Davis for an explosive-play score on 23-yard play, where Isaiah Oliver missed the tackle at the 9-yard line.
“So, it’s just basic fundamental stuff that we have to get corrected as a team,” Campbell said. “The only the people who can do it is us. We can’t worry about anything else.”
The Falcons did cut down their penalties. After having 16 penalties against the Colts, they had just seven for 50 yards against the Titans.
But with the score tied 7-7, defensive tackle Tyeler Davison had a defensive holding call and two plays later a illegal use of hands call to help the Titans complete a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to take a lead they would never surrender.
The Falcons had a full crew of referees at practice last week and they were specifically watching for holding penalties.
“We can’t worry about getting too far ahead of ourselves and trying to establish an identity,” said Campbell, who had 17 tackles against the Titans. “We have to get the basic fundamental stuff down first.”
The Falcons were over-reacting to the Titan’s play-action with an eye toward stopping the run.
“I think it’s just finding that balance and not being too aggressive on the run,” Campbell said. “Not being too soft on the pass. Just really finding that median.”
The Falcons are in last place in the NFC South, one game behind Carolina (2-2) and Tampa Bay (2-2) and two games behind the Saints (3-1).
“We just have to understand where we are as a team,” Campbell said. “We know that we are better than our record indicates. But the facts are the facts, we are 1-3. We’ve got to play better.”
The Falcons started last season 1-4, before winning three in a row. After climbing to 4-4, they dropped five straight and went on finish 7-9, missing the playoffs.
“We have to make the necessary corrections,” Campbell said. “Ain’t no point in panicking and getting all out of whack. We know where we are and we know what we need to do.”
Campbell believes the team can move on from its poor start.
“Historically, since I’ve been here, we’ve always responded well to losses, so I think we’ll be alright,” Campbell said.
After playing Houston, the Falcons will stay on the road and travel to Phoenix for their game against the Cardinals. Quinn is looking at the trip as a chance for the team to bond, get their act together and “play ball like we’re capable of,” Quinn said. “Our record says we are 1-3, but certainly don’t feel like we are a 1-3 team, but that’s where we are and that’s who we are.”
---
Subscribe to "The Bow Tie Chronicles" podcast with the AJC's D. Orlando Ledbetter on iTunes or on the new AJC sports podcasts page.
