New Year, Same Old Falcons: 3 Takeaways From Bears Loss
The Atlanta Falcons suffered the team's ninth loss of the season to the Chicago Bears in a 37-17 game that was even less competitive than the score suggests.
Here are three takeaways from Atlanta's latest loss...
Dec 31, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (5) is tackled by Chicago Bears defensive back Jaylon Johnson (33), defensive back Kyler Gordon (6) and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (49) after a short pass gain in the first half at Soldier Field.
Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
Road Woes Remain
As the cold snow of the Windy City fell upon the shoulders of Falcons players, one thing became increasingly apparent...the team wasn't in Atlanta anymore.
As obvious and funny as that may sound, numbers make the Falcons' road struggles a much more grim reality. Of Atlanta's nine losses, six have come outside Mercades-Benz Stadium. In those six losses, the Falcons have been outscored by 69 points.
An optimistic person would enter next week's game against the New Orleans Saints focused on the fact that, technically, the team is still alive in the playoff hunt. Still, a realist would acknowledge the fact that since the game is on the road against a team better than the Bears, who just blew out the Falcons, the season is over, and it's time to watch college football and look ahead to the NFL Draft already.
The Team Needs a Quarterback
Here's another obvious observation. Atlanta had two quarterbacks play today, not because they were winning a blowout like the Baltimore Ravens, who pulled MVP front-runner Lamar Jackson (remember when the Falcons made no effort to sign him in free agency? I do...) early to protect his health.
No, Atlanta swapped quarterbacks for the umpteenth this season mid-game because of turnover issues, and guess what? Desmond Ridder picked up where Taylor Heinicke left off by adding to Heinicke's hattrick of three interceptions with an interception his own in his very first drive back on the field.
Ridder and Heinicke seem to be loved in the locker room, but at the end of the day, neither is of a high enough caliber on the field to lead this team to the playoffs, let alone a Super Bowl. It's time to move on and target someone that can.
Justin Fields Is Off The Table
Speaking of someone who can, any Falcons fans hoping to acquire Justin Fields this offseason had the door slammed in their face today.
Fields has had an up-and-down NFL career so far, but lately, he's been trending up. Fields has won four out of his last five starts, and even more significant than that, he's won back the Bears' fan base.
Chicago's home crowd was chanting that they want the team to stick with FIelds going forward rather than draft Caleb Williams or any other quarterback in this year's draft.
Many were speculating that Atlanta could be a landing spot for the signal caller should the Bears opt to move in a different direction this offseason and pivot away from the Fields era. Instead, Fields dominated his hometown team and seemingly ended any possibility that he would start somewhere besides Chicago next season.
It's been a rough year for Falcons fans, but at least there's hope that 2024 will be better.
