Flick's Forum: Falcons 'Punched in Face' by Lions in Ugly Offensive Showing
The Atlanta Falcons have the fourth-youngest team in the NFL, and for the most part, didn't play like it during the season's first two weeks.
But in Sunday's 20-6 loss to the Detroit Lions inside Ford Field, the Falcons' youth showed up.
Few things went right for Atlanta, who allowed its most sacks (seven) since Nov. 22, 2020, and posted its fewest rushing yards (44) since Nov. 18, 2021.
The Falcons believe they were prepared and felt they had a solid week of practice ... but riding a wave of momentum brought by a 2-0 start, didn't enter the game with the intensity and physicality needed to win on the road.
"We can't come out here and lollygag," star rookie running back Bijan Robinson said. "We need to go and do what we've got to do to continue to be a great offense that we want to be."
Atlanta continued its trend of slow starts, trailing 13-3 at halftime and putting its total number of first half points at just 19 through three weeks.
Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder had a difficult day, completing 21 of 38 passes for 201 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions and a lost fumble.
In a sense, Ridder's struggles served as a microcosm of Atlanta's day: riding high after an encouraging closing act in Week 2's comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers but falling flat and leaving plenty of questions.
Part of the problem is the Falcons still don't have a clear floor. Of course, it's early, and that'll come in time - but the question now becomes whether Sunday's loss will prove to be the worst showing of the season or is simply a sign of things to come.
Smart money is on the former; if it's not the worst, it'll very likely be in contention. The performance was lifeless but sent a valuable lesson to an inexperienced team still trying to find its footing.
"I think we got punched in the face today," receiver Drake London said. "I wouldn't say a rude awakening, but we just need to be on our P's and Q's and get everything right to win those games against a gritty team like that."
Robinson, who was limited to just 33 yards on 10 carries while adding four receptions for 27 yards, agreed with London's assessment.
"He hit it on the nail," Robinson said. "That's what happened. They came out more ready than we were. I'm glad we got that feeling, because now we know we can't do that no more."
Such a learning experience is particularly understandable for Robinson, who took his first professional loss Sunday, but the underlying notion of not being ready to play is an indictment on the Falcons' leadership.
It's important to recognize, however, that Atlanta has established leaders and a strong locker room; this feels like a blip on the radar, not a sign of bigger problems.
On a broader scale, it's easy to forget that this was Week 3, and the Falcons, who sit at 2-1, are still off to their best start since going 3-0 in 2017.
Winning the first two games set the tone and only heightened expectations for a fanbase that was already optimistic entering the year. The bar has shifted, and disappointment is understandable ... but in reality, this was a natural progression in the ebbs and flows of an NFL season.
"It's never as good as it seems, never as bad as it seems," All-Pro right guard Chris Lindstrom said. "You just have to be objective. We're going to go through there (Monday) and make our corrections and get our mind right for Jacksonville."
The final phrase was perhaps the most popular inside Atlanta's locker room after the game - review, reflect and make sure it doesn't happen again.
London noted postgame he doesn't believe the Lions did anything special; they simply out-played and out-executed the Falcons in seemingly every phase.
Atlanta has two options from here - let the loss take the wind out of its sails or use it as an opportunity to address weaknesses and get better.
"We can't let that one loss define our season," safety Richie Grant said. "We've got to keep stacking."
Added left guard Matthew Bergeron: "Knowing this team, we're going to go back to work and learn from our mistakes and move on from that. Feel like we've got a pretty solid team, and everybody just stays together."
The manner in which the Falcons respond in Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars will reveal quite a bit about how this year's iteration is wired.
Much of the talk this offseason was about how unified the locker room is and how strong the veteran leadership is. Both will be tested in the face of adversity this week.
The expectation is that Atlanta will ace this test; again, uninspiring losses happen in the NFL. The timing isn't ideal with internal hope through the roof, but Falcons coach Arthur Smith has noted several times just how cohesive and mentally tough his team is, and the group should shine in this situation.
Such a loss presents an opportunity to grow closer, and Bergeron is confident the Falcons will capitalize on it.
"From what I've learned from this team, it's something I've never been a part of when we're always together no matter what," Bergeron said. "We were down 20-6 and we were playing our asses off, just trying to make something happen. That's our team."
London echoed similar sentiments, discussing how Ridder was trying to rally the troops for a late drive and help the offense find life.
And so, when considering the leadership and commitment, the identity surrounding Sunday's defeat is starting to be chalked up as simply a bad day at the office - nothing more, nothing less.
For some, it may feel deflating ... but for the Falcons, it's a frustrating reminder that there's still plenty of work to do despite a vindicating start.
"We're never going to give up and we're never going to be the ones pointing fingers," Bergeron said. "That's what I like about our team. No matter the ups and downs, we'll keep working and we'll stick together."
Atlanta's proven its depth and talent several times this season and has shown versatility in how it can win games. There's little doubt this year's team has a different feeling around it both on and off the field.
But the next week will be a long one, headlined by considerable reflection and an eight-hour flight from Atlanta to London on Thursday.
The task is simple - win and forget all about the disappointment that Week 3 presented, proving the opportunity to learn from such a showing was maximized and will only make the team better as it continues through a season still littered with hope.
"Learn from our mistakes, go in there and get better on Monday and head over the pond and try and beat the Jaguars," London said.
