Falcons Look to ‘Fix’ Their Mistakes Before Clash With 7-2 Colts

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga – The Atlanta Falcons are in the midst of a three-game losing streak that has threatened to derail what had been a promising season. Frustration, both from the team and its fans, is to be expected. A common phrase heard from head coach Raheem Morris and the rest of the coaching staff is getting things ‘fixed.’

He was asked about that this week. This is what Morris had to say.

"The one thing I want to talk about, really, from this last game was the resilience of the team,” Morris said. “I thought that was just unbelievable. Things go bad in football games. We had things go bad, whether it be early from Carolina or things go bad early from the Miami game, whether they're injuries, or whatever the case may be. Nobody really cares, right? You don't really care about those decisions and those things that you could have out there called excuses.

“So, really, what we wanted to do was go out there and play. We did not start fast. Again, went three and out. They went right down and scored, and boom, we're able to find a way to get back into that game, be really resilient, and put us back in the game. So, really, what I want to give them a lot of credit for was being a resilient team that they were this game. That was a major part of some things that you've got to fix, just in football in general, just in sports in general, just in life. Right? You don't want to make a problem a problem if it's not a problem. Let's go out there and play our brand of football, do those things, and try to find ways to get a win. That's the most important thing we've got to do this week.”

As the Falcons gear up for a Week 10 matchup with the 7-2 Indianapolis Colts, there will be a greater emphasis than ever to ensure the things that need fixing are indeed squared away.

Whether it is an inconsistent special teams unit (which just brought in its third starting kicker), a defense playing without its most impactful player, or a banged-up offense, the Falcons have to find a way.

The offense, in particular, will be under the microscope this Sunday. The Falcons have scored over 30 points just once this season, while the Colts average more than that every week (32.2 points per game). Any slow starts will be unacceptable against a Colts offense that leads the NFL in scoring by nearly 30 points.

“I think we're continuing to just find that level of consistency,” offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said when asked about the ‘get things fixed’ statements. “We've run the ball well at times. We've thrown the ball well at times. We're all in this whole thing together. There's a collective intentionality behind everything we're doing in terms of the fundamentals, the details, knowing that the margins are so slim.

“If one guy's off on one play, that could be a different result. If all 11 are working together, then we know what that can look like. We're continuing to find all those fixes week-to-week as coaches, and then just understanding what our players can do, what we're good at right now. Trying to emphasize those things, and then obviously trying to have your change-up plays, knowing that the defense is watching tape too. All of us together, just getting everything to that level of consistency that we're hoping for.”

Sunday will be a major test for the Falcons, but one they must be ready for if they want to avoid extending their losing streak to four games.