Updated Hot Seat Rankings from USA Today after Falcons' 3-Game Winning Streak

Despite the possibility that an 8-9 record could win the NFC South, the Atlanta Falcons were eliminated from playoff contention with a month left in the season after falling to 4-9.

They beat the Buccaneers and the Cardinals, teams with a combined losing streak of 12 games, but their win over the LA Rams on Monday night was over a team jockeying for playoff seeding.

We saw the good, the bad, and the ugly in that game, which summed up the Falcons' season well. Atlanta's ability to look as good (and bad) as they did in the same game didn't go unnoticed by USA Today's Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, who updated his coach hot seat rankings heading into Week 18.

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That Falcons' three-game winning streak seemed to only add fuel to those who think Atlanta's relatively meaningless wins after being eliminated early in the season shouldn't outweigh the larger sample size. Morris still came in at No. 2, only behind Pete Carroll of the Raiders.

"The late-season surge also underscores how badly Atlanta has underachieved on the whole," Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote on USA Today. "Things aren't as simple as merely running it back for the Falcons, with quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s trajectory even more uncertain following his third torn anterior cruciate ligament since the start of his college career. Atlanta has also been dogged by repeated special teams errors, a distinctly bad look for a franchise with minimal margin for error."

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Owner Arthur Blank's lack of ruthlessness has been a common complaint for Falcons fans during his tenure, and it's not a secret around the league that he is more hesitant than most to make a move.

"Blank has rare patience in the NFL ownership class, but an eighth consecutive losing season – and a postseason drought only exceeded by that of the Jets – could test even the most even-tempered decision-maker," Middlehurst-Schwartz continued.

NFL.com's Eric Edholm had similar feelings when describing the Falcons as they dominated the Rams before reminding us why they were out of the playoff race.

"I was watching on Monday night as the Falcons took a 21-zip lead over the Rams, thinking, This team was four-and-freakin'-nine in early December? As Atlanta started blowing the game in the most Falcons way possible, I regained some perspective on the matter," Edholm wrote, echoing the sentiments of most Falcons fans on Monday night.

"The bottom line remains: This team, even as beat up as it is, is just too talented to have another crummy season," Edholm continued. "This year's draft class is a hit, and the Falcons have some established stars on both sides of the ball. The 2026 season is going to be a fascinating one for Atlanta. Bijan Robinson is a legitimate superstar, and I sure hope he gets to anchor a playoff team one day."

Raheem Morris was hired to go to the playoffs, not rebuild. The Falcons went all-in at quarterback and the NFL Draft, trading up for a second first round pick this year.

Yet, it's eight straight seasons without playoffs in Atlanta. If Morris survives, it's hard to picture offensive coordinator Zac Robinson remaining, and if special teams coordinator Marquise Williams is still employed by the middle of January, Blank should have the franchise stripped from him.

Falcons fans and national media don't seem to have been swayed by Atlanta's late-season surge.

Will Blank? We should have some answers by Monday afternoon.