It’s hard being an Atlanta Falcons fan.
We, as a lot, aren’t necessarily spoiled. I mean, since the franchise’s inception in 1966, there have only been 14 winning seasons. The team, even with last season’s Super Bowl run, has lost 100 more games than it has won.
We are more like starved. Starved for winning, yes, but what we’re really hungry for is a team, like last season, to fall in love with. Yep, we’re needy.
Remember 2016? The Falcons had flaws, mainly a defense that ranked 27th in points allowed per game and 25th in yards allowed per game. Yet it was a team that never was out of a game and never seemed to lack effort.
The 2017 Falcons can’t really say that.
After watching and rewatching Monday night’s three-point escape of a shell of a Tampa Bay team – the latest in a long line of subpar efforts this season – this lifelong fan’s biggest fear was confirmed. The Falcons just aren’t playing as hard as they did a year ago.
Yes, the play calling under new coordinator Steve Sarkisian is head-scratchingly mediocre and maddeningly predictable. Ol’ Sark just can’t get away from the “run-run-pass” chart anytime the team has a lead in the second half. (Ah, remember deep passes on early downs or, gosh, going up-tempo?)
But that doesn’t explain why Matt Ryan, so consistently magical last year, misses open receivers way too often. Sure, he’s getting pressured, but it’s the same guy who was sacked 37 times a year ago and never flinched.
During the 2016 season, Ryan threw seven interceptions and averaged a league-best 9.3 yards per completion on his way to being named league MVP. He has already thrown 11 picks and is averaging a pedestrian 7.8 per completion this year – with, mind you, the same weapons at his disposal (unless you really miss Jacob Tamme).
That doesn’t explain why Ryan’s receivers, even the legendary Julio Jones, seem to take too many plays off. I wondered why a depleted Buccaneers secondary was able to keep such tight check on the wide receivers Monday, but after watching more closely, it became clear: If Ryan’s first option isn’t open, the second and third guys often seem to be just going through the motions.
Again, remember last season? Ryan would extend plays, and Jones, Taylor Gabriel or Mohamed Sanu or any of the other playmakers would break open for a big play.
Speaking of big plays, defined here as 10 or more yards on a run or 25 or more on a pass, this is a team that had 93 of them a year ago, making up nearly 10 percent of all offensive plays. This year? In 14 games there have been 69 total, with a whopping 46 of those coming on the ground.
Therein lies the big difference. Last year Ryan and crew had 42 big plays in the passing game, nearly half of all the big plays. Five of this year’s 23 came against the Bucs the first time around, a 34-20 win on Nov. 26.
There have been two games, against the Patriots and Vikings, in which there were none through the air and five more in which there were only one. How is this even remotely possible given the personnel?
It’s not just the offense. Though this year’s defense has improved statistically, it still ranks just 23rd in points allowed per game (20.1) and 24th in yards allowed per game (324). Even more telling is that the Falcons are minus-4 this year in turnover differential after being plus-11 last year. While Ryan has racked up the picks, the defense has only four in 14 games after having 12 a year ago, and that’s with No. 1 cornerback Desmond Trufant back.
This is a unit built by defensive-minded head coach Dan Quinn, and it just made Jameis Winston look like Tom Brady. Winston picked apart the Falcons for 299 yards and three touchdowns on 77 percent completions, which translates into a fat 130.5 quarterback rating.
And here’s why. Effort. Watch the video and notice how many times the Atlanta pass rushers jogged upfield without much intent, it seems, on affecting the quarterback. Did Grady Jarrett, Adrian Clayborn or Dontari Poe suit up? Where was the pressure from Vic Beasley or Takk McKinley?
If you failed to hear new Bucs Ring of Honor member and could-have-been Tennessee Volunteers legend Jon Gruden speak their names on the ESPN broadcast, there’s a reason. The five linemen had a combined three solo tackles and three assists against a makeshift Tampa Bay offensive line.
Effort. It’s a beautiful thing until it goes away.
Yet, here they (or “we,” as us diehards say) are at 9-5 and in control of their own destiny in the tough NFC South. It’s all there for the taking, but it has to be taken with force and, yes, never-stop effort. If not, Sunday’s game in New Orleans will be a disaster.
Quinn has a reputation for being a tough guy. Now would be a good time to prove it.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.