Two main issues have emerged for the Atlanta Falcons following their recent loss to the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, marking the team’s sixth defeat in seven weeks. Concerns center on special teams performance and decisions regarding the wide receiver lineup.
A number of fans have questioned the effectiveness of the Falcons’ kickoff and punt coverage this season. The team currently ranks last in both average kickoff return yards and average yards allowed on kickoff returns. This trend has been attributed to problems with tackling and potentially with scheme.
Recent games have highlighted specific breakdowns in kickoff coverage. In Week 12 against the New Orleans Saints, a 75-yard return was allowed due to a gap created by an inside twist from Feleipe Franks, which left a hole unfilled by other players. A similar issue occurred against the Jets when Mike Ford attempted to cover for Franks but was unable to disengage from his block, leading to an 83-yard return.
The analysis suggests that while adjustments were made after initial failures, these changes did not resolve the underlying problems. These lapses resulted in significant plays for opposing teams during crucial moments.
On the offensive side, questions have arisen about why receivers Chris Blair or Nick Nash have not been elevated to active status despite injuries among starting receivers such as Drake London. Head coach Raheem Morris addressed this issue, saying: “You gotta go out there and find out who can give you the best chance to win. (Sunday) we went with DT (Deven Thompkins). He went out there and made two really big catches for us… Last week with KhaDarel Hodge, he didn’t do some things right so we had to make a change there to get a spark. We put Drummond up on the active roster and he was able to play for us the last two weeks… Drummond has done a nice job for us in that role, finding a little bit of consistency, trying to go out there and make some plays on offense. It’s always going to be performance-based to see who can give you the best chance to win.”
Morris emphasized that game day selections are based on practice performance and what roles need filling within particular schemes. He noted that KhaDarel Hodge and Casey Washington have not met expectations recently but suggested their status could change depending on future performances.
The Falcons continue searching for solutions as they address persistent special teams issues and evaluate their options at wide receiver.
