The Atlanta Falcons are who we thought they were

The Atlanta Falcons are who we thought they were.

In fact, the Atlanta Falcons might be the world’s best producer of fool’s gold. After dropping 40 points and holding the Vikings to just 23 points, it was time to rally the bandwagon. The Falcons were about to turn their season around from an 0-5 start and make a run at the playoffs.

Not so fast. A week later, they showed us they’re the same team we saw those first five weeks under Dan Quinn. A team whose defense can’t be counted on when you need them the most. A static offense that with all the weapons and shiny objects, still struggles to score points.

The Falcons returned home and against a 2-3 Lions team and had just 14 points going into the final drive of the fourth quarter.

We get it, you’re 1-5 and there isn’t much to play for but there’s a difference between being reckless and aggressive.

The Falcons went for it on fourth and five, deep in their own territory instead of taking the points. It would’ve put them up by one, instead, they lost by as much. We saw the same thing against the Bears earlier this year, the Falcons turn down sure points and lose by as much.

Dan Quinn is still coaching the Atlanta Falcons.

Dan Quinn was shown out rightfully so, but his mentality, and not the good parts, still linger over this team. It’s something the Falcons will have to accept until they completely clean house of his staff. Primarily a defense that can’t close a game.

Todd Gurley scored with about 70 seconds left in the game and sure you can debate whether he should’ve gone down in bounds and let the time run out but that shouldn’t matter.

You have a six-point lead, you’re giving the ball back to an offense with zero, yes, zero timeouts, and you have to keep them from getting in the endzone. For all the talk about how much Raheem Morris has changed things, it didn’t look like it on Sunday.

Arthur Blank walking off the field, shaking his head was all too symbolic of how this season and the last two have felt.

The bottom line, the Atlanta Falcons are the team we thought they were. (A nod to the late Dennis Green.) They are 1-6 for a reason. They cannot score points, they cannot get stops, they do not have the mentality to go out and win games. And now they have a short week to turn it around and take on the Panthers.

The Falcons would be lucky to finish this season 3-13. There is no winnable game left with this defense on the field. The most exciting thing left about this season is how many points Drew Brees and the Saints, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, and oh yea, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs will put on this squad.

At least one of them will break 50.