Raheem Morris knows he's coaching for his job right now, and the Atlanta Falcons have started to perform like it. The Falcons have won back-to-back games for the first time since Weeks 4 and 6, in large part due to a game-clinching interception from former Jags' first-round pick C.J. Henderson.
Henderson was a practice squad call-up yesterday due to Atlanta's lack of cornerback depth and still managed to rise to the occassion. He put the exclamation point on the Dirty Birds' 26-19 victory, and that could be the latest piece of evidence to suggest Morris isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
It certainly wasn't pretty due to some offensive miscues, but like they once again found a way. Despite being eliminated from playoff contention, this team is still showing up with a resilience that was nowhere to be found earlier this season, which could be vital in Arthur Blank's looming decision.
Raheem Morris might've saved his job with Falcons' Week 16 victory
After accruing a franchise-record 19 penalties last week, the Falcons were penalized just four times in Arizona, which is perhaps the biggest difference between last week and this. They continually shot themselves in the foot in Tampa Bay, but this time the Cardinals were the one missing opportunities.
In Drake London's long-awaited return to the lineup, Kirk Cousins totaled 197 yards and three touchdowns but wasn't overly efficient in doing so. London caught just three passes for 27 yards while Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts were the Falcons' weapons who managed to score touchdowns.
Chad Ryland missed two field goals for Jonathan Gannon's team, while ex-Arizona kicker Zane Gonzalez made both of his field goal attempts despite missing an extra point. And while Morris entered the week on the hot seat, this performance might have been what cemented Gannon's future at the helm after a seventh consecutive loss.
It's been reported that Blank will be waiting until the offseason to determine the fate of Morris and Terry Fontenot, but the win makes rhis decision harder. Just a few weeks ago, it felt like a foregone conclusion that a regime change was coming to Atlanta, but that doesn't feel as clear anymore.
As far as Morris is concerned, this is an impressive win. Another road win for the Falcons won't have an adverse effect on draft position since the Rams have Atlanta's first-round pick, and it was another game where the offense took a massive step in the right direction, which Blank certainly wants to see.
The fanbase slowly started to turn on him earlier this season, but he's slowly reeling them back in. Unlike last season where they collapsed down the stretch, Falcons fans finally have optimism that Morris is the right head coach to break the playoff drought, even amid Cousins' inconsistent outing.