Former Falcons star said what all fans have been thinking about Raheem Morris

For a team that’s prided itself on discipline and detail under Raheem Morris, Sunday night against the 49ers was embarrassing to put it simply.

Trailing 13-10 with just under three minutes to play, the Falcons were one defensive stop away from giving their offense a shot to win their third straight game—and on 3rd and 13, that stop should’ve been easy.

However, Atlanta lined up with only 10 players on the field and Christian McCaffrey took full advantage, reeling in a 17-yard pass to move the chains before setting up a game-sealing touchdown from McCaffrey to ice a 20-10 defeat.

And afterward, it didn’t take long for one former Falcon to say what plenty of fans were already thinking.

Harry Douglas just eviscerated Raheem Morris on Twitter

The longtime Falcons receiver-turned-ESPN analyst didn't hold back as his frustration echoed throughout Atlanta sports media. 

The mistake was more than a small mental lapse. It was a reflection of the same issues that have quietly bubbled up during the Falcons’ up and down first half of the season: communication breakdowns, missed opportunities, and a defense that looks elite one week and undisciplined the next.

Head coach Raheem Morris didn’t deflect blame after the game. “It was absolutely embarrassing,” he said. “It was my fault. I’ll get it fixed.”

That accountability might soften the blow, but it sure doesn’t change the outcome of the game. 

Losing Divine Deablo made the loss hurt even more, there’s no doubt about that, but mistakes like this can’t happen. The blunder turned what could’ve been a defining defensive stand into a defining frustration.

It’s the kind of mistake Atlanta can’t afford. The Falcons entered the night ranked first in total defense and second in points allowed, but details have been their undoing. A missed tackle here, a blown coverage there, and now, a 10-man look at the worst possible time.

The Falcons have already shown they can compete with anyone. The problem is sustaining that level when execution starts to slip. Especially when the offense squandered a key opportunity on fourth down.

The Falcons’ defensive turnaround has been one of the season’s best stories, but lapses like this are the kind that can define a season’s trajectory.

Atlanta sits at 3-3, right in the thick of the NFC playoff picture, and there’s no panic yet. But for a franchise that’s spent years trying to escape its reputation for late game miscues, Douglas’s words hit close to home.

Because the thing is, he’s right. When you’re trying to prove you belong among the league’s elite, you can’t afford to beat yourself before the ball is even snapped.