The Falcons can’t seem to evade the ghost of Super Bowl 51. Not only has the team gone 34-28 since that loss to the Patriots — the final score of the Super Bowl — but Atlanta has yet to beat Tom Brady, going 0-7 all-time against the six-time NFL champion.
Here are the winners and losers from Sunday’s 31-27 loss to Tampa Bay.
Winner: Matt Ryan
There’s nothing more you can ask from the Falcons QB. After a poor performance a week ago, Ryan answered the call and went for 356 yards and three scores with no turnovers. He nearly had a fourth score but the pass was broken up by a diving Antoine Winfield Jr.
While he did have a few sacks on the day, these were all late-game sacks and at the hands of poor pass protection from Gurley and the offensive line. Atlanta did a good job containing the Bucs’ defensive line all game, but collapsed late.
Loser: Todd Gurley
At this point, why is he even on the field? Gurley whiffed on two blocks that forced sacks on Matt Ryan and killed drives. Gurley ended the day with one carry for a loss, and while he’s provided some good touchdown numbers, he’s clearly either still dealing with a knee issue, or far from the player he was a few years ago.
Winner: Calvin Ridley
In a game without Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley stood out and went for over 160 yards on 10 catches (both career high). The third-year receiver is having a breakout season and currently has 1,192 yards and nine touchdowns with two games remaining. Ridley’s could end up topping 1,400 yards at this rate.
Loser: Falcons coaching staff
The Falcons coaching staff’s inability to adjust in the second half did them in. They were outscored 31-10 and have fallen to 4-5 under Raheem Morris. It is all but official that the current coaching staff will not be retained, no matter what happens these last two games.
Winner: Younghoe Koo
Younghoe Koo stayed true to form and nailed his two attempted field goals to break the Falcons’ single-season record. Koo has made 35 of 36 attempts on the season, just five kicks shy of breaking Jay Feely’s 2001 single-season attempt record with 40. In that year, Feely only converted on 32 of those attempts, though (80 percent conversion rate). Koo currently sits at 97 percent.
Loser: late-game pass protection
The Falcons held off the Bucs pass rush for three and a half quarters, only for them to fold in the final moments. Ryan got sacked three times over the final three possessions, and one where he was forced to fall on his own. Each sack killed a drive and ultimately eliminated any shot the Falcons had at moving the ball downfield.
Biggest winner: draft stock
With a Dallas win, the Falcons continue their climb up the draft board and are setting themselves up for a high pick. What they do with it is unknown, but this could also be a prime spot to trade back and amass more picks rather than waste away a top pick on a QB who will sit for multiple years.
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