For most of Matt Ryan’s career as the quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, the team has put up enough points to compete even when the defense has struggled.
Since 1990, the Falcons have had a negative point differential of over 100 points on five occasions. Despite the 2021 season still being in progress, Atlanta’s average point differential per game (-8.3) is on pace to be the fourth-worst in team history. In total, the Falcons have finished the season with a negative point differential 19 times since 1990.
Following Sunday’s 31-13 loss to the 49ers, Ryan talked about the team’s inability to score on multiple red zone attempts. Atlanta’s offense had the ball in the red zone on four occasions and failed to get points on three of them.
“Yeah, we got to find ways to get into the end zone. We knew coming into it that it was going to be important for us,” stated Ryan after Sunday’s loss. “You have to find ways to score and take advantages of those opportunities.”
There were seven occasions where the Falcons needed one yard to either score or convert for a first down. When asked about this, Ryan stated the team had to do better.
“You got to be better. 1-7 is not good enough in short yardage. Where you just need a yard, we’ve got to find a way to really convert those at a high level and good football teams do that and we weren’t that today.”
One area specifically many people will question the Falcons on is how they opened the game on the one-yard line and failed to come away with any points. The team elected to not kick a field goal but rather try and convert on fourth down by failed as a Ryan pass didn’t connect with Pitts.
“You know, I’m not sure. Again, we have to watch the film of where we didn’t operate as well as we needed to. We’ll take a look at it and we’ll try and rep it and improve there. Sometimes you just have to harp on the smallest of details in those types of situations.”
However, even with the loss, the Falcons’ playoff hopes aren’t dead yet. FiveThirtyEight gives them a three percent chance of making it, but they are still mathematically eligible. With Detroit coming off a dominating win, Atlanta’s next home game doesn’t seem as easy as previously thought.
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