Morris on Chiefs loss: ‘We didn’t come here to get patted on the back’

The Atlanta Falcons came up just short during Sunday’s 17-14 loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City.

The Atlanta Falcons came up just short during Sunday’s 17-14 loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City. Despite failing to win another close game, this was not at all similar to the Falcons’ several last-second collapses from earlier in the season.

After a tough defensive battle, Atlanta missed a field goal with just a few seconds left in the fourth quarter that would have at least sent the game to overtime. Holding Patrick Mahomes and an elite Chiefs offense to under 20 points is no easy task, though, especially considering how bad the Falcons’ defense was over the first half of the season.

Interim head coach Raheem Morris said he was proud of the team in his postgame press conference, but that he isn’t satisfied with moral victories. “We didn’t come here to get patted on the back by anybody, we came here to win the football game,” said Morris.

“Ultimately, at the end of the day, you want to win that game, and that’s the only goal that you have when you go to play these games,” Morris continued.

Check out his full postgame press conference following Atlanta’s loss to Kansas City in Week 16.

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Twitter reacts to Falcons’ heartbreaking loss to Chiefs

The Atlanta Falcons lost a 17-14 heart-breaker to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon.

The Atlanta Falcons lost a 17-14 heart-breaker to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon. Kicker Younghoe Koo, who has been automatic all season and had converted 27 straight kicks, finally showed that he is human after all.

Koo missed a chip shot game winner in the final moments that would have sent the game to overtime. Here is how twitter handled Atlanta’s last-second loss to the defending Super Bowl champs.

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Matt Ryan TD pass to Laquon Treadwell gives Falcons 4th-quarter lead

The Falcons have yet to let their foot off the gas through three and a half quarters against the Chiefs.

The Falcons have yet to let their foot off the gas through three and a half quarters against the Chiefs. Down 10-7, Atlanta drove down the field before QB Matt Ryan found WR Laquon Treadwell for a five-yard touchdown pass that gave the team a 14-7 lead.

Check out Ryan’s second touchdown of the game, courtesy of the Falcons’ Twitter account.

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Falcons Highlights: Foye Oluokun picks off Patrick Mahomes in red zone

The Falcons’ defense is stepping up to the challenge thus far against the Chiefs on Sunday.

The Falcons’ defense is stepping up to the challenge thus far against the Chiefs on Sunday. Atlanta has only allowed seven points from Kansas City’s high-powered offense through three quarters.

Linebacker Foye Oluokun, one of the year’s biggest Pro Bowl snubs, picked off Patrick Mahomes in the red zone and ran it back past midfield. Check out Oluokun’s big interception below, as shared by the Falcons’ Twitter account.

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WATCH: Falcons take 7-0 lead over Chiefs after 98-yard TD drive

Wide receiver Calvin Ridley got loose for a 54-yard catch and run that put the Falcons in the red zone.

The Falcons came away with a big stop on fourth down when safety Keanu Neal intercepted Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in the red zone. Atlanta capitalized on the turnover on the next drive, going 98 yards for a touchdown to take 7-0 lead over Kansas City.

Wide receiver Calvin Ridley got loose for a 54-yard catch and run that put the Falcons in the red zone. Tight end Hayden Hurst then caught a shovel pass from QB Matt Ryan to cap off the drive. Watch below, as shared by the team’s Twitter account.

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Falcons Highlights: Keanu Neal picks off Pat Mahomes on fourth down

The Atlanta Falcons and Kansas City Chiefs are scoreless midway through the second quarter of their Week 16 matchup.

The Atlanta Falcons and Kansas City Chiefs are scoreless midway through the second quarter of their Week 16 matchup.

A promising drive by the Chiefs was ended by the Falcons when safety Keanu Neal intercepted QB Patrick Mahomes on fourth down in the red zone. Watch below, as shared by the team’s Twitter account.

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Falcons Highlights: RB Todd Gurley makes pretty sideline catch

On the first play of the Atlanta Falcons’ opening drive, quarterback Matt Ryan rolled out to his right and lofted a pass to running back Todd Gurley that was caught for a first down.

On the first play of the Atlanta Falcons’ opening drive, quarterback Matt Ryan rolled out to his right and lofted a pass to running back Todd Gurley that was caught for a first down.

Check out Gurley’s impressive sideline catch in the first quarter, as shred by the Falcons’ Twitter account below.

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Matt Ryan thinks the Falcons ‘can still be a bit better offensively’

On paper, Matt Ryan didn’t have a big day against the Raiders in Week 12, but he didn’t have to.

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On paper, Matt Ryan didn’t have a big day against the Raiders in Week 12, but he didn’t have to. The Falcons had control of the game throughout the entirety of the afternoon and were never in threat of losing their grasp. Ryan ended the day with only 185 yards and two scores. His lone interception came off a deflected ball intended for Hayden Hurst over the middle.

The last time Ryan passed for less than 200 yards was Atlanta’s 26-9 win over the Saints in 2019. The Falcons QB started off his postgame press conference praising the defensive performance and how the turnovers gave the team a short field.

“Definitely gives you a lift and we did okay with it today with coming up with touchdowns. We definitely came away with points which is ultimately the most important but I still think we can be a bit better offensively to find ways to score touchdowns in those situations.”

Ryan was asked about the importance of the 4th-down touchdown right before halftime, and credited the aggressiveness of head coach Raheem Morris and the body control of WR Calvin Ridley. Ryan also praised kicker Younghoe Koo’s maturation over the course of this season.

“You can see as a teammate his confidence continuing and build and I’ve been impressed with his maturation in the last year and a half. We certainly have a lot of confidence in him.”

Despite having a slow start, the Falcons were able to get things going in the second quarter. Ryan said it came down to execution.

“I think it was just better execution and definitely having short field opportunities, which helps in that department. We knew coming into it, it was a defense that we needed to stay in front of the chains.”

With WR Julio Jones inactive this week and Olamide Zaccheaus leaving the game early, the Falcons were forced to look down the depth chart to get the passing game going.

“I thought our guys did a nice job going out there competing. It made it even tougher when Olamide went out of the game too, but Christian Blake and Brandon Powell did a nice job of filling in. I appreciate their effort, professionalism, and readiness at any moment to go in and play all kinds of positions for us.”

Going from scoring nine points to 43 points, has to give a shot of confidence to this Falcons team. But Ryan said it all comes down to preparation.

“Your confidence has to come from the preparation that you put in week-in and week-out and the belief comes from that. Sometimes in this league, weeks like last week happen, you play a good team on the road. I’ve been around for a long time to know that it happens from time to time. You can’t let one loss turn into another.”

In Week 13, the Saints come to Atlanta for the second of two regular-season matchups. At 4-7, the Falcons have very little, if any, margin for error going forward.

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Matt Ryan thinks the Falcons ‘can still be a bit better offensively’

On paper, Matt Ryan didn’t have a big day against the Raiders in Week 12, but he didn’t have to.

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On paper, Matt Ryan didn’t have a big day against the Raiders in Week 12, but he didn’t have to. The Falcons had control of the game throughout the entirety of the afternoon and were never in threat of losing their grasp. Ryan ended the day with only 185 yards and two scores. His lone interception came off a deflected ball intended for Hayden Hurst over the middle.

The last time Ryan passed for less than 200 yards was Atlanta’s 26-9 win over the Saints in 2019. The Falcons QB started off his postgame press conference praising the defensive performance and how the turnovers gave the team a short field.

“Definitely gives you a lift and we did okay with it today with coming up with touchdowns. We definitely came away with points which is ultimately the most important but I still think we can be a bit better offensively to find ways to score touchdowns in those situations.”

Ryan was asked about the importance of the 4th-down touchdown right before halftime, and credited the aggressiveness of head coach Raheem Morris and the body control of WR Calvin Ridley. Ryan also praised kicker Younghoe Koo’s maturation over the course of this season.

“You can see as a teammate his confidence continuing and build and I’ve been impressed with his maturation in the last year and a half. We certainly have a lot of confidence in him.”

Despite having a slow start, the Falcons were able to get things going in the second quarter. Ryan said it came down to execution.

“I think it was just better execution and definitely having short field opportunities, which helps in that department. We knew coming into it, it was a defense that we needed to stay in front of the chains.”

With WR Julio Jones inactive this week and Olamide Zaccheaus leaving the game early, the Falcons were forced to look down the depth chart to get the passing game going.

“I thought our guys did a nice job going out there competing. It made it even tougher when Olamide went out of the game too, but Christian Blake and Brandon Powell did a nice job of filling in. I appreciate their effort, professionalism, and readiness at any moment to go in and play all kinds of positions for us.”

Going from scoring nine points to 43 points, has to give a shot of confidence to this Falcons team. But Ryan said it all comes down to preparation.

“Your confidence has to come from the preparation that you put in week-in and week-out and the belief comes from that. Sometimes in this league, weeks like last week happen, you play a good team on the road. I’ve been around for a long time to know that it happens from time to time. You can’t let one loss turn into another.”

In Week 13, the Saints come to Atlanta for the second of two regular-season matchups. At 4-7, the Falcons have very little, if any, margin for error going forward.

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Watch: Falcons’ Deion Jones with pick-6 of Derek Carr

Deion Jones took a Derek Carr interception all the way to the end zone for a pick-6

The Atlanta Falcons are playing their most solid game of the season and the victims are the Las Vegas Raiders.

Atlanta surged to a 23-3 lead in the second half when Deion Jones picked off Raiders QB Derek Carr and took it back 67 yards.