Raheem Morris addresses baffling clock-management decisions during SNF vs. Commanders

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris explained why he didn’t take a timeout as his team was driving against the Washington Commanders late in the fourth quarter.

“Probably could have, thought we could get on the line of scrimmage with our operation a little bit faster, trying to save that timeout,” Morris told reporters after the game. “In hindsight, could have been a better decision to take that timeout.”

Raheem Morris is not head coach material pic.twitter.com/W0Hb7nlhlL

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The questionable clock management led to Falcons kicker Riley Patterson missing a 56-yard field goal to win the game. If Morris used one of the two timeouts he had during the drive, the field goal attempt would have been closer, leading to a potential Falcons victory.

The Falcons 2024 season has been a rollercoaster. After starting the season 6-3 and having a two-game lead in the NFC South, they are now 8-8 and need to win next week and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to lose against the New Orleans Saints to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

When the season began, Kirk Cousins was the starting quarterback, and he looked sharp in the first half of the season. But when he threw one touchdown and nine interceptions in a five-game span, Cousins was benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr.

Raheem Morris makes a big quarterback decision

“We had been searching, been digging as much as we can dig to make things work and try to get things going,” Morris said earlier this month about the QB change, per the team’s official website. “But (Tuesday) night we came to the decision to make the move. We wanted to play better at quarterback and we felt like we got a chance to play a little bit better and if we can go out there and play better at quarterback who knows what could happen.”

“I had a lot of confidence that we would play better. I had a lot of confidence that we would do better at the position. I had a lot of confidence that he would get back to his form,” Morris added. “And we just haven’t, for whatever reason. We have to figure those things out.”

While the Falcons have a chance to reach the postseason, that ends if the Buccaneers beat the Saints next week. If that happens, it would be another tough ending to a disappointing Falcons season.