If there is a constant with Raheem Morris’ Atlanta Falcons, it is a flair for the dramatic.
Through five games of the Morris regime, the Falcons sit 3-2, with each contest decided by eight points or less. Over the past two weeks, Atlanta has been able to get the job done late in each game.
After beating the New Orleans Saints 26-24 on a last-second Younghoe Koo field goal in Week 4, the Falcons used an improbable comeback on Thursday to top the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 36-30 in overtime.
On defense, and trailing by three points with less than two minutes left, the Falcons forced a punt before Kirk Cousins – who set a single-game franchise with 509 passing yards – led the offense to the 34-yard line with one second remaining. It was just enough time for Koo’s game-tying 52-yarder as regulation expired.
It then took Atlanta just four plays in overtime to go home a winner, as Cousins found the seldom-used KhaDarel Hodge on a walk-off 45-yard touchdown in overtime.
With its work done in Week 5, the franchise is now able to take a collective deep breath ahead of a stress-free Sunday viewing slate.
“I gave the guys a ‘Victory Friday,'” Morris said a day after the most recent win. “They are probably coming in on their own, getting a little bit of treatment if they need it, doing what they need to do in the weight room, but they weren’t required to be in the building today.”
As thrilling as the last two victories have been, the opponents the Falcons have beaten has made the wins even more impressive. In the midst of a three-week stretch against NFC South foes, Atlanta now sits in first place in the division, while holding tie breakers over New Orleans and Tampa Bay.
“The importance of division games are always of high magnitude,” Morris said. “We’ve talked about it from the beginning. To outrun the South, the only way you can do that is beating South opponents. It’s always a big deal to get back-to-back like that, and to do it in a dramatic fashion.”
Now, Morris and the team get a mini-bye week before traveling to face the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 13.
“I’m going to watch everybody play on Sunday,” Morris said, when asked if he’ll watch the Panthers this weekend. “This is the best part about playing on Thursday night. You’re home sitting on your couch on Sunday, watching RedZone on one TV, the local game on the other. I can’t wait.”
