Less than 24 hours after the **Falcons** had a golden opportunity to secure a decisive victory over the two-time defending champion **Kansas City Chiefs**, **Atlanta** coach **Raheem Morris** reflected on the game’s decisive moments.
Down five at the **Kansas City 13-yard line** with just **1:03 remaining** in Sunday night’s **22-17** home loss, **Atlanta** running backs **Tyler Allgeier** and **Bijan Robinson** were poised to clinch a crucial first down. However, the **Chiefs** defense emerged victorious, stopping the duo on consecutive plays and forcing a critical turnover on fourth down.
When questioned about the possibility of signing **Kirk Cousins** at quarterback, Morris provided some insight into the team’s strategic discussions.
“It was considered,” Morris revealed at Monday’s press conference. “But teams are adapting, playing sneak defenses now. Defenses are more prepared for sneak plays and are more conscientious. That was definitely part of our discussion last night. But, I feel confident that our running backs secured pivotal first downs and advanced the ground game, despite the unfortunate outcome on Sunday night.”
Adding to the team’s challenges, a pair of offensive line starters left Sunday’s game due to injuries. **Right tackle Kaleb McGary** exited in the first half with what seems to be a **sprained ACL**, while **center Drew Dalman** left with a suspected **sprained ankle**. Both players are scheduled for MRIs to confirm the extent of their injuries.
Reserves **Ryan Neuzil** and **Storm Norton** stepped in to replace Dalman and McGary for the remainder of Sunday’s battle.
“I’ll have more information after today,” Morris commented. “We’ll have a clearer picture, especially before training… But both Neuzil and Norton came out and delivered remarkable performances for us.”
Heading into a crucial three-week stretch where **Atlanta** is set to face each of its **NFC South** division rivals, the **Falcons** are gearing up for Sunday’s home game against the **New Orleans Saints**. In their final game of last season, **Atlanta** suffered a **48-17** defeat to **New Orleans** under former coach **Arthur Smith**.
“I’m not driven by motivations I wasn’t part of,” Morris emphasized. “If you need extra motivation to play a division rival from the South, you’re probably in the wrong place. There’s no mystery about the Saints, Bucs, and Carolina, but this week, our complete focus is on the Saints. We must find a way to triumph over a highly competitive, well-coached team on our home turf.”
Currently, **Atlanta (1-2)** is tied with **Carolina**, trailing both the **Saints** and **Buccaneers**, who boast 2-1 records.
With so much on the line, the next few games will be pivotal for the Falcons, as they strive to climb the ranks of the **NFC South**!
