The Atlanta Falcons came into Sunday‘s game against the Carolina Panthers ( now 6-5 overall) three games under .500, quite a distance from first-place Tampa Bay, whom the Falcons had already lost to in week one, and on a four-game losing streak. Believe it or not, things have gotten worse.
After the loss on Sunday, Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said, “We keep finding ways to make it tough.”
The Falcons, now 3-7 overall and currently on five-game losing streak, managed to score just six points in the fourth quarter against the Panthers, resulting in a 30-27 loss. Three of these points came courtesy of a clutch 52-yard field goal by Zane Gonzalez late in regulation.
This season, Atlanta is averaging 5.3 points per game during the 10 fourth quarters they have played. With the exception of the 10 points Atlanta scored against the Minnesota Vikings in week two, they haven’t reached the double-figure mark in a fourth quarter this season. Let’s get into the numbers:
The Falcons scored seven points against Tampa in a week-one loss, no points in the fourth quarter at Carolina in a 30-point loss in week three, and just three points against the Washington Commanders in a 34-27 victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta was ahead 31-16 after three quarters and only managed a field goal the rest of the way.
In a week six win over the Buffalo Bills, the Falcons scored only three points in the fourth quarter, marking the last game they would win for the next five weeks. Atlanta did not score in the fourth quarter of their 20-10 loss at San Francisco in week seven.
The fourth-quarter scoring picked up a bit when the Falcons scored nine points against New England in a one-point loss on the road, and eight points in an overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Berlin, Germany, last week.
The first game of the two meetings with the New Orleans Saints, the last-place team in the NFC South and one of the worst in the National Football League, will take place in two weeks on Nov. 23 at the Caesars Superdome (4:25 p.m. kickoff). Fourth-quarter scoring might not be needed to defeat the struggling Saints (2-8 overall),
The team’s saving grace this season, despite the play on the opening drives to start the game and to start the second half on Sunday, has been the Falcons’ defense. On Carolina’s second drive of the game, the Falcons forced a punt following a sack by rookie corner Billy Bowman, Jr. That sack almost knocked Young out of the game as he was slow to get back on his feet afterward. Young had started nine of the Panthers’ 10 games this season.
This team should be able to score more points in the fourth quarter. Falcons receiver Drake London went over 100 yards receiving with his fifth reception of the first half on Sunday. Bijan Robinson had over 90 yards rushing at halftime of the loss to Carolina. It has been the second half of games that have been the issue this season.
The Saints game is followed by a trip to New Jersey to play the New York Jets on Sunday, Nov. 30. The opportunity for the Falcons to make the playoffs might be dwindling, but getting back to .500 is a realistic possibility. That, however, will start with scoring in the fourth quarter.