After winning back-to-back games, the Falcons looked strong against the Commanders. Both teams were fighting for a playoff spot, but the latter won in the overtime. Falcons had equalized the scores 24-24 with a 13-yard TD. But what happened next became the talk of the town.
Falcons’ HC Raheem Morris made a crucial clock management mistake in the last seconds of the game. After equalizing the scores at 1:19 in the 4th quarter, 24 each, the Commanders got the ball. However, they got the ball back with seconds remaining. And the head coach could have used the timeout there, making a plan to score the winning points. He didn’t and in the overtime, they lost the game, 30-24. Speaking in the post-game conference, the Falcons HC admitted his mistake and said, “In hindsight could have been a good decision or better decision to take that timeout, but I wanted to have the opportunity to move up there.”
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The last time an NFL coach made such a mistake, he was fired. We’re talking about the Chicago Bears HC Matt Eberflus here. He also botched up the clock management in their week 12 game against the Lions, which they lost 20-23. Like Morris, he, too, expressed confidence in his decision, but the management was fed up. He became the first Bears coach to be fired mid-season.
Coming back to Falcons here, Raheem Morris missed a grand chance to qualify for the playoffs. Had they tried, they could have scored some points there. However, they can still qualify if they win the last game against the Panthers. But they need a stroke of luck too, as the Buccaneers need to lose against the Saints.
Fans are angry with the coach for his poor decision. At this level, such a minor mistake can decide their future. They vented their anger on social media.
Fans want Raheem Morris fired after the week 17 debacle
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Only one game is remaining. So, the Falcons’ management would not fire him now. But they would also be eager to hear what the HC is thinking. One fan pointed this out and requested to fire him after the season, by writing, “They might just be special kinda bad enough to get fired this off-season anyway.” While another angry fan made his intentions clear and tweeted, “Waiting for Raheem Morris to be fired.”
The obvious question in everyone’s mind is, why he didn’t use the timeout as they can’t use them in overtime. This was also in the mind of one fan who wanted him fired and wrote, “Yes fire like apparently Raheem Morris watch because that MF’er cant tell time and use TOs!!!!!” One fan was quick enough to point a similarity between former Bears HC and Falcons HC, as they made the same mistake, commenting, “Raheem Morris pulled an Eberflus.”
One fan was so heated up after losing the game that he made an entire career path to meet Morris and tweeted, “I’m gonna quit my job, get a degree in journalism, work my way up through the ranks, and become a trusted beat reporter just so I can ask Raheem Morris why he is so f—–g stupid.” That’s hilarious. But it also shows how angry the fans were.
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The Falcons would only be hoping for the Bucs to lose and themselves to win. It’s the only way Morris might retain his position in the franchise.
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Did Raheem Morris just cost the Falcons their playoff dreams with that clock management blunder?
Top Comment by A Falcon fan
Good Lord, yes, he should’ve use the timeouts, but if anybody thinks this is a reason to fire him, they...more
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