1 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: What's up, everybody, and welcome to the latest edition of 2 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: the Falcons Final Whistle Podcast, presented by Zaxby's I Am 3 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: Scott Bear alongside Tory mclaney and the both of us 4 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: just returned from the Falcons charter flight home from Chicago 5 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:26,439 Speaker 1: after a result that was unwelcome for Falcons fans, a 6 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: thirty seven to seventeen lost to the Chicago Bears at 7 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: Soldier Field. 8 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 2: It was snowing. 9 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 1: It was an uncomfortable game for the Atlanta Falcons that 10 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: ultimately lost in all three phases. 11 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 2: This is one of those games that. 12 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: Was a no doubter and a game the Bears deserved 13 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: to win and the Falcons deserve to lose. You will 14 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: notice that Tarren Walk is not with us. She is 15 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: back in Chicago with families. So it's just going to 16 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: be a two person show this time. So let's get 17 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: right to it. 18 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 2: Toy Oh. Happy New Year to everyone. 19 00:00:57,640 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 3: By the way, Happy New Year. 20 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 4: I hope that you all are welcoming twenty twenty four 21 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 4: with happiness and cheer and wine. 22 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:12,839 Speaker 1: And wine and maybe a renewed state of optimism as 23 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: they moved towards the spring, because right now, Falcons fans 24 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: aren't really happy about what happened at Soldier Fields. 25 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 2: Again, they got beaten every way possible. 26 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 1: Yeah, through four interceptions they allowed, but now it's not 27 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: in front of me. 28 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 2: Five of the Bears went four or five in the 29 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 2: red zone. 30 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: They scored a they scored twenty one points in the 31 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 1: first half. That was a Falcons high for points allowed 32 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: in the first half, not a lot of it. 33 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 2: And even young way Kup missed two field goals. That's 34 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 2: how bad it got. 35 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, it was one of those things where it was 36 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 4: in Scott and I were talking about this in the 37 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 4: press box where it's like, you look. 38 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 3: At the game last week, literally just last week. It 39 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 3: was the most. 40 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 4: Dominant and complete performance I feel like the Falcons had 41 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 4: against the Indianapolis Colts. Like that game, I didn't really 42 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 4: have a lot of complaints about the way that the 43 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 4: Falcons played. And then you fast forward to this Sunday 44 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:13,359 Speaker 4: against Chicago and it was almost like every single thing 45 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,359 Speaker 4: they did well in the Colts game they did poorly 46 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,639 Speaker 4: in the Chicago game. Like, if we're talking about offense, 47 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 4: obviously turning the ball over, having a tough time moving 48 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 4: the ball downfield. I mean, outside of some explosive plays. 49 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 4: It kind of felt like there were there were no 50 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 4: like of those nitty gritty runs of where you're picking 51 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,639 Speaker 4: up three or four yards. It was either seventy five 52 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 4: yards or thirty five yards or it was one or 53 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 4: two and I don't know. And then you switch over 54 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 4: to the defense, and like what Scott said, scoring twenty 55 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 4: the Bear scored twenty one points on the Falcons in 56 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 4: the first half. That's not only the most points scored 57 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 4: on this Falcons team in the first half to this 58 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 4: to this point, it's also more points scored on this 59 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 4: defense then eight other games that they have played this year, 60 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 4: and that's such a wild concept. And to put up 61 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 4: thirty seven that's the most I believe, that's also the 62 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 4: most points scored against this defense in twenty twenty three. 63 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 4: So overall, I mean, it really did feel like DJ 64 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,959 Speaker 4: Moore could do no wrong. I mean, it's felt that 65 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 4: way with DJ Moore and the Falcons for a couple 66 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 4: of years now, but it except it felt exceptionally so. 67 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:30,359 Speaker 3: In this game. 68 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 4: And then there's also I mean, then there's special teams 69 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 4: and you know, I know for a fact of course, 70 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 4: Young Wiku would love to have those two missfield goals 71 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 4: back and maybe those missfield goals changed the way that 72 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 4: you felt kind of coming out of halftime. But at 73 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 4: the end of the day, I mean, I think Taylor 74 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 4: Heineke probably said it best where it's like the story 75 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 4: of this twenty twenty three Falcons team has been turnovers 76 00:03:56,480 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 4: and missed opportunities, and that's exactly what this game was 77 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 4: in a nutshell, And for it to kind of come 78 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 4: on the heel of a when last week that felt 79 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 4: so good, it's just kind of it's almost the juxtaposition 80 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 4: that you just like did not want for this team 81 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,239 Speaker 4: when you felt like they finally had it together last week. 82 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:20,840 Speaker 1: Now, just in and we've mentioned on this podcast before 83 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 1: that sometimes Tory and I have like a constant during 84 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 1: like in game dialogue about what's happening on the field, 85 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 1: like what things mean, and she'd kind of make me. 86 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 3: We should be miked up. 87 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that would be interesting. 88 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 1: There's some friendly debates, there's some good banter. 89 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 2: Some of it. 90 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: We might have to be censored by David Bassidy. 91 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 3: Well, that's fine. The players get censored too. We can 92 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 3: get censored, yeah, and are miked up. 93 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,720 Speaker 1: That's probably not a bad idea foss final whistle unfiltered. 94 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:52,720 Speaker 2: I think that we could pitch that we just need 95 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 2: the right sponsor. 96 00:04:54,080 --> 00:05:00,039 Speaker 1: But nonetheless, Tory and I were talking around halftime and 97 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:04,159 Speaker 1: it was kind of a decisive result that to that point, 98 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: and Tory kind of said, she ultimately wrote about something 99 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 1: else about the quarterbacks, So we're going to get to that. 100 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:11,480 Speaker 2: But your first thought was. 101 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 1: The inconsistencies between the Colts game and the Bears game. 102 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 1: Kind of if you expanded that and look big picture, 103 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 1: that that's why the Falcons are where they are, right, 104 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: is that too many times you see a Falcons team 105 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,279 Speaker 1: against the Colts, or against the last time they played 106 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: the Saints, or the first game against the Panthers, or 107 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: even against Green Bay. At times against Houston, you see 108 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: a team that looks kind of makes you raise. 109 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 2: Your eyebrow and think what if? Right? 110 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 1: And then too often when you do that, that sentiment 111 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: is deflated by the next available opportunity. And that's how 112 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: you get to around this mark, Right, That's how you 113 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: get to seven and nine going into one more game. 114 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,719 Speaker 1: And while you wrote ultimately wrote about the quarterbacks, you know, 115 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,480 Speaker 1: kind of just take me through your mind about why 116 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: you went there because I think it's a really important 117 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 1: thing for fans, understand. 118 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I think it. 119 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,719 Speaker 4: To me, it's just like, and this was actually something 120 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 4: that Scott and I were talking about on the plane 121 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 4: on the way back, or we're sitting on the tarmac 122 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 4: waiting for the wings to get de iced. Is we're 123 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 4: talking about this whole idea of this Falcons team. You 124 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 4: expected so much from them, and I know, I hate 125 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 4: that word expectations. 126 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 3: I hate it. 127 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 4: I hate it, I hate it, I hate using it, 128 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 4: I hate that it's even coming out of my mouth. 129 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 4: But at the exact same time, it's like, you looked 130 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 4: at this roster and you felt so confident about the 131 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 4: individual pieces and honestly how they were going to work together. 132 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 4: But there was never a point where things were stringing together. 133 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 4: And in the NFL where yeah, it really is. I mean, 134 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:53,160 Speaker 4: Arthur Smith says it literally all the time that it's 135 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,599 Speaker 4: a week by week league. I get that, but in order, 136 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 4: the best teams kind of build upon momentum week by week, 137 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 4: and that's something that we have not seen from this 138 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 4: Falcons team to date. We have not seen this Falcon 139 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 4: team go out in one week and play decisively and 140 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 4: play completely and play fairly well and go out the 141 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 4: next week and have more good than bad. That's not 142 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 4: something that we have seen from this team. And I 143 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 4: really thought that perhaps with the whole idea of like, 144 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 4: you know, Destiny's kind of out of our own hands 145 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 4: and you know, let's just go out and play, maybe 146 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 4: play a bit free, that that kind of would have 147 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 4: changed how these last two weeks would have gone. But 148 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 4: to have this like one side of the coin versus 149 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 4: the Colts versus the other side of the coin versus 150 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 4: the Bears, it was just like a microcosm. I feel 151 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 4: like of kind of this whole idea of what we 152 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 4: thought the Falcons would be versus what they are. 153 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: And look, we're not trying to say that any team 154 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: is perfect. 155 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 2: You look at the forty nine ers. 156 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: What the Philadelphia Eagles are going through, what even the 157 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: Kansas City Chiefs have gone through at periods during the season. 158 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: There are lulls, there are valleys, But when you have 159 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: a more complete team, then you can come out of 160 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 1: those valleys. Even like look at what Buffalo's experience has been, 161 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: Like all of a sudden they are super hot after 162 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: being the tenth seed in like in the AFC, and 163 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: I think that good teams can vault themselves forward forward 164 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: in those regards. Those examples that I have no shock 165 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 1: have higher two elite level quarterbacks at their disposal of 166 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,439 Speaker 1: that they may have a couple of bad games, stick 167 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 1: with them because you know Josh Allen slash Patrick Mahomes 168 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: slash rock parties in the conversation now where Jalen hurts 169 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 1: that those guys will eventually get on a run and 170 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 1: lead you toward good things and help those playmakers do 171 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:54,079 Speaker 1: what they do best. Falcons are not in that category. 172 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:56,679 Speaker 1: And that's what you wrote. And you wrote a what 173 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 1: I would consider a critical yet fair depiction of what 174 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: the Falcons quarterback experience has been this year. 175 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 2: And over the course of the last three years. 176 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 1: And I don't want to steal your thunder, but just 177 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 1: to kind of set just to set this up, I 178 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: think it was a really good point because we just 179 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: were to talk about Taylor Heinike and Desmond Ritter. Maybe 180 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 1: we're not doing this conversation justice right, And you went 181 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: and so you went back to Matt Ryan from one year, 182 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 1: and then to Marcus Mariota to Ritter and then and 183 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 1: then starting with Ritter and then to Heinike and back 184 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: and forth and on the seesaw right right, and ultimately 185 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 1: where you end up with one game to go and 186 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: one game is not going to change anyone's mind no 187 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:44,360 Speaker 1: matter what happens. You kind of feel like you're at 188 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:48,319 Speaker 1: a point with the quarterback where you're kind of you've 189 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 1: learned a lot, but you're kind of nowhere at the 190 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 1: same time. 191 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, I normally Scott knows this. I normally 192 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 4: don't write columns. I there are a lot of time 193 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:04,559 Speaker 4: where I don't put my opinion out there very often, 194 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 4: but when I do, it's for I feel like good reason. 195 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 4: And finally I felt like, with a little push from 196 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 4: Scott that I. 197 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 3: Needed to do this. 198 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 4: I needed to write about the quarterback because it's gotten 199 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 4: to the point now where you cannot look at this 200 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 4: team and not talk about the quarterback issues that have 201 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 4: spanned three seasons. And you know, Scott, really I think 202 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,080 Speaker 4: set it up really well. I think back to the 203 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 4: fact that, Okay, Matt Ryan, you knew that it was 204 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 4: the sunset of the Matt Ryan era in Atlanta when 205 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 4: Arthur Smith and Terry Fonteau got in here. Because that 206 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 4: contract was so hefty, and it weighed down this salary cap, 207 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 4: and you wouldn't have been able to go out and 208 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 4: get a Jesse Bates or a David Anyamata or Kayden 209 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 4: Ellis with Matt Ryan's contract. That's just not or you 210 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 4: maybe wouldn't have even been able to extend Chris Lenstrom. 211 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 4: I mean, there are a lot of moves that I 212 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 4: think happened because you freed up caps solely off of 213 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 4: Matt Ryan's contract. So that happens, and then you have 214 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 4: them whole Marcus Mariota experience. And you know, for everything 215 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 4: about Marcus Mariota, there was one thing that he did well, 216 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,679 Speaker 4: and it was the fact that he jump started this 217 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 4: run game in Atlanta, where. 218 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 3: I think people forget because we've been talking. 219 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 4: We talk a lot about in the last two years, 220 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,599 Speaker 4: Tyler Algier and CP and now Bajon and kind of 221 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 4: the Falcons having this dynamic run game that was not 222 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 4: the case in Atlanta for a very, very, very long time. 223 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 4: And I do think that Marcus Mariota played a part 224 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,840 Speaker 4: in that. Now, he did some other things that we 225 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 4: won't get into, but you know, this is just the 226 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 4: experience of kind of having someone who is trying to 227 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 4: have this resurgence of their career. And then you go 228 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:48,679 Speaker 4: to Desmond Rider and you give this rookie quarterback a shot, 229 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 4: and you say you're riding with him in twenty twenty three, 230 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 4: and you do until you can't because there were too 231 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 4: many costly mistakes at inopportune times. And then you go 232 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:02,199 Speaker 4: to Taylor Heineke, who literally verbatim said when he came 233 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 4: into Atlanta that he was there to be a backup. 234 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:08,680 Speaker 4: That's what Arthur Smith said, That's what Terry Fono said, 235 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 4: That's what Taylor Heineke said. 236 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:12,199 Speaker 3: He was there to be Desmond Ritters backup. 237 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 4: So this is where you are at the quarterback position 238 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 4: over a three year arc. And it's really interesting to 239 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 4: me that all four of these quarterbacks came to Atlanta 240 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 4: or were already in Atlanta at very different points and 241 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 4: times in their lives, very different points in times in 242 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 4: their careers, and yet we're still having and they all 243 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 4: I think all four had something different to prove. 244 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, all four of them. 245 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 4: If I'm being completely fair and honest, this offense hasn't 246 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 4: been scoring a lot of points. It's not a high 247 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 4: scoring offense in the last three years. The stats in 248 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:55,480 Speaker 4: the League can back that up, this whole idea of 249 00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 4: the Falcons as an offense. No, when Arthur Smith is 250 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 4: talking about the quarterback situation. 251 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 3: You can't. 252 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 4: He's right that you can't just put all of this 253 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:07,720 Speaker 4: on one guy, and you can't just put the issues 254 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 4: of the entire microcosm of the team, the entire team 255 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 4: on Matt Ryan or Marcus Mariot or a Desmond or 256 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 4: Taylor Heinekey. That's not fair because there are so many 257 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 4: different things that have been happening over the course of. 258 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 3: This three year stint in Atlanta. 259 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:27,560 Speaker 4: There are different defensive philosophies, there are different pieces and 260 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:31,440 Speaker 4: defenders and everything. So there's so many different things that 261 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:37,079 Speaker 4: are happening around these quarterbacks. However, there's one common denominator 262 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 4: over the last three seasons and that there has been 263 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 4: inconsistency in the quarterback position in quarterback. 264 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:45,880 Speaker 3: Play in Atlanta, and. 265 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 4: There has to be a point where that changes, because 266 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 4: otherwise I don't know kind of how you take a 267 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:59,680 Speaker 4: step forward as an offense. And that's nothing against the 268 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 4: people who were here, That's that's nothing against I think 269 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 4: what we saw Matt Ryan or Marcus Mariot or Desmond 270 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 4: Ritter or Taylor Heineken do. 271 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:10,559 Speaker 3: It's just the Falcons just need consistency. 272 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 4: They need answers, and if they don't get it in 273 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 4: twenty twenty four, I don't know when they're ever going 274 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:14,319 Speaker 4: to get it. 275 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: I think it's one of those things where, because of 276 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: the situation that the Falcons are in, you're going to 277 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: start seeing anybody who becomes free attached to the Falcons 278 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 1: right that this offseason is going to be full of well, 279 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 1: looks like Russell Wilson's on his way out of Denver, 280 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 1: atl question mark, exclamation point, question mark. 281 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 4: Even people who aren't available, Like I'm seeing all this 282 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 4: stuff on Twitter about like, oh, the Falcons could have 283 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 4: had Lamar Jackson last year and it's. 284 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 2: Like he wasn't like that, he wasn't. 285 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 3: Even available, like come on. 286 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 5: And so it's like one of those things where it's 287 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 5: it's going to be the the question of the off season, 288 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 5: you know, Like you think about the last the first 289 00:14:57,200 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 5: two years of Terry and Arthur being here, it was salary, 290 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 5: salary cap, salary cap. 291 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 4: How in the world do they make it work? How 292 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 4: in the world do they get out of the red 293 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 4: All of those those were the questions the third year. 294 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:12,480 Speaker 3: This past year, it was like it was still salary cap. 295 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 3: It was still like, oh my gosh, they have all 296 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,360 Speaker 3: this money. Wow, what are they going to do with it? 297 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 4: The overall pick, they go out and get Bajan, Like 298 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 4: it's like whoo, like so exciting, blah blah blah. 299 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 3: Now it's what the heck are you gonna do at 300 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 3: the quarterback position? 301 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 4: That is question number one, And honest honestly, that's kind 302 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 4: of the only question I have for this team going 303 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 4: into the off season. 304 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 3: It's kind of like, what the heck are you going 305 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 3: to do at quarterback? 306 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 4: Because at this point we're kind of riding this quarterback 307 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 4: carousel and you're gonna get dizzy at some point. 308 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's just something that ultimately needs to get figured out, 309 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: and I think it it can't be accomplished with half measures. 310 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 1: And what I mean by that is the last big 311 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 1: move that they made was trading Matt Ryan, which obviously 312 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 1: was a big move because of the salary cap implications 313 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: and all those other types of things about getting right, 314 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 1: but going with a third round you know pick and 315 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: Desmon Ritter, they felt a certain level of confidence. You 316 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: have Taylor Heineke, who we know what he can do, 317 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: and ultimately, you know, those things kind of haven't worked 318 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 1: and Marcus Mariota was never really a long term solution 319 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 1: with the way that it. 320 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 2: Was looked at. 321 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 1: So what do you do to go and make those 322 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 1: To make that big move, it has to be a 323 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: high value asset, and what I mean by that is 324 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: a whole lot of cash, like twenty five to three 325 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 1: million dollars cash, yeah, or a high value draft pick 326 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 1: or trade ass or draft picks in a trade asset. 327 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 1: That that I think it that is the stage ultimately 328 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: for how this thing gets worked out. Now, look, at 329 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 1: some point during the off season, we're going to hear 330 00:16:56,240 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 1: from Chairman Arthur Blank about the future of you know, 331 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: Falcons Brass and we're not going to get into that. 332 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 2: There'll be plenty of time for that too. 333 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: But I think that once you kind of get that 334 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 1: figured out and then you really address no matter what 335 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:12,240 Speaker 1: happens there, you still absolutely have to look at this 336 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: quarterback situation and what happens moving forward. Now, Look, we 337 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: do these Questions of the Week podcasts, You're gonna hear 338 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 1: lots of Falcons Final Whistles, special episodes. So let's not 339 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: like jump the Shark on all those that series. 340 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 3: Right now, We'll get there, no doubt. 341 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 1: But let's just address one final thing, Tori, is that 342 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 1: look everybody in the Falcons locker room kind of took 343 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: solace in what was a pretty lopsided defeat. 344 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, with we're not out of the fight. That's a 345 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 2: quote from Jesse Bates. 346 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 1: You heard a variation of that phrase from Klais Campbell 347 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 1: and Drake London and Taylor Heineke who. 348 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 2: Said a bad word at the podium that. 349 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 3: I had, Yeah, Scott. Scott didn't keep it in his story. 350 00:17:59,000 --> 00:17:59,880 Speaker 3: He changed it to crap. 351 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:00,240 Speaker 1: Yeah. 352 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 4: I was really like, where's the integrity of the quote? 353 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 1: We run a parental guidance website most of the time. 354 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 1: But yeah, so we saw a variation of that and 355 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 1: quick summation, the Falcons are not out of the race 356 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,640 Speaker 1: for the NFC South. The wild card kind of high 357 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:21,719 Speaker 1: on the sky at this point. Let's just call it that. 358 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 1: But ultimately when you look at it, because the Bucks lost. Now, 359 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 1: the NFC South will be decided in week eighteen. If 360 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 1: Tampa Bay beats Carolina, they win the NFC South, put 361 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 1: a bow on it. If that doesn't happen, if the 362 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 1: Panthers win. 363 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:38,159 Speaker 2: The two win. 364 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: Panthers win, by the way, they lost twenty six to 365 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:44,680 Speaker 1: nothing against the Trevor Lawrence less Jaguars team. Then it 366 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:49,119 Speaker 1: comes down to Falcons at Saints. Saints win and Bucks lose. 367 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:53,440 Speaker 1: Saints take the title. If Falcons win and all three 368 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 1: teams are at eight and nine because of a what's 369 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: called head to head between the three teams who are 370 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 1: tied for first place, Falcons get that one. So it's 371 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:04,639 Speaker 1: still technically possible, and that will that's what's going to 372 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: spurn this Falcons team forward and teach them to really 373 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: kind of cut this game off, quarantine it, and move forward. 374 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 2: Now. 375 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:17,399 Speaker 1: Look, not like Twitter mentions are the be all end 376 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:19,920 Speaker 1: all here, but in a story that I wrote, kind 377 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,199 Speaker 1: of mentioning that saying they have to play better and 378 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: that it doesn't solve all the problems, there's a level 379 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:28,120 Speaker 1: of frustration that gosh, we shouldn't have been there, or 380 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:29,480 Speaker 1: this is a predicament. 381 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 2: Now they lost control. 382 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:34,360 Speaker 1: It's tough to put odds on it, but I think 383 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: it's a pretty difficult mountain to climb, but not impossible. 384 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 1: Stranger things have happened, but that's going to be a 385 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 1: lot of things that are talked about moving into week eighteen. 386 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 2: I just I think it's only. 387 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,400 Speaker 1: Fair for US Tory that we kind of say, look, 388 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 1: that doesn't mask even if they make the playoffs, doesn't 389 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:57,119 Speaker 1: mask all the issues that they have here. But they 390 00:19:57,160 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 1: are still alive. That is a scientific fact. 391 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:04,400 Speaker 4: You're right, You're right, And I think I mean, at 392 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 4: the end of the day, those two games are gonna 393 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:11,919 Speaker 4: be happening simultaneously, so we're gonna know up in the 394 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 4: press box and probably all of you listening who watch 395 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:17,520 Speaker 4: the games at home, you'll be able to watch these 396 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 4: games happening simultaneously and you'll kind of know one way 397 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 4: or the other before the players on the field do. 398 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 4: And I think that for me, it's like, I just 399 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:32,880 Speaker 4: I want to see this Falcons team, regardless of kind 400 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:34,680 Speaker 4: of what happens around them. 401 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:38,120 Speaker 3: That they show us who they should be. 402 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,440 Speaker 4: Show us who you were against the Saints the first 403 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 4: time you played them, Show us who you were against 404 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 4: the Colts. Let's go back even further, like what you 405 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:51,399 Speaker 4: said against you know, Green Bay and week one against Carolina. 406 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 3: Be that team. 407 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 4: Be the team that kind of goes out there and 408 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:57,879 Speaker 4: has a chip on its shoulder and with something to 409 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 4: prove and don't be the t that lost to the 410 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 4: Commanders or Arizona or the Panthers or the Bears. Don't 411 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 4: be that team because you're you have more potential than 412 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 4: that team. And that's kind of what I That's kind 413 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:14,679 Speaker 4: of just what I want to see. And you know, 414 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 4: if if the Falcons beat the Saints and meanwhile Tampa 415 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:24,680 Speaker 4: Bay beats the Panthers, okay, you know you can I 416 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:26,439 Speaker 4: don't know if you can live with that because you 417 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 4: still do have the loss to Carolina, you still have 418 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 4: the loss to Arizona, you still have the loss to 419 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:32,440 Speaker 4: the Commanders. 420 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 3: And it's tough. 421 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 4: It's tough because I didn't think this is where the 422 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 4: Falcons would be at this point in the season. It's frustrating. 423 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 4: I think everybody in the locker room. Coaches have all. 424 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 3: Said that, So what do you do. There's nothing you 425 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:47,679 Speaker 3: can do. 426 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 4: You just got to go out and try and win 427 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 4: and just kind of hope you get some help along 428 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:54,160 Speaker 4: the way. But that doesn't like exactly like what you're saying. 429 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 4: That doesn't mask the issues that they have to fix 430 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:03,400 Speaker 4: in the next offseason if they want to be contenders, 431 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,639 Speaker 4: because they have to be contenders next year, they just 432 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 4: have to. 433 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:11,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think that that's an important outlook, right 434 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:14,600 Speaker 1: that what can they show themselves, what can they show 435 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: Falcons fans in this last game, and then you let 436 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 1: the chips fall where they may because they ultimately lost 437 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 1: control of their destiny with those consecutive losses to the 438 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: Bucks and the Panthers. Sitting in this situation, the Falcons 439 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:28,160 Speaker 1: are still definitely trying to make the best of it, 440 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:31,439 Speaker 1: and as we try to get a firm evaluation on 441 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:33,879 Speaker 1: what this season was, what this season wasn't, where it 442 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:36,639 Speaker 1: went right, where it went wrong, and ultimately what types 443 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:38,520 Speaker 1: of changes are going to come during the off season. 444 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 2: So I feel like that's a good. 445 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:43,280 Speaker 1: Setup for one more week of the regular season and 446 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: then on into the off season. So let's just say 447 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 1: Happy New Year, and thank you so much for listening, rating, reviewing, 448 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: and subscribing to the Atlanta Falcons podcast network and this 449 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 1: specific series, the Atlanta Wait Not the Falcons Final Whistle 450 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 1: Podcast presented by Zaxby's It's New Year's Eve, It's ten 451 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 1: thirty seven, We're gonna enjoy heading towards midnight. So for Tori, 452 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,760 Speaker 1: I'm Scott, thank you so much for downloading and listening. 453 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:12,639 Speaker 1: You guys are awesome and we appreciate that the support 454 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 1: and good times and bad Thank you so much. 455 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:16,120 Speaker 2: Happy New Year. We will talk to you again real 456 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 2: real 457 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:18,400 Speaker 3: So Happy New Year.