1 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: What's up, everybody, and welcome to the latest edition of 2 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: the Falcons Final Whistle Podcast. I'm Scott Bear. Across from 3 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:19,159 Speaker 1: me in the workroom adjacent to the chairman suite of 4 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:23,319 Speaker 1: the Falcons team hotel is Tory mclaney. We just got 5 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 1: off of a plane, then got onto a bus, then 6 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: got off of off of a bus and checked into 7 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: the rooms and immediately came here to record a podcast 8 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: for you. Fine fellows. You know you're welcome. Atlanta Falcons 9 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: fans obviously trying to break down and analyze figure out 10 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 1: what happened after a thirty one to twenty seven loss 11 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: to the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, California, Los Angeles, 12 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: a city that we that we're really just in and 13 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: I have now left because the Falcons are on a 14 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: two game road swing across the West Coast, playing the 15 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: Rams and the Seahawks. We're not going to get into 16 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: the Seahawks just yet. You will have a weeks where 17 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: the coverage for that. Let's dive into Tory. This game 18 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: against the Rams, which didn't start well right. They fell 19 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: down twenty five points in the second half. They were 20 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: down twenty one to three in the first half, then 21 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: came roaring back thanks to some opportune defense and an 22 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 1: excellent special team's play, and found themselves ever so close 23 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: to winning this game. I just said a whole lot 24 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: of things in a row. He did, give me your 25 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: impression of what it was like to experience and then 26 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: listen to others speak and react to what was a 27 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: crazy finish. Yeah, it was a really honestly, from start 28 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: to finish, it felt like the first two quarters of 29 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: the game were just vastly different than the last two quarters. Obviously, 30 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: but being there and watching it, it didn't feel it 31 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: was crazy because it didn't feel like there was a 32 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: comeback mounting until Troy Anderson blocked the punt and Lorenzo 33 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: Carter ran it in for a touchdown. I thought that 34 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 1: was with five minutes to Yeah, that was a five 35 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 1: minutes to go, And even before then, I never felt 36 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 1: like this was like a mounting comeback. But as soon 37 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: as that happened, I was like, Oh, shoot, like we've 38 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: got ourselves a game here. Now. Does that negate what 39 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 1: happened in the first half? No, And I'm sure we're 40 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: going to get into all of that, But like for me, 41 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: it was a fun game to cover and as much 42 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: as I think people are probably upset by the outcome, 43 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: I mean that's this type of craziness is what we 44 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: love about football from start to finish. So I don't 45 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: hate it. Yeah, And this is the kind of craziness 46 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: that Falcons fans experienced a lot last year. They lost 47 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: games by some significant margins, they won a bunch of them. 48 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 1: It's almost like they flipped it from last week. Like 49 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: last week, they play three quarters of great football and 50 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: then kind of like fall off the wheels fall off 51 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: in the fourth quarter, and then you switch it and 52 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 1: now it's like play not great in the first half, 53 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:07,079 Speaker 1: and then the second half. In the fourth quarter it's 54 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:09,080 Speaker 1: like like what you said, they come roaring back. And 55 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: so it's kind of flipping. It's on its head, yeah, 56 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: and I don't. And so we are going to address 57 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 1: a number of different topics on this Falcons Final whistle, 58 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 1: which is taking place at ten nineteen pm that specific time. 59 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: So everybody in Atlanta is snuggled up tight in their 60 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: beds our voices, we're very tired, but we were not 61 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: going to skip. That's not what we do here at 62 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: the Falcons Final whistle. What we are going to do 63 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: on this episode is we're going to kind of break 64 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: this thing down, get a get a bit deeper into 65 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: what was a pretty significant comeback where the Falcons had 66 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 1: three minutes to score a touchdown to win it, not 67 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: just to tie it, but to win it, and they 68 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 1: had all of the big mo they had all the momentum. 69 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: We're also going to to talk about some things that 70 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: happened in the first half that allowed them to fall 71 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: into such a deep hole, namely their red zone inefficiency, 72 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: their struggles on third down, and then we're going to 73 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: get into two specific individuals. Number one, Kyle Pitts, who 74 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: to this point only has four catches for thirty eight 75 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: yards on ten targets, and Drake London, who has more 76 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:20,039 Speaker 1: than one hundred and fifty and scored a touchdown in 77 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: his NFL debut. So we're going we're going to get 78 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:24,559 Speaker 1: to all of that over the course of the next 79 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: fifteen ish minutes or until stop talking right exactly, or 80 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 1: maybe until we just you know, fall asleep. That's that's true, 81 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 1: whichever one comes first. So let's let's start this podcast 82 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:39,919 Speaker 1: at the end of the game, and we talked a 83 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 1: little bit about this comeback and when it kind of 84 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 1: felt real. But it's weird because if you look at 85 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: it and the tide kind of turned by by scoring. 86 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: You know, Drake London scores his first NFL touchdown in 87 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 1: the third quarter with three minutes left. That felt like 88 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: kind of like a garbage time touchdown. Yeah. And then 89 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,919 Speaker 1: the defense, which it has done a lot over the 90 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: first two games, made a big play. Yep, Michael Walker, 91 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: huge interception that turns into that Drake London touchdown. Alaminda 92 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: Zakia scores a touchdown. I think I was writing frantically. 93 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 1: I'm not even sure if I knew that had happened. Yeah, No, 94 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: I think I said. They scored another touchdown, and you're like, oh, okay, great, 95 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: And then all of a sudden, when everything got really 96 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 1: really real and SOFI Stadium got really tense. Yeah, is 97 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 1: when Troy Anderson busts through the Rams defensive line. I'm sorry, 98 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: their Rams kind of put coverage line blocks the punt. 99 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 1: Zoe Carter picks it up, runs it in for a touchdown. 100 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 1: And then and then you're looking at it and you're like, 101 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: this is a whole different can of worms now, right, 102 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: and they were in it. I think that was what 103 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: was I mean, for so long, it felt like watching 104 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: the game was just kind of it felt like it 105 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 1: was dragging and it was like they and it did 106 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 1: feel like there were certain points in the first half 107 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:02,160 Speaker 1: where it was like, if the Falcons would just get 108 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: out of their own way, they would be able to 109 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: do some things. And I think that was like that. 110 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 1: Once you got to the second half and that fourth 111 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 1: quarter specifically, you saw the defense kind of come alive, 112 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 1: and you saw the offense get moving in a way 113 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: that they hadn't been moving before. And so it really 114 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:26,559 Speaker 1: did feel like the atmosphere kind of shifted, especially after 115 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 1: that blocked punt. And here's the crazy thing. There's still 116 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: more crazy things too, at least bring up now we 117 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 1: all know that you watched it, but I think something 118 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: that that gets forgotten and all of these wacky plays 119 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: is that so after that the block punt and the 120 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: touchdown scored, the Rams get the ball. They have a 121 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: third down stafford to Cooper Cup. As automatic as it is, 122 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: Cooper Cup converts the third down, which seems like end 123 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: of the road right until Darren Hall punches the ball 124 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: out and then it kind of just rolls around for 125 00:06:57,600 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: like a couple of seconds and then he's the one 126 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 1: that ends up grabbing it before he steps out of bounds. 127 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 1: That play in terms of just like not giving up, 128 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: like I know Arthur Smith talks a lot about, like 129 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: if there's one thing this team is like, we're gonna 130 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 1: play until the end, like until the last whistle blows, 131 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: until the last minute second has ticked off the clock. 132 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 1: Like we're gonna be physical and we're going to fight 133 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: until the end. And that play I think was indicative 134 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: of that mindset. I think it completely personified this never 135 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: say die attitude that I talked to Michael Walker after 136 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: the game and Jake Matthews and Kyle Pitt said it, 137 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: it's just this this willingness to continue to swing even 138 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: when they're down thirty one to ten in the fourth quarter. 139 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: The continuing effort that is there. Okay, effort is great. 140 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: We're not giving out grades for effort here, right, not 141 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: in a zero sum game like the NFL. You can 142 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 1: discuss gray areas, that's what we do for a living, 143 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 1: but when it comes down to it, did you win 144 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: or did you lose? And the Falcons ultimately lost this 145 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: game because after Darren recovered his own fumble right the 146 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: Falcons had three minutes, plenty of time to drive. Marcus 147 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: Mariota throws an interception on third and thirteen, I believe, 148 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: and it was one of those balls that we're gonna 149 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: have to go back and watch the tape, but it 150 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 1: just felt to me. So Jalen Ramsey goes over the 151 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: top and plucks it. It It sort of seemed like you 152 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: you'd mentioned them, Yeah, it felt like that maybe like yeah, 153 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: that Brian Edwards maybe jumped too early or too late, 154 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 1: Like it just felt like the timing of his jump 155 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: was also off, and it allowed Jalen Ramsey to kind 156 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: of have an easier time getting to the ball. And 157 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: that play was I think really frustrating because at in 158 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: that moment, the Falcons actually had time on their side. 159 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,839 Speaker 1: It was they honestly they didn't need to scord too 160 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 1: early and because they didn't want to give the ball 161 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,079 Speaker 1: back to the Rams and then but you don't want 162 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: to like waste too much time and you're looking at 163 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 1: a third and long situation, which isn't great, but in 164 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 1: that scenario, you know that you have two tries at it, 165 00:08:57,960 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 1: and so you think, okay, you can pick up six 166 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: and then try on fourth down and then you know, 167 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: that's for all the marbles. But to throw an interception 168 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 1: in that moment I think was really tough, and that 169 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 1: that was I think the moment that it really like 170 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: sucked the air out of the for lack of a 171 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:18,679 Speaker 1: better word, like the Falcons sales, you know. Yeah, and 172 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 1: then they still had it, and then they still had 173 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: a chance. And then they still had a chance because 174 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: the Rams can't convert, they score a safety on themselves, 175 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: free kick it out of bounds, setting up a fifty 176 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 1: yard essentially one play hail Mary that never got off 177 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: the ground. Marcus Mariota doesn't even get the pass off, 178 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: and ultimately the Falcons lose this one. And just a 179 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 1: quick note about about the Brian Edwards play. We're talking 180 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 1: about this in an instant reaction format. We don't have 181 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: a benefit of slowing it down on coaches film, so 182 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 1: we can evaluate that a lot more in the future. 183 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:53,079 Speaker 1: We're just giving you initial impressions. So with all that 184 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:56,559 Speaker 1: kind of being said, there were opportunities for the Falcons 185 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 1: to finish this game out right. We've seen Arthur Smith 186 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 1: Falcon and teams do that before. But the head coach 187 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: would be the first to say that each team is 188 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: its own unique thing, and everyone's tired of hearing me 189 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: say how how performance in close games is not always translatable, right, 190 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: unless you have an Aaron Rodgers type elite quarterback, then 191 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:20,560 Speaker 1: it remains with that individual. But nonetheless, when you like, 192 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: when you look at it, how like, how do you 193 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:24,840 Speaker 1: look at it? Because because you were saying you didn't 194 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: even really feel like this was like a real serious 195 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 1: comeback attempt until five minutes left in the fourth quarter. Yeah, 196 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: do you view it as like opportunity lost? Do you 197 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:37,679 Speaker 1: view it as man, they had to come back from 198 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: so much? How do you view this comeback attempt that 199 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 1: we're talking about independent of everything that we're going to 200 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:46,559 Speaker 1: talk about next that happened earlier on. I think if 201 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 1: I'm only looking at the fourth quarter alone, I'm very 202 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: impressed by what I saw from this team, both offensively 203 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 1: and defensively. Like when you look at the first like 204 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: what ten toteen minutes of the fourth quarter, you see 205 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 1: a team that is very much fighting and very much 206 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 1: in the game. If you ask me that of the 207 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 1: first half, I'm like, no, I don't feel like they're 208 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:15,839 Speaker 1: in the game, because it didn't feel that way there 209 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 1: were a lot of moments where I wanted to see 210 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: the Falcons play cleaner football, particularly in the red zone. 211 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:24,840 Speaker 1: But then you get them in the fourth quarter, and 212 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 1: it feels like a different group. It feels like a 213 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 1: group that's rejuvenated and having something to prove and wanting 214 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 1: to out and play well. And I wish that we 215 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 1: could just talk about the fourth quarter without the context 216 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: of the other three the same exact way that I 217 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: felt like we I wanted to be able to talk 218 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,200 Speaker 1: about the first three quarters of the Saints loss and 219 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 1: not talk about the fourth. But when you're talking about 220 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 1: these games, the fair way to do it is to 221 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 1: talk about it in the full context of the game 222 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: and all four quarters. And it's I think, you know, 223 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 1: Arthur Smith has said it before, and it's like one play, 224 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: even though sometimes a lot of games come down to 225 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: one play, that one play isn't the maker break deal 226 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 1: of the game. You have to take into context all 227 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:11,840 Speaker 1: of the plays that led up to it. And so 228 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 1: for us, it was like that was why after the game, 229 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: I was like, Yeah, the comeback's great and everything, and 230 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 1: you love to see that fight, but it doesn't negate 231 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: going fifty percent in the red zone and not scoring 232 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: a touchdown until what three minutes left to go in 233 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 1: the third? Like that to me, if you are battling 234 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 1: it out through four quarters, it's a different conversation than 235 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: having to come to put a lot of pressure on 236 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:41,439 Speaker 1: yourself to come back in the fourth. Yeah, and that's 237 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 1: you are the queen of podcast podcast transitions because it 238 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 1: leads us directly in, like into this next topic, something 239 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 1: I touched on ever so briefly in the instant replay. 240 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: Go read that and you delve into in great detail 241 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 1: in Tory's takeaways, And I think it's worthy of everybody 242 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: going back to Tory's story and really take you're just 243 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:04,959 Speaker 1: saying that, Yeah, I mean I want the page of 244 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 1: view for you and for me and Bluss. I wrote 245 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:10,560 Speaker 1: mine during the game when I'm frantically typing as fastumingly possible. Yeah, 246 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:12,439 Speaker 1: you had a chance to ponder. I did. I got 247 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: to sit and just kind of sink it. Let it 248 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:18,439 Speaker 1: all sink in. But I do go back to those 249 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 1: those first two drives where the Falcons got deep, in 250 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: deep into the red zone. They had medium length distance 251 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: to either score a touchdown or convert a first down. 252 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 1: Penalties put them in long distances and ultimately left them 253 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 1: with two field goal attempts, one went through, one which 254 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: of which did not. That's if you're the best case scenario, 255 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: you get forced fourteen points. Nearly worst case scenario, which 256 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 1: is what the Falcons had, you only get three, and 257 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 1: they like and they hurt themselves, and that was an issue. 258 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:51,960 Speaker 1: Young Way was very busy against the Saints. This is 259 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: a continuing issue, a trend that that simply has to 260 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: be rectified. Yeah, for the last two weeks the Falcons 261 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 1: have gone They have a fifty percent touchdown conversion rate 262 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: inside the red zone. Not good enough, and Arthur Smith 263 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: is set that like, that's not gonna win games in 264 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 1: this league where everybody else is. It's just not and 265 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 1: you have to convert. And as much and I've said 266 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 1: this before and I'll say it again, as much as 267 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 1: I think this fan base loves and endures Young Waiku, 268 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 1: it'd be great to see less of him, and it'd 269 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: be great to not put so much pressure on him. 270 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 1: I would love to see six or seven points, not three. 271 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: And I think Jake Matthews said it best after the game. 272 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: It's like the goal is to score touchdowns when you're 273 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 1: in the red zone like that, that's the goal. The 274 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: goal isn't to kick field goals, even though that's all 275 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 1: well and good. You get points on the board, but 276 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: the goal is to get it in the end zone. 277 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 1: And I think it was really those drives where you're 278 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 1: looking at. The Rams had a fourteen to three lead 279 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:58,080 Speaker 1: in after those two drives, and it was like, fourteen 280 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 1: to three is very different than fourteen to ten, fourteen 281 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 1: to seven, like if they score a touchdown on one 282 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 1: of those. And then also going back to what you 283 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: were saying in terms of the penalties inside the red zone, 284 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: I mean, those hurt you as much as anything, and 285 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: I think that was the frustrating part and that was 286 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 1: what I was looking at after the game. It's like 287 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: you can't go back, you can't say what if, what if? 288 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 1: What if? But it's like if you put any points 289 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 1: on the board on that first drive to not come 290 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: away with any points like that. We were talking last 291 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 1: week and Arthur Smith was talking about the red zone 292 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 1: inefficiencies in the fourth quarter against the Saints and not 293 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 1: being able to punch it in. He was like, you know, 294 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 1: you when you only settle for three, it mounts up 295 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: and that can hurt you later. We saw that actively 296 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: happen in Week two against the Rams. They don't score 297 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: in the first half, and then you go or don't 298 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 1: score a touchdown in the first half, and then you 299 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 1: go into the fourth quarter and you're playing super well. 300 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 1: I mean you those points you miss them, you really do. 301 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: You go back to this first drive and I'm not 302 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 1: going to get super micro on this, but thirteen plays, 303 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 1: eight minutes, six second drive, fifty four yards, zero points. 304 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 1: That's that's a hard pital swallow that the Rams turned 305 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: into a touchdown. The next drive they go for it. 306 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 1: I think on fourth and two turn it over on downs, 307 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 1: the Rams turn that into a touchdown. Yeah, and now 308 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: you're down fourteen nothing and you're not exactly sure what 309 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 1: happened because you feel like you're playing pretty well, but 310 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:35,280 Speaker 1: somehow you're down two scores and then then everything changes, 311 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 1: the game plans alter, and then you have to find 312 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:41,080 Speaker 1: heroic ways. But I do like again the way the 313 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 1: Falcon stuck with it. But I think Tory, I think 314 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 1: what I think we've I think what I think that. 315 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 1: I think that's too many things. It's like I'm friends, 316 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 1: like they don't know that we know that they know exactly, 317 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: but I I believe I'm not gonna think again. I 318 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: believe it's important that we showed what was good late, 319 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: what was missing early. And when you have these things 320 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: that are missing on a team in transition with a 321 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: lot of dead money not spent on talent, and a 322 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:13,200 Speaker 1: team that has to fight and scrap for everything, they 323 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: don't have the luxury of margin for error that some 324 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 1: of these better teams naturally do. So when you give 325 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 1: away these opportunities, it hurts the Falcons in their current 326 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 1: state more than it would another team. I hope that 327 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: that makes sense to everybody, but I think ultimately that's 328 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: an issue here. Yeah, I think also too, like when 329 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 1: you think about it, the Falcons were not only in 330 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 1: these games, but could have won these games, right And 331 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: if you are, I don't know who said it. It 332 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 1: may again, it may have been Jake Matthews that was like, 333 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:44,920 Speaker 1: if we make one more player, if we do what 334 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: we need to do correctly in the moments that matter, 335 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:52,880 Speaker 1: this is a completely different conversation that we're having. That 336 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,200 Speaker 1: means that the Falcons would be have two games won 337 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:59,720 Speaker 1: against two very very good teams, And that's a completely 338 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 1: conversation Obviously that's not the conversation that we're having right now, 339 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:07,000 Speaker 1: but they're not. They're I mean, they lost these games 340 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 1: by what a total of five points? Right? That's crazy 341 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 1: to me to think about it, because I think a 342 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 1: lot of people think that I have thought that this 343 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 1: team wouldn't be competitive in a lot of regards because 344 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:22,920 Speaker 1: of the transition that it's going through. But we are 345 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 1: seeing them play competitive football. It's not pretty all the time, 346 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 1: it's not perfect all the time, but they're in the 347 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:32,400 Speaker 1: last two games now. Of course, no moral victories being 348 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 1: in games when you don't pull them out, but I 349 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:37,480 Speaker 1: mean there is stuff that you can take from this. Yeah, 350 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: and this is game two of a seventeen game season. 351 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: Then this team has to find a way to take 352 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:48,359 Speaker 1: that next step, which is finishing games. And I wrote 353 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 1: one version of a headline of my column that's where 354 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 1: I was like, don't include the word finish. It's just 355 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 1: kind of a four letter word in this fan base. 356 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:59,120 Speaker 1: It doesn't make it any less importance just because it 357 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:01,880 Speaker 1: triggers something in the fan base. And if we're looking 358 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: at this team as its own individual entity and what 359 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 1: Arthur Smith and Terry Fund or trying to do building it. 360 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:12,159 Speaker 1: They're trying to change some of these not narratives they 361 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:13,880 Speaker 1: don't like, they don't care about narratives, but they don't 362 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: want to like. They want to finish. They want to 363 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 1: be known as a team that can finish. They want 364 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 1: to be known as an exposive team. Something that has 365 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:25,360 Speaker 1: come up at the end of this game was that 366 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: Kyle Pitts, thee who turned in the second best season 367 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 1: ever by a rookie tight end last year, who had 368 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,000 Speaker 1: a fantastic training camp and I don't use that word 369 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 1: lightly four catches for thirty eight yards on ten targets. 370 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:40,639 Speaker 1: Through two games, he was targeted seven times. In the 371 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 1: first game, he was targeted three times, and this one, 372 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 1: one of those targets drew a thirty six yard past 373 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: interference call. Let's add that to his total. What the 374 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:54,359 Speaker 1: heck call at seventy yards? And it's still when you like, 375 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:58,640 Speaker 1: when you're losing games and your best player, regardless of position, 376 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:03,119 Speaker 1: I think that's fair to say, isn't producing steadily or 377 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 1: isn't overwhelmingly targeted and you're losing, the questions naturally come up, 378 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:12,440 Speaker 1: and they have come up about why kyleism or actively 379 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:16,399 Speaker 1: involved in the game. It was I don't know if 380 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 1: flashpoints too much of a term, but it was a 381 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: topic of conversation after this one. It's something that we're 382 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: gonna explore more. Yeah, It's something that I think that 383 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:29,400 Speaker 1: we need to explore more. Yeah, because I mean I 384 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:31,440 Speaker 1: was asked about it to the game as well. Yeah, 385 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: And I know I have a lot of questions too, because, 386 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:37,439 Speaker 1: like you know, we are talking about this within a 387 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 1: couple hours of this game being over. We haven't seen 388 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: in all twenty two film. We don't know how the 389 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: RAMS defense was pressuring coupits, how much there was shading 390 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: coverage to him, how that impacted what the Falcons could 391 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,320 Speaker 1: or couldn't do. There are a lot of things I 392 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 1: think that go into the targets that we didn't see 393 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 1: Coalpits have tonight. If if I'm being honest, and you're right, 394 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:04,680 Speaker 1: Like Arthur Smith was asked about it, and his whole 395 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 1: thing is he said, he was like, Kyle's a huge 396 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 1: part of our offense, and the thing is you have 397 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:12,120 Speaker 1: to take it with context. Is the same thing we're 398 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 1: trying to win, and he has a huge impact on 399 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 1: the game. And he was going through it and he 400 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 1: was talking about him being an important piece and how 401 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 1: essentially he used the example of Cadaro Hodge who had 402 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:30,679 Speaker 1: a really great play. I can't remember what quarter it was, 403 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 1: all of it first half. Yeah, and Arthur Smith says, 404 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: you know, here's the example. You target him on a 405 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 1: play and if they cover him or they account from him, 406 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:42,879 Speaker 1: then Cadaryl Hodge comes in and makes a big play. 407 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 1: It happened a few times things like that. It's not 408 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 1: fantasy football. We're just trying to win and will continue 409 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 1: to look at everything and try to get better. And 410 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 1: that was his quote, and like that's kind of where 411 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 1: we are. I think there's a lot more analyzing to do, 412 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 1: a lot more conversations to have about what is happening, 413 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 1: whether it's at the quarterback position, tied end position, secondary, 414 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,439 Speaker 1: they have a say in where a quarterback goes with 415 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 1: the ball. I mean, all of these questions I think 416 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: are valid to ask and also valid to try and 417 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:16,680 Speaker 1: figure out an answer. Yeah, because he's an impact player 418 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 1: and the Falcons need him to be that impact player 419 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 1: in ways beyond Look, he's doing better as a blocker, 420 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: he's drawing coverage away, all those types of things. The 421 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:28,880 Speaker 1: Falcons again in their current state, like they need their 422 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 1: stars to really produce. How how Patterson has done to 423 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 1: this point. And also like we were talking to Kyle 424 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: in the locker room after the game, and I mean 425 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:43,199 Speaker 1: he was getting grilled on this lack of targets and 426 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 1: if he was upset about it, and he kept saying 427 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 1: like like what do you want me to do? You 428 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: want me to go and scream at Arthur or do 429 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 1: you want me to go and scream at Marcus or 430 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:55,400 Speaker 1: not getting the bill? He's like, I don't operate like that. 431 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:58,280 Speaker 1: He's like, I'm that's true, that's not no, that's not 432 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 1: his personality. And like he kept saying I think he 433 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: said it three or four times while we're sitting there 434 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 1: talking to him, like I'm not a selfish player. I 435 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:07,240 Speaker 1: want to win. I'm not a selfish player. I want 436 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 1: to win if And that's like the mantra that came 437 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:14,119 Speaker 1: from him after only being targeted a handful number of 438 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:18,359 Speaker 1: times today, Right, and can I transition to Drake London 439 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: and then and then moving on to our our final topic, 440 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: which is Drake London. He's got again. I don't have 441 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: the full stats in front of me. I apologize, it's 442 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 1: late but Drake London has had at least seventy yards 443 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 1: receiving in both games to this point. He had eighty 444 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 1: six today. I leave seventy four last week. That sounds 445 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: very right. He scored his NF he scored his first 446 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:44,200 Speaker 1: league touchdown, first NFL touchdown. He saved the ball. He said, 447 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,400 Speaker 1: it's going in a case now going to his parents' house. 448 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,640 Speaker 1: Is going to his house. He's gonna keep it with him. 449 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:54,360 Speaker 1: That's a big moment. But this wasn't This wasn't a 450 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:58,880 Speaker 1: cause for universal celebration. Yeah, because they lost, and Drake 451 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:02,119 Speaker 1: London understands that that you can have individual accolades and 452 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 1: he can be proud of some good moments that he had, 453 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:07,479 Speaker 1: but they still lost the game. And he seemed to 454 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: find the right balance of that when he was talking 455 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 1: when I was there too, and when he was talking 456 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,359 Speaker 1: to me and some other reporters as well. Seemed to 457 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 1: strike a good tone there. But something that Arthur Smith 458 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 1: said on Sunday night, and he said before, is it's 459 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 1: confirming why they drafted him. Yeah, because he's going out there. 460 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 1: I haven't asked him. Just feel like this NFL trends, 461 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 1: this NFL thing is easier maybe than you thought. He's like, no, 462 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:36,960 Speaker 1: it's not easy. It's just it shows that they're putting 463 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 1: me in positions to win. And I think a lot 464 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 1: of hard, detail oriented work I've been doing on my 465 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:44,960 Speaker 1: own with the team sent from the spring in the 466 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 1: summer is starting to pay off that It's not oh, 467 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 1: I walked in and now I'm good. Now he's really 468 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 1: worked on his craft, on subtle things that help him 469 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 1: get open and help him be what is he has 470 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:02,360 Speaker 1: the complete package of traits to make him a complete receiver. Yeah, 471 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 1: and what he's done to this point has been good. 472 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:09,000 Speaker 1: Of course, again he wants them right. And I think 473 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: I go back to something that you know, he was 474 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 1: coming off of that knee injury, and I think I 475 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 1: even said it on the last podcast, like, I don't 476 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:20,119 Speaker 1: think anybody really realized how much that injury was impacting 477 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 1: him in the preseason, because when he was talking, it 478 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:26,120 Speaker 1: really did feel like it was a pretty significant injury 479 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: that it almost it didn't feel that way in the moment, 480 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: And so to see him come out and do what 481 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:33,959 Speaker 1: he's done the last two weeks, I think is very commendable. 482 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 1: But there was a moment it was one of the 483 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 1: first times that we saw him back out on the 484 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 1: field after the injury, and he was talking to t J. Yates, 485 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 1: who is the Falcons wide receivers coach, and their conversation 486 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 1: it was very it was like watching two people like 487 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 1: just trying to figure each other out and like what works, 488 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:01,760 Speaker 1: what doesn't work. And I and I'm standing kind of 489 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 1: like off to the side, you know, I can't hear 490 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 1: what they're saying, but they're literally talking about like arm 491 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:11,479 Speaker 1: movements and like how you would move like your wrist 492 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 1: and your elbow like to get by a defender. It 493 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:18,640 Speaker 1: was really fascinating to see them working on something as 494 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:23,360 Speaker 1: small and minute as that's your arm placement and it's 495 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: that type of stuff that and also just Drake Lendon 496 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 1: is a lot more. You know, we watch him in 497 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:31,200 Speaker 1: the pre draft process and see the highlights and everything. 498 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:33,679 Speaker 1: Drake Lindon. I'll say this about Drake Lendon, Drake London 499 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 1: is way more of a fierce competitor than I originally 500 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:42,120 Speaker 1: thought he was because when we talk to him, he's 501 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 1: very calm, very quiet, cool collected, just chill. On the field, 502 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 1: he is he like gets mad, like he wants like 503 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:56,520 Speaker 1: there was a moment where Marcus through a quote unquote 504 00:26:56,520 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 1: interception but it was called a pass interference. It was 505 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,080 Speaker 1: hinded for elominate as a kiss. And it lands and 506 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:04,679 Speaker 1: I can't remember whose hands, and Drake comes up and 507 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: like kind of like punches the ball and he comes 508 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: over to the side and he has his helmet on. 509 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: He kind of slaps it, and it's like, this guy 510 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 1: is a very fierce competitor. This is a guy who 511 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 1: really really wants to win. Not saying that everybody doesn't 512 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:18,879 Speaker 1: want to win. Everybody does want to win. But to 513 00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 1: see kind of how Drake London operates in these games 514 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 1: scenarios and how fierce and heated he gets, it's very fun. 515 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 1: He's a very very fun player to watch. I mean 516 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:33,480 Speaker 1: even hurdling a guy down the sideline. I mean he's 517 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:37,399 Speaker 1: making these plays that it's like, Okay, this all makes sense. 518 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 1: He's the guy that they wanted to go after in 519 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:42,399 Speaker 1: the draft. Yeah, and I think ultimately, look, Kyle Pitts 520 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:45,520 Speaker 1: is gonna get his. Yeah, he just will. He's too 521 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 1: good to not. Yeah, So he's gonna get his. Drake 522 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:52,200 Speaker 1: London is gonna get his. The Falcons are gonna win 523 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 1: some games. They're gonna lose some more too, but they're 524 00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:57,960 Speaker 1: gonna win. And this team, these individuals are going to 525 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 1: continue to evolve and grow. What I think fans should 526 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,160 Speaker 1: really try to keep an eye on, big picture wise, 527 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 1: is how are they progressing week to week? How are 528 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:09,800 Speaker 1: they continuing to get better? And Arthur Smith said it 529 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:11,720 Speaker 1: it's time for a breakthrough, and a breakthrough is a win. 530 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:13,399 Speaker 1: Jake Matthew said, I don't care if it's three to 531 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 1: not four. That is our next step, no more. We're 532 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 1: doing some good things dot dot dot. But the next 533 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:22,640 Speaker 1: thing is we are doing some good things that resulted 534 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 1: in a victory. And that's what we're going to be 535 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: looking on throughout the course of this week. We're gonna 536 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:30,400 Speaker 1: end a complete game. I very much want to see 537 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 1: a complete game, and we're gonna be keeping an eye 538 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:34,639 Speaker 1: out for all of those types of things. We're going 539 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:37,280 Speaker 1: to be in the great state of Washington for the 540 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:39,840 Speaker 1: entire week. Tory mcilaney and I look forward to with 541 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:43,400 Speaker 1: lots of exclusive content. They're gonna be practicing up here 542 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 1: and we're gonna have full coverage down Atlanta. Falcons dot com. 543 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 1: Do your thing, y'all right? Rate review subscribe that it's 544 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 1: so late. Yeah, and now Falcons Final Whistle is part 545 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 1: of of one individual channel. If you subscribe to Falcons 546 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: Final Whistle, awesome, Thank you. We have something called the 547 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:11,320 Speaker 1: Atlanta Falcons Podcast Network, which is Falcons Audible, our new podcast, 548 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: Falcons in Focus, and Falcons Final Whistle all on one channel. 549 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:16,880 Speaker 1: Subscribe to one. Get all the good stuff. Go over 550 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 1: to YouTube, do your thing. There's a bunch of different 551 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: ways you can consume this content. Appreciate you sticking around, 552 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:24,720 Speaker 1: probably on a Monday morning at this point listening to 553 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 1: this and know that it's ten forty five. I haven't 554 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:30,040 Speaker 1: edited this thing yet, so I'm staying up late for 555 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 1: you people. Anyway, we're all getting ready to go to bed. 556 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, Tory, and thank you guys for 557 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 1: downloading and listening. Talk to you next week.