Getty Interim head coach Raheem Morris of the Atlanta Falcons meets with Todd Gurley #21.
As if the Atlanta Falcons losing wasn’t bad enough, well it just got worse on Sunday in their loss to the Detroit Lions. Todd Gurley scored a touchdown too fast in the final minutes of the game instead of letting the clock run out. This led to the Lions defense jumping for joy as they now had enough time left in the game to score.
While Todd Gurley blamed himself for his dumb touchdown, Atlanta Falcons interim coach Raheem Morris jumped in to take the burden off of him and accept full blame.
“My biggest regret today,” Morris told the local media on Monday. “I wanted to give the ball to Todd and let him take the knee. I made that decision. I don’t want to put that on Todd.”
Falcons Should Have Taken A Knee
Morris was well aware he should have had Matt Ryan take a knee and wish he did make that call.
The Falcons were trailing Detroit just by 16-14. If Atlanta worked down the clock, they could have set themselves up for a potential game-winning field goal. Instead, Morris called the play to let Gurley run the ball. When he scored, that gave the Lions defense time to get their last-second touchdown in to win 23-22.
The Falcons, somehow, keep coming up with new and wild ways to lose. Earlier this fall against the Cowboys, Falcons players stood and watched an onside kick spin around and around instead of attacking it. Naturally, Dallas beat them by one, 40-39.
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Morris Wants to Be More Than an Interim
Obviously, losing to the Lions wasn’t how Morris wanted the day to go considering he’s on a mission for Atlanta’s vacant head coach position. Though he lost today, he showed good head coaching characteristics by owning up to his mistakes and taking the blame.
“My biggest regret today,” Morris said. “I wanted to give the ball to Todd and let him take the knee. I made that decision. I don’t want to put that on Todd.”
Morris knew he could be in danger of a forced fumble which is why put the ball in a “sure running back’s hands.”
“That was the mistake I made,” Morris said. “I don’t want to put that on Todd. He got some momentum going and most great athletes will tell you that’s hard to stop.”
At the end of the game, Gurley addressed the media saying he was “mad as hell” he scored the touchdown while trying to stop. However, Morris is adamant that he doesn’t want Gurley to feel responsible for the loss.
“When I get a chance to see him I’m going to let him know, put that on me,” Morris said. “I should have put the ball in Matt Ryan’s hands. … No excuses about it. I’ll take that right to the face.”
The Falcons are now 1-6 heading into their Thursday night matchup against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte.