Falcons coach understands angry fans: ‘Our job to make them like us’

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It’s fair to say that Atlanta Falcons fans have little faith in the current direction of the franchise.

After the team split its first six games, Atlanta limped to a 34-10 loss to the previously one-win Miami Dolphins on Sunday. A day after the sparse home crowd booed the Falcons off the field, Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris addressed the increasing distance between his team and its fanbase.

“I understand it. Everybody has those growing pains,” Morris told reporters on Monday. “You’ve got to go through it and find ways to be better and bring (the fans) back. It’s not their job to like us. It’s our job to make them like us. We’ve got to go out and perform and get that back.”

The “growing pains” Morris mentioned are quickly becoming chronic for the second-year coach.

Atlanta, which hasn’t appeared in the postseason since 2017, squandered a commanding NFC South lead a season ago, losing six of eight games down the stretch. Now at 3-4 and falling further behind the division-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Morris’ coaching clock might be ticking as the Falcons near the season’s midway point.

“This is football. You’ve got to go out there and play,” Morris said. “There’s a lot expected of us. There’s a lot expected of us that we put on ourselves and from everybody else. There’s a lot expected of us from this building. We’ll get those things right. I’ve got a lot of confidence that we can.”

The Falcons have been held to 10 points in each of their last two losses, while mustering just 107 total rushing yards across the two games.

With inconsistent quarterback play from both Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins — who threw for 173 yards in place of the injured Penix on Sunday — it’s becoming urgent for Atlanta to find a remedy for its rushing woes.

“We’ve got to get our run game going,” Morris said. “That’s our lifeline and if we get that going, we’re a really good offense. If we don’t, we look like we did (Sunday). … We really have to get our lifeline going. That’s the honest truth.”

Seemingly still confident in the recently lethargic offense, Morris maintained his faith in offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who will remain the unit’s play-caller.

“Obviously I’ve got so much confidence in Zac,” Morris said. “I know we can move the football. I know we have the ability to do those things. … Every time you ride the up-and-down roller coaster of having a good game, having a bad game, those questions are always going to be there. Those are always fair in the business that we’re in.”

Injury-wise, Morris said Penix (knee), wide receiver Drake London (hip) and defensive lineman Zach Harrison (knee) are all day-to-day, while offensive lineman Storm Norton (ankle) is “really close” to returning to action since being activated from the injured reserve on Wednesday.

–Field Level Media