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Brynn Anderson/Associated Press
Do not let the Atlanta Falcons’ 4-6 record deceive you.
They are one of the worst teams in the NFL.
Arthur Smith’s team was outclassed in every area of the field in Thursday’s 25-0 loss to the New England Patriots.
Atlanta managed a season low 165 total yards, and it committed a season high four turnovers. To make matters more embarrassing, all three of Atlanta’s active quarterbacks threw an interception.
The Falcons looked more like a team that is fighting for the No. 1 overall pick than one with a slim chance to qualify for the postseason.
If the Falcons did not beat the New York Giants, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins earlier in the season, Thursday’s loss would have made their Week 12 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars a battle for a top-three draft pick.
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Brynn Anderson/Associated Press
It is time to feel bad for Matt Ryan.
The 36-year-old quarterback does not deserve the lack of help around him in the Atlanta offense.
Ryan barely got off a clean pass on Thursday night because his offensive line could not hold back the Patriots pass rush.
Ryan was sacked on four occasions, which set a new season worst, and his offensive line gave up 12 quarterback hits.
When Ryan had a chance to throw the ball, there were not many open options, since rookie tight end Kyle Pitts was covered for most of the game.
New England dared Ryan to beat it with Russell Gage, Olamide Zaccheus and Tajae Sharpe. Ryan had no answer for the Patriots’ game plan.
Atlanta was without its top two offensive skill players. The lack of depth behind Cordarrelle Patterson and Calvin Ridley was exposed on a national stage on Thursday night.
If Patterson returns from his injury, Ryan will have some support, but his production is still limited with a lack of quality around him on the offensive line and at wide receiver.
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Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press
Cordarrelle Patterson is the most valuable piece of the Atlanta offense, and his presence was greatly missed on Thursday night.
No one expected to say that about the veteran running back/wide receiver/return man at the start of the 2021 season, but he carved out a great role for himself on a mediocre-at-best offense.
Patterson’s absence proved just how valuable he is to the Atlanta offense and that the team can’t lose him for more than a game because of what he brings to the field.
Patterson leads the Falcons in rushing yards. Without him, the Falcons ran for 40 yards. The majority of those yards were earned by Qadree Ollison, who was signed off the practice squad this week.
The 30-year-old also has the second most receptions and receiving yards on the roster. He leads the Falcons with five touchdown catches.
Gage was the only Atlanta player to record more than 30 receiving yards against the Patriots. None of the other seven players who caught a pass made a significant impact on the passing game.
It is more than concerning that Patterson is the most valuable player in the offense at this point. Calvin Ridley would own that title if he was on the active roster. He is away from the team to deal with a personal situation.
If Patterson can’t play in Week 12 against Jacksonville, the Falcons could be susceptible to a loss against the Jaguars that may expose their offensive issues even more.
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John Bazemore/Associated Press
The extra wild-card spot in both conferences has added some intrigue to the postseason races.
Teams like the Falcons are still within reach of the No. 7 seed because that position currently belongs to the 5-5 Carolina Panthers.
After Thursday, there is no way the Falcons can consider themselves part of the chase for the No. 7 seed. They are 4-6 and sit in 11th place with a 2-5 conference record, which is the worst of the four-win teams in the NFC.
There is a glimmer of false hope still shining for the Falcons because they play Jacksonville in Week 12 and the Detroit Lions in Week 16, but the rest of the schedule is brutal.
Carolina and San Francisco are trending in the right direction after last week, and the Falcons could serve as a punching bag for the Buffalo and Tampa Bay offenses in December and January.
Atlanta might stick around for another week because it can beat Jacksonville, but do not get your hopes up; the Falcons are nowhere close to a playoff football team, and that was evident on Thursday.
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