By The Atlanta Falcons are going into their bye week as arguably the most disappointing team in the NFC. After Sunday's 35-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Falcons are alone at the bottom of the NFL's worst division with a 3-7 record.
With a chance to upset an undermanned Chiefs team that was missing both Travis Kelce and Kenneth Walker, Atlanta simply couldn't get out of its own way. Penalties, poor execution and questionable play calls all played a factor in Sunday's outcome.
Here are five takeaways from the Falcons' 35-13 loss to the Chiefs in NFL Week 10.
The Falcons offense is broken
Atlanta's offense got off to another slow start and struggled to find any rhythm most of the game. Bijan Robinson received seven first-half carries for 42 yards (6.0 yards per attempt) and finished with just 16 carries for 71 yards. Against a team like the Chiefs, you need to be at your best, and the Falcons offense looked lost for much of the afternoon.
The team moved offensive coordinator Tommy Rees down from the press conference to the sideline and the results were even worse. Rees called multiple screens on third down, even a third-and long screen call in the red zone with the team down by three scores. Penix was not sharp, but we've seen him play worse. He finished 23/43 for 286 yards and one interception in garbage time.
Something just felt out of sync, and the execution was atrocious. We knew Stefanski's offense would be heavy on screens, however, the lack of progress from Week 3 is astounding and needs to be addressed over the bye week.
Falcons penalty problems strike again
You can't win if you beat yourself, and the Falcons have done a hell of a job at beating themselves over the last few weeks. Penalties played another key role in Sunday's loss. The offensive line seemed to commit a false start every other play, the special teams unit committed a critical fourth-down penalty that led to a Chiefs touchdown. Overall, the team's lack of discipline has been the elephant in the room, and it reflects poorly on the coaching staff.
"Obviously, against a good football team, you have to play clean ball and we did not do that today," Stefanski said after the loss. "Early in that game, we need to sustain drives, stay on the field, convert third downs. We did not do that."
Defense showed grit but missed Jessie Bates
Despite giving up some big plays to rookie running back Emmett Johnson, the Falcons defense played well early in the game. While they still gave up too many explosives, the offense's sluggishness put the defense in a tough spot. Patrick Mahomes finished with 348 yards and five touchdowns, but the final stats don't show how gritty an effort Jeff Ulbrich's defense turned in for much of the day.
The Falcons held the Chiefs to just two third-down conversions on their first nine attempts, getting back-to-back stops to open the second half. DeMarcco Hellams did his best replacing Jessie Bates, leading the team with 11 tackles (seven solo), but the secondary eventually cracked under the pressure. It was about what we should have expected after the team traded away Bates.
Jawaana Taylor, Falcons offensive line struggled
The Falcons' offensive line struggled in their first game without center Ryan Neuzil. Several penalties, including more false starts by right tackle Jawaan Taylor, hurt the team once again. Announcer J.J. Watt also pointed out Taylor was giving away the play with his pre-snap stance. Atlanta's starting right tackle did not have a good game against his former team.
There was a poor snap and a lack of cohesion overall on offense all game – and it started up front. While new starting center Corey Levin held his own for the most part, the poor pass protection was a major factor in Sunday's loss.
NFC South standings update: Falcons in 4th place
The Falcons lost more ground in the NFC South this week. The Carolina Panthers improved to 4-5 after defeating the Saints, and now they're all alone at the top of the NFL's weakest division. The Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints are both 3-6. Atlanta sits in fourth place with a 3-7 record.
- Carolina Panthers (4-5)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6)
- New Orleans Saints (3-6)
- Atlanta Falcons (3-7)
What's next for the Falcons?
After a brutal first nine games, the Falcons will be off for their bye in Week 11. When they return in Week 12, they will face the Minnesota Vikings on the road. The Vikings just traded for former Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, so we'll get to see Michael Penix Jr. go head to head against the man he used to back up. Atlanta will face Minnesota at 1 p.m. ET in Week 12, but we've got a two-week break before the team returns to the field on Nov. 29.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: 5 takeaways from Falcons' 35-13 loss to Kansas City Chiefs
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/5-takeaways-falcons-35-13-230828958.html