In a game that the Atlanta Falcons needed to win in order to retain pole position and control their own destiny in the NFC South, fans of the team were left bitterly disappointed as the game went to overtime.
The Falcons were in Landover, Maryland playing the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football in a game with major playoff implications for both teams – which was close to the very end.
Down 24-17 with under two minutes to go, Falcons quarterback Michael Penix connected with tight end Kyle Pitts for a touchdown – with the subsequent extra point tying the game at 24-24. After the Commanders went a quick three-and-out, the Falcons got the ball back with 40 seconds left and the chance to win the game.
Instead, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris made the highly questionable and incorrect decision to not take one of his two timeouts – allowing 27 seconds to bleed off the clock with Atlanta nowhere near field goal range.
But a late flag put kicker Riley Patterson (in for the injured Younghoe Koo) at the edge of his range to attempt a 56-yard field goal with two seconds left to win the game. While the kick itself was on line, it did not have the leg – falling about three-to-five yards short of the crossbar and sending the game to overtime.
But that wasn’t realized by a number of Falcons fans watching the game at the sports bar Live! at the Battery Atlanta – located near Truist Park, the home stadium of MLB’s Atlanta Braves.
Falcons fans prematurely celebrated what they thought was a walk-off field goal from kicker Riley Patterson, but in reality, the kick fell a few yards short of the uprights and forced OT
In overtime, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels singlehandedly won the team the game
Falcons coach Raheem Morris was criticized for his decision to not call timeout late in the game
Video captured the moment that Falcons fans began celebrating what they thought was a converted kick.
As smoke went off in the background, the Falcons faithful were jumping for joy and screaming in celebration while everyone watching the game at home knew that the kick was well short.
DJ Khaled’s anthem ‘All I Do Is Win’ played for about two seconds before the reality set in and confused fans were seen staring back up at the giant screen they were watching the game on.
No, Atlanta hadn’t won the game. Overtime came instead. After the Falcons called heads for the OT coin toss, the flip landed tails and the Commanders took over with the knowledge that a touchdown would win them the game.
That’s exactly what happened. Quarterback Jayden Daniels, who had a phenomenal game, proceeded to march down the field single-handedly. The rookie out of LSU either passed the ball or ran it himself for eleven of the Commanders final 12 plays – including a touchdown pass to tight end Zach Ertz to win the game 30-24.
Morris’ decision to not call timeout was widely panned – with some fans believing that if he had stopped the clock, quarterback Michael Penix Jr would have had more time and more plays to try and get the team better field position.
Victory meant the Commanders had clinched the playoffs for the first time since 2020 – while the Falcons now have a 15 percent chance of making the NFL’s postseason.
Atlanta now no longer controls their own destiny. They must win their final game of the season at home against the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers must lose to the New Orleans Saints in order for the Falcons to win the division and make the playoffs.
