The Atlanta Falcons fumbled an opportunity to take a commanding lead in the NFC South on Sunday. They took a trip west to play a scuffling New Orleans Saints team who had lost each of their last seven games and fresh off of firing their head coach earlier in the week. Instead of taking advantage of this and building a three-game lead in the division, they came out flat and lost an ugly 20-17 contest.
The Falcons didn't play their best game, that much was clear. Kirk Cousins didn't find the end zone, Younghoe Koo missed three field goals, and the defense allowed some recently cut players (Marquez Valdes-Scantling) to get loose for two touchdowns and 109 yards receiving.
On Monday morning, The Steakhouse discussed the team's lackluster performance, but also why the team is showing us why they are not the great team we thought they were.
Throughout an NFL season, teams will not always have their best days on a weekly basis, but great teams should still find ways to win on those days.
Drew Butler pointed to some comments made by Dan Campbell after the Lions came back to beat the Houston Texans on Sunday night. That was a game in which their starting quarterback threw for five interceptions, but they still found a way to spark a comeback victory. Elsewhere, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have yet to play their best game and put things together on offense, yet they are 9-0 on the season.
"This is what great teams do," Butler said. "When you're having an off day, you find a way. When you're having an off day, you find a way and you will it to happen. That's what separates good teams from great teams in the NFL."
On Sunday, the Falcons were not at their best, which cost them the game. That performance tells Drew that they still have a ways to go before they could be considered a "great" team in the NFL.
"The Falcons, who are really good team, they're not great yet," he said. "Why? Because they have not found ways to consistently find a way when they don't have their best."
Ultimately, the Falcons did not lose ground in the division courtesy of a Tampa Bay loss, but the performance against New Orleans did little to inspire confidence moving forward.