NFL
Ian Cunningham’s Task
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Falcons recently hired Ian Cunningham as the new General Manager.
He was the Assistant General Manager for the Chicago Bears from 2022-25. As you know, the Bears won the NFC North title in 2025. He will report directly to Matt Ryan, the team’s president of football.
“It was evident through our rigorous interview process Ian was the right choice for our general manager position,’ said Ryan. “His vision for our team and organization aligned exactly with the type of leader we were seeking to help take the Falcons to the next level. Throughout Ian’s career, including Super Bowl championships in Baltimore and Philadelphia, Ian has demonstrated the drive and focus it takes to build championship contenders and put them in the position to win games. We love his broad and deep experience across every aspect of talent evaluation and know he’s learned from some of the best in the league. Pairing him with Coach Stefanski is exciting for us, and we can’t wait to see them bring our shared vision to life in everything we do starting right now.”
Cunningham will have to hit the ground running in his new position. He will have just over five weeks before the start of the new NFL business year at 4 p.m. March 11 and several major decisions to make, working with Ryan and Head Coach Kevin Stefanski.
He’ll have more money to spend with the new NFL salary cap projected to be between $301.2 and $305.7 million, up from $279.2 million last year.
One big question is what will the team do with quarterback Kirk Cousins. He might be released and allowed to test the open market.
If he does not find a suitor he might return to Atlanta. Stefanski was his coordinator in Minnesota so that might be appealing to Cousins.
“It’s been incredible to build a relationship with (president of football) Matt (Ryan) over the last several weeks and to have an immediate connection with (coach) Kevin (Stefanski).” Cunningham said in a statement released by the team Thursday night announcing his hire.
“I can’t wait to work with both of these great football minds to put a team on the field everyone will be very excited about. … It’s time to work.”
Bears General Manager Ryan Poles was happy for his former colleague, who was the assistant GM with the Bears when the Falcons hired him.
“I couldn’t be happier for him,” Poles said. “He’s ready. He’s prepared. I know it’s been a tough interview cycle over these last few years. I know he’s gotten his hopes up but as I always told him, when the right opportunity presents itself, he’d be able to close it up and get that job.”
During his time in Chicago as Assistant General Manager, four players acquired earned three All-Pro honors and four Pro Bowl selections in Kevin Byard, Drew Dalman, Montez Sweat and Joe Thuney.
The 2025 Chicago offense finished sixth in the NFL in total offense with 13 of 15 players who played at least 400 snaps acquired during Cunningham’s tenure.
The franchise tag window opens February 17 and runs through March 3. The NFL Scouting Combine is set for Febuary 23 through March 2 in Indianapolis.
It will be interesting to see what they will do with Tight End Kyle Pitts. They will have time to work out a contract extension before the franchise tag period begins.
The NFL draft will be held April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. On paper this seems like a good hire but I want to see what will be done in free agency and the draft.
Baker’s New Vendetta Against Atlanta Falcons
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Baker Mayfield might have extra motivation when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Atlanta Falcons next season, and it has everything to do with Atlanta’s new head coach, Kevin Stefanski.
Stefanski, who is joining the Falcons after spending five years in Cleveland, was Mayfield’s coach during his first two seasons with the Browns (2020, 2021).
Their collaboration ended when the Browns traded Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers for a conditional 2024 draft pick (a fifth-rounder that became a fourth-rounder)
Based on his Tuesday evening tweet, Mayfield appears to be unhappy with how his tenure in Cleveland ended.
“Still waiting on a text/call from him after I got shipped off like a piece of garbage,” Mayfield posted on X on Tuesday night. “Can’t wait to see you twice a year, Coach.”
Mayfield’s shot came in response to a reporter’s post asserting that Stefanski’s quarterbacks room in Cleveland was a “dumpster fire,” and that Mayfield and his successor, Deshaun Watson, had “failed.”
“Failed is quite the reach pal,” Mayfield wrote.
The Browns selected Mayfield with the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he compiled a 29-30 record as a starter during his four seasons with the franchise.
His best season in Cleveland was Stefanski’s first (2020). Mayfield completed 62.8 percent of his passes that year for 3,563 yards, 26 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.
The Browns went 11-5 and won a playoff game in the wild-card round before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Mayfield and the Browns weren’t able to match that success in 2021, however, and the franchise decided to part ways with the quarterback.
Mayfield’s time with the Panthers didn’t last. Carolina waived Mayfield in December 2022 after he went 1-5 as a starter.
The Rams later claimed Mayfield, and he played well enough in his four starts with Los Angeles that he earned a shot with the Bucs as a free agent.
After helping Tampa Bay win the NFC South in 2023, Mayfield signed a three-year, $100 million contract extension with the club.
While Mayfield resurrected his career as QB1, the Browns made one more playoff appearance after his departure but won just eight games through the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Did the Browns make Mayfield toxic? Or was he already that way and his environment just brought it to the surface? Whatever side you believe, one thing is certain: Mayfield will never change. He is who he is.
The Browns certainly did not set Mayfield up for success early in his career with three head coaches and three offensive coordinators in his first three years in the league.
Now the Buccaneers are facing the same hard questions Browns personnel once had to answer. Mayfield is entering the final year of his deal in Tampa. He has been a success for the Bucs, but is he worth a top-scale quarterback contract? If not, then what?
The more things change, the more they stay the same. That goes for Baker Mayfield, too.
What’s Next For Jaguars?
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Jacksonville Jaguars ended their 2025 season with heartbreak, but also with something that felt unfamiliar after years of turbulence: real optimism.
A 27–24 Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills closed the book on a 13–5 campaign that saw Jacksonville win the AFC South and return to the postseason.
For a franchise that finished 4–13 just a year earlier, the turnaround under head coach Liam Coen was nothing short of dramatic.
The Jaguars went from organizational reset to division champion in one offseason, and the foundation now looks sturdier than it has in years.
Jacksonville’s renaissance began with sweeping changes at the top.
After the disappointing 2024 season, the Jaguars parted ways with head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke, ushering in a new era led by Coen and general manager James Gladstone.
Rather than chase splashy free-agent headlines, the new leadership group focused on targeted additions, internal development, and building a roster that fit Coen’s vision on both sides of the ball.
The results were immediate. Jacksonville opened the season with statement wins over Carolina, Houston, and San Francisco, establishing itself as a legitimate contender early.
Trevor Lawrence delivered the best year of his career, posting his highest QBR while operating in an offense that finally maximized his strengths. Injuries and off-field distractions, including ongoing “stadium of the future” planning, could not derail the Jaguars’ momentum.
By season’s end, Jacksonville had claimed the division and a playoff berth, signaling that the rebuild had arrived ahead of schedule.
The playoff loss to Buffalo stung, but it did little to dampen the sense that Jacksonville is trending in the right direction.
While the Jaguars face tough free-agency decisions, they appear to be on the right track on both sides of the ball, as well as off the field.
In a division where Houston, Indianapolis, and Tennessee each face their own questions, Jacksonville’s trajectory stands out.
Still, Year 2 of the Coen era may prove even more challenging than Year 1.
The Jaguars enter the offseason roughly $21 million over the salary cap, limiting their ability to shop for premium talent.
Several key contributors face uncertain futures, including linebacker Devin Lloyd, cornerback Montaric Brown, and running back Travis Etienne.
Lloyd, coming off a breakout season, is poised to command top-market money, while Etienne and Brown will test Jacksonville’s ability to balance financial realities with roster continuity.
Defensive tackle, cornerback depth, and pass rush remain priorities, meaning the draft will likely play a central role in shaping the 2026 roster.
One of the most encouraging developments of the offseason so far is stability on the coaching staff.
Offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, one of the youngest and most highly regarded play callers in the league, drew head coaching interest from Buffalo and Cleveland.
Ultimately, the Bills hired Joe Brady, allowing Jacksonville to retain Udinski with a pay raise and continued influence over Lawrence’s development.
Udinski’s reputation as a rising offensive mind, often compared to Sean McVay’s early career path, underscores the growing respect Jacksonville has earned across the NFL.
Head coach Liam Coen has long praised Udinski as an elite communicator and a coach with no ego, a rare combination that has helped shape Jacksonville’s offensive identity.
Keeping that continuity could be as important as any player signing, especially as the Jaguars prepare for Travis Hunter’s expected two-way role in 2026.
For Jacksonville, the mission now is clear. The Jaguars must transition from surprise contender to sustained contender.
That means navigating a tight salary cap, making difficult roster decisions, and continuing to build through the draft while maintaining the culture Coen and Gladstone have established.
The 2025 season ended short of a Super Bowl run, but it reintroduced Jacksonville to the NFL’s upper tier.
The Jaguars are no longer a rebuilding afterthought. They are a team with a quarterback in his prime, a coaching staff in demand, and a front office that appears to have a long-term plan.
The hard part now is staying there.
The Wrong Guy
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I’m from Atlanta so I might be too close to this situation.
I’ve always been a Falcons fan and I’ve always felt they would not win a Super Bowl in my lifetime. Their doing a great job proving me right, in my humble opinion.
As you know, Atlanta fired the Head Coach and General Manager after the season ended. That was a great move, if they hire the right people to replace them.
They finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year. Then, they hired Matt Ryan as the team’s first-ever President of Football. He’s now the leader for hiring the new GM and Head Coach.
As you probably already know, Atlanta hired Kevin Stefanski as the new head coach.
Stefanski, 43, was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 2020-25, leading them to the playoffs after the ’20 and ’23 seasons.
He was named coach of the year in each of those playoff seasons. He previously served as the offensive coordinator for 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, where he worked with Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins in 2018-19.
I have to point out that the Browns finished 5-12 this past season and 3-14 in 2024.
In his six years in Cleveland, he had winning seasons twice. His overall record was 45-56. I’m not a huge fan of hiring coaches that were unsuccessful in their previous position.
I’m not sure why Atlanta rushed to hire Stefanski. Buffalo just fired Sean McDermott after they lost in the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Bills were 12-5 this season and 13-4 in 2024. In McDermott’s nine seasons in Buffalo, they went to the playoffs eight times. They won their division five consecutive times and his record is 98-50. I believe he would have been a much better hire.
“We’re thrilled to land a lead-by-example leader in Kevin Stefanski who brings a clear vision for his staff, our team and a closely aligned focus on building this team on fundamentals, toughness and active collaboration with every area of the football operation,” Matt Ryan, Falcons president of football, said in a team statement.
“Coach Stefanski is a team-first leader who puts a premium on accountability for everyone and a player-driven culture. His experience in Cleveland and Minnesota has given him a great understanding of the importance of working in sync with scouting, personnel and the rest of the football staff to maximize talent across the roster and in doing everything possible to put our players in the best position to succeed.”
“Kevin’s style of leadership, combined with the staff and infrastructure in place here in Atlanta, gives us confidence in our shared vision for the team and we are excited to have him as the leader of our football team.”
Ryan has to make this sound like he did a great job by hiring him. I grade this coaching hire as an F. I’ll revisit this in a couple of years and I can admit if I’m wrong.
One obvious weakness Atlanta has is quarterback. Starter Michael Penix Jr. tore his ACL in Week 11. I believe he will miss all of next season. This is his third ACL tear because he suffered the same injury in 2018 and 2020 when he was at Indiana.
He was inconsistent before the injury and now we do not know if he will be the same player when he returns.
The other option is Kirk Cousins and he will turn 38 before the season. He also has not played well since coming to Atlanta. Atlanta still has to hire a general manager.
Falcons Changing Flight Path
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFL regular season has ended and as expected, several coaches were fired.
The Atlanta Falcons fired General Manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris. I love that move because I think the GM should be removed with the head coach when a team wants to move in a different direction.
Atlanta made an interesting move after this by hiring Matt Ryan as their president of football. He’s a former great player for the Falcons and he currently is an analyst on CBS. He gets to keep that job by the way while working in Atlanta’s front office.
Some of the other names that were interviewed for the position were Ian Cunningham, Chicago Bears assistant General Manager, Mike Disner, Detroit Lions Chief Operating Officer and Josh Williams, San Francisco 49ers Director of Scouting and Football Operations. The other guys seem to fit this role a bit better, if we’re being honest.
Ryan’s role as the president of football in Atlanta isn’t simply an advisory role. He’ll have a “strong voice” in the franchise’s decision making, similar to how former quarterback John Elway ran the Broncos as the executive vice president of football operations and general manager from 2011 to ‘21 before stepping into an advisory role in ‘22.
I liked Ryan as a player but I’m not thrilled with him having this title because he does not have experience beyond playing football.
“Arthur gave me the chance of a lifetime almost 20 years ago, and he’s done it again today,” Ryan said. While I appreciate the time I had with the Colts and with CBS, I’ve always been a Falcon. It feels great to be home. I could not be more excited, grateful, or humbled by this new opportunity. I began my career with a singular goal: to do right by the Blank family, the Falcons organization, the city of Atlanta, and especially our fans. My commitment to the success of this franchise has not changed. I’m beyond ready to help write a new chapter of excellence.”
Atlanta has not made the playoffs in eight seasons. They have a lot of talent on the roster but they need to hire the right duo as GM and Head Coach.
So far, four coaches have been interviewed for the Head Coach position. They are Seahawks Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak, Dolphins Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver, Seahawks Defensive Coordinator Aden Durde and ex-Browns Coach Kevin Stefanski were interviewed by the team.
Former Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel will interview for the position. I know Atlanta also wants to interview John Harbaugh.
For the GM position, Atlanta has contacted Ian Cunningham. He’s Chicago’s assistant GM.
Atlanta looks like a decent position because they have some good players. The biggest question with the roster is quarterback though.
Starter Michael Penix Jr. suffered a partially torn ACL in Week 11 against Carolina. He suffered two torn ACL’s when he played at Indiana.
He was in his second season but he did not play well consistently before the injury. The other option at QB is Kirk Cousins.
Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract with Atlanta in March of 2024. He has been a disappointment thus far and he’s 37.
I’m hopeful Atlanta hires people that can make them a contender again.
Not Done Yet
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Jacksonville Jaguars are back in the playoffs, but this time it feels different.
This is not a young team simply happy to be here or wide-eyed by the moment. This is a group that has been tested, hardened, and sharpened by pressure long before the postseason officially arrived.
For the past two months, the Jaguars have essentially been playing playoff football.
Eight consecutive victories were required to claim the AFC South, and the Jaguars delivered every single time. With Houston breathing down their necks and winning nine straight games of their own, Jacksonville had no margin for error.
That stretch matters. It changes how a team views the stakes. It builds habits that carry into January. The messaging inside the building reflects that mindset.
The division title was celebrated, but not lingered on. The shirts may have read ‘Been There, Won That’, but the words players keep repeating are ‘Not Done Yet’.
That has not just been talk for the cameras. It shows up in how they prepare and how they play.
Trevor Lawrence is the clearest example. He enters the postseason playing some of the best football of his career, having thrown for 38 total touchdowns while leading an offense that has averaged nearly 33 points per game over the last ten weeks.
More importantly, he looks comfortable controlling games. He’s not chasing highlights. He is making correct decisions and punishing defenses when they overcommit.
The defense has quietly become just as important to Jacksonville’s identity.
Over the last six games, the Jaguars are allowing barely more than two touchdowns per game while generating turnovers at a playoff level.
Foye Oluokun is everywhere. Josh Hines-Allen continues to disrupt quarterbacks. Antonio Johnson has turned mistakes into points. That balance is what separates dangerous teams from real contenders.
The wild card matchup with Buffalo will be a legitimate test. The Bills are experienced, battle tested and led by the reigning league MVP in Josh Allen. They run the ball as well as any team in the NFL and have spent years navigating January football.
But this version of Jacksonville is not intimidated by résumés. The Jaguars will go into the contest on Sunday boasting the league’s number one run defense, and as the team ranked second in the NFL in defensive takeaways.
The Jags have beaten elite teams during this run, including the AFC’s number one seeded Denver Broncos. Just three weeks ago the Jags traveled to the Mile High City and ended the Broncos 11-game win streak with a convincing 31-20 victory.
The Jags will take on the Bills this Sunday at home, where franchise history shows they thrive in postseason environments. EverBank Stadium matters.
Jacksonville is four and one all-time in home playoff games, and anyone who remembers the Chargers comeback in 2022 knows how quickly that building can tilt a contest.
For an opposing offense, that noise is not just uncomfortable. It is disruptive.
So, can the Jaguars make the Super Bowl? I think the answer is yes, but with context.
The numbers say the odds sit around seven percent. That may not sound overwhelming, but it places Jacksonville squarely in the league’s list of contenders, ahead of teams with bigger markets and louder narratives.
It also reflects how difficult the path is in the AFC, where every round feels like a heavyweight bout.
What gives Jacksonville a real chance is not odds or simulations. It is timing.
They are healthy. They are confident. They are playing their best football at exactly the right moment. They are also mentally prepared for the grind, having already lived in must win mode for weeks.
This is not a team hoping for magic. It is a team expecting results. That expectation changes everything.
I think the Jaguars will defeat Buffalo, and once that happens, belief will shift quickly from possibility to probability.
The reward for winning on Wild Card Weekend? Another trip to the Mile-High City to take on those same Denver Broncos.
One win leads to another, and in January momentum often matters as much as matchups. Jacksonville has both.
They are hungry. They are grounded. And they aren’t done yet.
Super Bowl Bound?
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Do the Jacksonville Jaguars have a legitimate shot to make the Super Bowl?
This question would have sounded absurd not long ago but it feels increasingly reasonable with each passing week.
The Jaguars are no longer sneaking up on anyone. They just won their sixth straight game and did something the franchise had never done before by beating a 12-win team this late in the season.
They snapped Denver’s 11 game winning streak at Mile High Stadium and did it convincingly.
That alone forces the league to take notice even if Jacksonville insists it does not care who is paying attention.
Head coach Liam Coen has embraced the idea of being overlooked. He has turned perceived disrespect into fuel and history shows that approach can carry a team a long way.
The 2017 Eagles built an entire championship run on an “us against the world” mentality and Jacksonville is clearly tapping into something similar.
The quotes coming out of that locker room are not polished or cautious. They are raw, confident and unified. That matters in January.
More importantly, the Jaguars are playing their best football at exactly the right time. They have won seven of their last eight games, and the six-game winning streak is the longest the franchise has seen since the turn of the millennium.
This is also the first 11-win season since 2007, and with games remaining against the Colts and Titans there is a real chance Jacksonville finishes 13-4. That kind of record demands respect regardless of market size or preseason expectations.
See what I did there, Sean Payton?
The biggest reason for belief is Trevor Lawrence. He is on a four-game heater that rivals any quarterback in the league right now. Twelve touchdowns no interceptions over that stretch, plus production with his legs tells a powerful story.
He just dismantled a Denver defense that was supposed to be among the toughest in football. Lawrence looks confident, decisive and aggressive, which was not always the case earlier in the season.
There is still reason for caution, of course. This is still a relatively small sample size.
Before this run, Lawrence endured a rough stretch that included multiple interceptions and uneven accuracy. His completion percentage for the season is not elite and that cannot be ignored.
The fair question is which version of Lawrence shows up in the playoffs.
But here is the counterargument.
Teams are judged by who they are becoming, not who they were in October. Right now, Lawrence is seeing the field well and the offense is in sync.
The trade for Jakobi Meyers has quietly changed everything. Since his arrival the Jaguars are 6 and 1 and have scored at least 25 points in every game.
Meyers may not post gaudy numbers but he stabilizes the passing game and gives Lawrence a reliable option when it matters.
Zooming out to the entire AFC picture makes Jacksonville’s case even stronger. Ask yourself which teams truly inspire fear.
New England, Denver, Buffalo, the Chargers, Houston and Pittsburgh all have flaws.
Jacksonville has already beaten Denver and the Chargers by double digits, swept the AFC West and split with Houston, despite not playing its best football at the time. There is no dominant juggernaut blocking the path.
Defensively the Jaguars are not perfect. They can miss tackles and give up chunk plays. But they lead the AFC in turnovers. The unit is young, talented, and have shown a knack for rising to the moment in big games.
Add in an improving pass rush and a coaching staff that has clearly changed the culture, and you have the makings of a dangerous postseason team. This feels like one of those seasons that fans remember forever.
Whether Jacksonville reaches the Super Bowl or falls short, this group has already changed the trajectory of the franchise. Still, it is hard to shake the feeling that something special is brewing.
The Jaguars have the quarterback, the belief, the momentum, and the opportunity.
In a year defined by parity, there is no reason to think the Jacksonville Jaguars cannot be the team still standing at the end. The hype train may just be getting started.
The Trevor Lawrence Problem
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Jacksonville Jaguars sit at 7-4, staring at a playoff berth and very much in the AFC South hunt.
On paper, that sounds like a franchise on stable footing. But if you have watched this team week after week, if you have seen the way they win and the way they almost lose, you know better.
The Jaguars are walking a tightrope, and the biggest wobble on that line is the quarterback they once believed would be the face of the franchise.
Trevor Lawrence arrived in 2021 as the most can’t miss quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck. Jacksonville’s leaders imagined a decade of Pro Bowls, playoff runs, and steady ascension.
Instead, they paired him with Urban Meyer. Then they paired him with Doug Pederson. Now he is learning a third system in five seasons under Liam Coen. Continuity hasn’t been a gift the Jaguars have given their young quarterback.
At some point, the excuses begin to sound like noise. The instability is real, and it has affected him. But great quarterbacks rise above chaos.
They drag coaches and receivers and entire rosters with them. They do more than survive dysfunction. They stabilize it. Lawrence has not done that.
Sunday in Arizona was the perfect snapshot of the Trevor Lawrence dilemma.
The Jaguars beat the Cardinals by a score of 27 to 24 in overtime. They improved to 7 and 4. Lawrence led clutch drives when it mattered. It all sounds good at first glance.
Except they needed those heroic drives because he buried them in mistakes earlier.
Lawrence committed four turnovers, which included three interceptions and one lost fumble. All of the turnovers were avoidable, and all of them are deeply concerning.
These mistakes were not the product of pressure or protection breakdowns.
On all three interceptions, Lawrence had time. He had a clean pocket. He had open windows. And he still misread, misfired, or misjudged. These are the errors of a player who still looks like he is trying to figure out the position.
This is why Jacksonville’s record feels like it hides more than it reveals. The Jaguars are winning in spite of their quarterback, not because of him.
What is really carrying this team is the pass rush. Josh Hines Allen has rediscovered his form and has become the most disruptive force on the roster.
With Travon Walker out, Hines Allen was moved all over the formation. He lined up on the left side, he looped through the middle, and he attacked mismatches whenever he could.
The result was ten pressures, one sack, and constant havoc. Jacksonville’s front seven kept Jacoby Brissett uncomfortable for most of the afternoon.
The defense bailed the Jaguars out from a turnover filled disaster. The offense, particularly Lawrence, nearly handed the game away.
This is not a one-time problem. Lawrence entered the week completing only 58.6 percent of his passes, which is his lowest mark since his rookie year. He has fourteen turnovers, which ties him for the most in the NFL.
He has 83 career touchdown passes and 81 career turnovers. That is not elite quarterback play. That is not even average quarterback play.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars receiving corps has been a revolving door of injuries and inconsistency.
Brian Thomas Junior has not lived up to expectations. Travis Hunter Jr. is on injured reserve. Drops and miscommunications have plagued the offense, which is one of the reasons Jacksonville traded for the reliable Jakobi Meyers. Meyers has already become Lawrence’s most trustworthy target.
Great quarterbacks elevate inconsistent receivers. The Jaguars receivers are not lifting Lawrence, and he is not lifting them.
That leads to the real question, the one that Jacksonville fans often whisper.
Is Trevor Lawrence truly a franchise quarterback, or is he simply adequate? Is he a quarterback who wins only when everything else goes right, and who crumbles when it doesn’t?
The final stretch of this season will answer that question. The Jaguars can still win the AFC South. They can still host a playoff game. But the closer they get to January, the clearer the truth becomes.
The defense is excellent. The coaching is improving. The roster is competitive.
The quarterback, who should be the most stable part of the operation, is still the one thing they cannot fully trust.
Until that changes, the Jaguars will remain a good team pretending to be a great one, hoping their quarterback finally becomes the player they drafted him to be.
Pretenders Rising Up
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We are more than halfway through the NFL season. We are learning who the contenders and pretenders are.
We have to classify the Atlanta Falcons as pretenders. They played the Colts (8-2) in Berlin and lost in overtime, 31-25. This is their fourth straight loss.
“We had plenty of opportunities to win it,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “We’ve just got to find a way to get better, whether it’s stopping the run, whether it’s covering kicks better, returning the ball better or converting on third down — all the things that kind of hurt us today.”
Michael Penix completed 12 of 28 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown. That means he completed 43% of his passes. That’s not good enough. He also holds onto the ball too long.
“We’ve just got to stay together,” Penix said. “We’ve got to stay together, continue to trust in our game plan each and every week. We’ve just got to execute when it’s needed the most.”
The Falcons took a 25-22 lead with 1:44 left in regulation after Tyler Allgeier scored his second rushing touchdown. The defense allowed Colts running back Jonathan Taylor to have the best day of his career. He had an 83-yard TD run that is the longest rush of the season, his career and in Colts’ franchise history. He finished with 244 rushing yards and 3 scores.
“Mike played well,” Morris said. “Mike played well, like he always does.”
I’m assuming the head coach is trying to protect his second-year QB but Penix does not always play well. We can just take this last game as an example. We can also point to Week 3 when they lost 30-0 at Carolina.
Atlanta has now fallen to 3-6. I think one issue is they seem to play to the level of their competition. I used the blowout loss to the Panthers earlier as an example. In Week 8 they played Miami at home. The Dolphins were 1-6 entering that game and they beat Atlanta 34-10. Penix was injured so Kirk Cousins was the starter but that is still a team they should beat.
In Week 6 they beat Buffalo at home on Monday Night Football, 24-14. The Bills were 4-1 going into that game. Atlanta played much better against a team that is thought to be a Super Bowl contender. After this game Buffalo beat Kansas City then got blown out by Miami.
We are only in Morris’ second season but I think Atlanta needs to look at moving on from him as soon as possible. They finished 8-9 last season and came within one game of making the playoffs. The way this season is going I don’t think they have a chance of making the playoffs. I think the old Jim Mora rant about playoffs should be played if anyone on this team talks about getting to the post season.
Their next three games are Carolina (5-5), at New Orleans (2-8) and at the New York Jets (2-7). On paper these are games that they should win but we cannot count on that with this team.
I think they have to win all of these games before heading into Week 14 against Seattle (7-2). The following week is at Tampa Bay (6-3).
We will have to see how this plays out but I think the franchise would be smart to fire Morris and bring in a good coaching candidate sooner rather than later.
Playoff Run?
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Falcons are 2-2 and had a bye week in Week 5.
Their next game is a Monday Night Football Game at home against Buffalo on October 13th. The Falcons have not made the playoffs in the last seven years. The question is are they good enough to end that streak?
“It was great to get a win going into the bye week,” tight end Kyle Pitts said. “Week 5 byes aren’t the best. But it’s all good, going into it with a win. We just hope that the continuity will stay high. We’ll definitely link together as offense during this (bye week). Just go to next week and get ready for prime time.”
Atlanta is in their second season under head coach Raheem Morris. Last year they were 8-9. As you know, they paid a lot of money to free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins going into the 2024 season. He signed a four-year $180 million contract, with $100 million guaranteed.
After making this move, they surprised the football world by drafting Michael Penix with the 8th pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Cousins started the season hot and led the Falcons to 6-3 to start the season.
Then he started playing worse during their losing streak. He led the league with 16 interceptions and he was tied for the league lead in fumbles. That led to Cousins getting benched after Week 15.
I think a quarterback controversy might be brewing this season. Penix has been the starter but he played poorly in a 30-0 Week 3 loss at Carolina. Penix was benched for Cousins in the fourth quarter of that game.
Penix also played poorly in the Week 2 win at Minnesota, 22-6. He passed for 135 yards with 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. I believe if he plays poorly against the Bills Penix will be benched.
Atlanta has done some self-scouting during the bye week.
“Getting those guys going and trying to find ways and different things that we can get going,” Morris said. “All of those guys up front being in different positions and trying to get those guys aligned at different things so we could dictate terms a little bit better.”
The Falcons are also working on their run defense ahead of their Week 6 matchup with Buffalo. The Bills have Josh Allen and James Cook to deal with. Cook is ranked second in the league in rushing with 450 yards and 5 TD’s.
The Falcons gave up 147 yards and 6.7 yards per carry in their last outing against Washington. Running back Chris Rodriquez got loose for a 48-yard gain.
“Yeah, so really the one big run, the 48-yarder, is the one that can really crush it,” Morris said. “You can never say ‘except for’ in this game. But, if you can get rid of that run, you don’t feel terrible about it, especially with a quarterback run game. … Well, (that) can really tilt that thing.”
The Falcons have to play the AFC East and NFC West this season. Buffalo is the only good AFC East team so they should be favored against the Jets, Patriots and Dolphins.
The Cardinals are the worst team in the NFC East. The Rams are one of the best teams in the league. The games against San Francisco and Seattle could go either way.
Tampa Bay is the best team in the division and the next game against them will be on the road. I don’t think the Falcons will make the playoffs this season.
