Falcons coach Raheem Morris explains not calling for QB sneak on 3rd or 4th down at end of loss to Chiefs

The Atlanta Falcons took a tough 22–17 loss at home Sunday night to the Kansas City Chiefs. The defeat was even more painful because Atlanta had an opportunity for the winning score on its final possession.

After moving 49 yards to the Chiefs’ 13-yard line, the Falcons faced a fourth-and-1 to keep the drive alive with 0:58 remaining. However, instead of calling for a quarterback sneak that presumably would have gotten a first down with less than a yard to gain, Atlanta called for an outside run for Bijan Robinson to the left that was smothered by the Chiefs defense.

Robinson lost three yards on the play and the Falcons turned the ball — and the game — over on downs.

Atlanta coach Raheem Morris was asked on Monday about the play call on that fourth down (and the third-down call on which Tyler Allgeier was tackled for no gain). Why not call a QB sneak that would be a short push rather than an outside run that needed to develop?

“Definitely was part of the discussion last night, sneaks and things of that nature,” Morris said, via reporter Terrin Waack. “I feel really good with our two backs.”

Morris is right that he has two productive running backs in Robinson and Allgeier. Yet Kansas City had held both players in check to that point. Robinson had 34 yards to that point (averaging 2.3 yards per carry), while Allgeier had 32. Yet there was less than a yard to gain. Even if a QB sneak wasn’t preferred, why not call for an inside run?

Asked if that was offensive coordinator Zac Robinson’s call, rather than his, Morris said the decision was made as a staff.

“In that particular situation, that was collaborative,” Morris said. “It obviously didn’t work. But that was not a self-made decision by anybody.”

Was there fear of putting Kirk Cousins through that grinder of a play coming off a torn Achilles injury? Was there doubt about backup center Ryan Neuzil, taking over for the injured Drew Dalman, being able to execute that play properly?

Those may have been considerations in the discussion that Morris said took place before the fourth-down call. But as he said plainly, the sweep play that Falcons coaches went with didn’t work. As a result, Atlanta is 1–2 after its first three games and left to dwell over possibly having a winning record if better plays and decisions had been made.