The Atlanta Falcons losttheir season opener 20-13, putting an offensive product on the field that managed to reach a new low. Atlanta fans have been asked to endure Arthur Smith's offense, Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder, and an injured Kirk Cousins over the last four years, and still Sunday found a way to top all of this misery. Cooper Rush was rolled out as the starter, going 12/22 for 143 yards and a pair of interceptions.
What makes this performance so much uglier than the numbers is understanding the consistent missed receivers, as well as the fact that Bijan Robinson had 90 receiving yards. Atlanta's offense was reduced to dumping the ball to the electric back and hoping he could create magic against a defense that understood no other playmaker could hurt them due to the quarterback's inability to deliver the football.
Only three other pass catchers would touch the football for a combined 53 yards. Kyle Pitts didn't catch a single ball, and the Falcons were left hoping that Robinson could find a way to create offense against a defensive front only playing the run, daring the Rush to do anything other than make Atlanta fans miserable.
This was unquestionably a new offensive low and exactly what Atlanta's front office deserves for adding the injury-prone Tua Tagovailoa to backup Michael Penix Jr., who wasn't on a clear timeline for a return due to another serious knee injury. Enter Cooper Rush and the most miserable start to a season Atlanta has endured in recent memory.
Falcons Fans Continue to Endure New Lows Due to Front Office that Can Find Zero Answers
Falcons fans are already turning their attention to the upcoming quarterback class and wondering who could end the current misery. No question, Atlanta didn't put an offense on the field on Sunday that had any reasonable hope of giving the Falcons a chance to win. As a reminder, this is a fanbase that not only hasn't seen the playoffs in nearly a decade, but a franchise that hasn't managed a winning record since the 2017 season.
Realizing that nearly a decade has passed since the Falcons were a stable franchise, and nearly seven years since they had a capable offense, drives home the current mood in Atlanta. In a league built for parity, the Falcons keep finding ways to push themselves out of contention.
Forcing their fanbase to endure watching Rush due to a predictable injury situation is simply the latest example of what has been years of misery. It is hard to see this changing anytime soon, as the Falcons continue to find ways to offer their fans nothing but frustration.
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