1. Ray-Ray McCloud being baited into a flag
Going into the game every Atlanta Falcons player understands what C.J. Gardner-Johnson is about. The Eagles' safety is going to get in your face and do everything within his power to get you outside your game. Talking trash and pushing beyond the whistle toeing the line on every play understanding exactly what he can get away with.
McCloud is a veteran in this league and understands exactly what type of player the former Lion and Saint is. On Atlanta's first touchdown drive the safety reached over and snatched the receiver's mouthpiece.
Taking offense Ray-Ray punched the safety in the helmet. While it could be argued the receiver was reaching for C.J.'s mouthpiece what resulted was a punch and the receiver was flagged. As a veteran in a tight road game, you cannot make this mistake. You must understand the moment and exactly who you're dealing with.
Giving the safety this flag is going to fuel his play and work against your offense. Kirk Cousins bailed his receiver out making a nice throw to Mooney, but this could have been the end of what was to that point the best drive of the game. McCloud must understand the moment.
2. Not giving the ball to Tyler Allgeier on 4th-and short
What put Atlanta in this 4th down situation in the first place we will get a bit further into this in a moment. For now, the focus is on the coaching decision of putting the ball into the hands of Robinson and not Allgeier with the game on the line. We have seen this situation more than once with Robinson and watched the back get completely stopped.
There is a reason you have both backs still on the roster and within your rotation. Their different skill sets should be used according to the situation and Allgeier was the answer here. While Robinson is hypothetically offering more big play potential there is also a higher risk of negative plays.
Allgeier doesn't know how not to gain yardage anytime he touches the football. Fighting for every inch and seeming to always find a way to fall for an extra yard the decision should have been easy. While things worked out in Atlanta's favor this should have been the decision that lost the Falcons the game.
Zac Robinson is still learning on the job and there is reason to believe he will improve. Still, this was a big whiff for the OC.
3. Drake London had two key mistakes
The first mistake that London made was setting up the Bijan Robinson failed run by running his route short of the sticks. It speaks to his youth and understanding of the situation and where you are on the field. In this moment you have to be sure you're getting the first down and be a yard deeper on this route.
A mistake that London bailed out and followed by a far more egregious one. Before diving into this let's again note what a great game overall this was for London. A player who hasn't had a quarterback and has been surrounded by losing. The effort on blocks and the late touchdown catch both stand out in what was a good game marred by two mistakes.
London hasn't played with a quarterback of Kirk's ability in a moment like this. However, you have to act as if you've been there before. Celebrate and soak in the moment but understand your job isn't yet done.
The celebration that London chose is going to be a flag every time the officials see it. It pushed Koo far back and made the game-winning PAT a question mark. What a night for London, one only dampened by what could have been two game-changing mistakes.
