ATLANTA -- Raheem Morris was visibly upset when he walked into the news conference room inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan. 5.
The Atlanta Falcons head coach is the uplifting type. He builds his players up and allows them to be themselves. Morris wasn't in any mood for that after a 44-38 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers to end the 2024 season. The former Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator said he was "shocked" by how poorly his team's defense played, implying that they simply didn't show up.
With a win and a loss by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Falcons could have made the playoffs.