Raheem Morris: 'I’ve got so much confidence in Zac Robinson'

Seemingly every season, there’s a conversation about the Falcons coaching staff and whether they’ll still be around come Monday morning after Week 18. That’s exactly where we are again this year, with Atlanta coming off yet another laughable performance — a 34-10 beatdown at home against the 1-6 Dolphins.

Raheem Morris, whether in Atlanta or Tampa Bay, has never shown an inkling of what it takes to be a competent NFL head coach. But at 3-4, with the playoffs still within reach in just his second season, it’s highly unlikely Arthur Blank would make that kind of move this early. The offensive coordinator, however, might not be as safe.

Zac Robinson wasn’t great in his first year with the team, but there were built-in excuses. Kirk Cousins was playing fairly well before an undisclosed injury completely derailed his season, and it was Robinson’s first time calling plays at the NFL level. The hope was that improvement would come naturally in Year 2.

That hasn’t been the case. Despite Atlanta’s ability to move the ball between the 20s, the Falcons rank 28th in points per game, averaging just 19.3 — ahead of only the Saints, Browns, Raiders, and Titans.

That’s not the kind of company the Falcons should be keeping, especially with featured talents like Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London, along with an offensive line that’s been well above average — even if the quarterback play has been mostly shaky.

Former players and national media members have made a habit of calling out Atlanta’s lackluster play design, with the latest being Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner.

“I love this game & breaking down tape, but I’m struggling to watch the ATL O tape!!! Predictable… boring (same plays over and over)… don’t like the spacing often… lots of miscommunication… just don’t really get it??!” Warner said on Twitter/X following yesterday’s game.

Over their last 10 quarters, the Falcons have managed just 23 points, dropping two straight and inching closer to must-win territory if they want to keep their season alive. Unfortunately, with the Patriots and Colts looming — two of the league’s best teams through eight weeks — there’s a real possibility things get worse before they get better.

For now, though, Raheem Morris isn’t ready to make any changes to his offensive coaching staff.

“I’ve got so much confidence in Zac Robinson. I know we can move the football. I know we can do those things… We’ve got a lot of confidence we’re gonna get it going this week,” Morris said. 

There’s no question Robinson has fallen well short of the lofty expectations that followed him from his time in Los Angeles under offensive guru Sean McVay. His days in the NFL may be numbered, but if the Falcons are going to make a move now, they need to have a better option in mind. I’m not sure they do. Moving on from Robinson should only happen if it gives the team a legitimate chance to make a postseason push.