News » 3 takeaways from Falcons vs Bengals

The 2018 version of the Atlanta Falcons are what we’ve always known as fans: continual promise interrupted by depressing heartbreak. The game against the Bengals said it all http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-alex-mack-jersey , as the offense looked amazing yet again, only for the game to be lost by one single point. Good grief. Here are some key takeaways from the game.Offense is great, but not enoughIn the NFL, scoring 30 or more points should be a guaranteed win. Scoring 35 or more should never result in a loss and yet that’s what we’ve gotten for two straight weeks. This offense is currently operating at a ridiculous rate that is probably not sustainable Mohamed Sanu Jersey , but it’s fun to watch nevertheless. The red zone woes from 2017 are a distant memory and Matt Ryan arguably looks as good as he did in 2016 when he won the league MVP. Yet, it’s not enough. The injuries to the defense are squandering what could be another record setting year for Ryan and this offense. It’s amazing and depressing and disheartening. Defensive adjustments were overlookedThe Falcons defense gave up a depressing 28 points in the first half against the Bengals. What’s being overlooked in the loss is the fact that they held the Bengals scoreless in the third quarter and to only 9 points in the second half. The coaching staff made adjustments that appeared to work and the unit seemed to be ... not god awful. While they did give up the go-ahead TD at the end of the fourth quarter, there’s reason to think this may be the worst performance we’ll see from them this year.If Vic Beasley and Takk McKinley can build off their performances today, the pass rush could help compensate a little for the issues in the middle. This defense is not going to be good this year Authentic Ryan Schraeder Jersey , but there’s some hope they can avoid being the worst in the league.Playoffs slipping awayUnfortunately, statistics tell us the Falcons playoff hopes took a devastating uppercut today. Teams that have gone 1-3 in the past have less than a 15% chance to make it to the playoffs. Going 2-2 would have given them over a 50% chance, so the impact of this loss was pretty significant. The Falcons can still crawl back out of this hole, but dropping two straight means you have to win several on the road going forward. It’s going to be a big Youth Austin Hooper Jersey , uphill battle to be relevant in January.LS Josh Harris headlines Falcons inactives vs. Eagles The Falcons will be down a snap and a slot Thursday night versus the Eagles. Long snapper Josh Harris and reserve corner Blidi Wreh-Wilson standout on the team’s first season inactives list. Newly-acquired safety Jordan Richards and reserve OL Ben Garland are also inactive. Don’t be surprised if Richards is still learning the playbook and is active next week. Rookies WR Russell Gage and RB Ito Smith and newly-called up sophomore CB Deante Burton get active nods for Thursday, but rookie CB Isaiah Oliver, who had been dealing with injury, is out. Look for Gage http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-vic-beasley-jersey , Smith and Burton on special teams. Roster bubble success stories Matt Gono and Justin Zimmer round out the inactives for the Birds. For the Eagles, the big two obviously are QB Carson Wentz and WR Alshon Jeffery. We’ll see how Wentz’s and Jeffery’s absences play a part Thursday night for Philly as the Falcons try to get their first win of 2018.