Prayers Go Unanswered: Atlanta Falcons out of playoffs for 7th year in a row

Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Michael Penix, Jr (above) scored the team’s first touchdown of the game on a five-yard run. Photo by One Circle Entertainment/The Atlanta VoiceThe 2024 regular season came down to this. One final ball game for it all. If the Atlanta Falcons defeated the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost a home game to the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta was back in the playoffs. Correction: Atlanta would have been back in the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. That season took place in 2017 when the head coach was Dan Quinn. Yes, Dan Quinn of the playoff-bound Washington Commanders. None of that would matter as the Tampa Bucs beat New Orleans 27-19, the final score coming across the jumbotron at Mercedes-Benz Stadium as the Falcons prepared to kick off after losing the coin toss. Carolina would win 44-38 minutes later.After the game, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said he was “disappointed” in how the defense played.“Hats off to the Carolina Panthers, you have to give those guys credit where credit is due,” Morris said. Good news: This is the first season under head coach Raheem Morris, the first full-time Black head coach in...