Despite Loss vs. Bengals, Falcons 'Getting Better' - and Still Ahead of Schedule

The Atlanta Falcons were dominated in several key categories against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, but Atlanta's goals and aspirations for the season remain well intact.

The Atlanta Falcons' 35-17 road loss to the Cincinnati Bengals added just one digit to the loss column, but underneath the covers lay a game that wasn't even as close as the 18-point margin suggests, and another opportunity gone to get above .500 for the first time since 2017.

The Bengals outgained the Falcons 537 to 214.

The Bengals recorded 29 first downs to Atlanta's 13.

The Bengals averaged 8.1 yards per play to Atlanta's 4.8.

No matter how it's spun, Cincinnati dominated from start to finish. And yet, for as disheartening as the contest proved to be for the Falcons, it's still just one game.

Atlanta fell to 3-4 on the season and remains winless in its last 12 chances to get over .500. And yet - once again - it's still just one game.

Nearly as important in the long run for the Falcons is that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell 21-3 to the Carolina Panthers, led by interim coach Steve Wilks and backup quarterback PJ Walker. Thus, no matter how ugly Sunday's affair in Cincinnati was, the Falcons will return home still tied atop the division, with the Buccaneers feeling none the better about themselves.

The Bucs are now 1-4 in their last five, the lone victory being over Atlanta, marred by the controversial roughing the passer call on Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.

Everything the Falcons set out to accomplish at the start of the season is still well within reach. Through seven games, Atlanta's very much in contention to win the division and has been more competitive than most predicted.

The best part? Atlanta, which fields the second-youngest team in the NFL, is continuing to ascend - and remains ahead of schedule in the big picture.

"We're getting better week in and week out," Jarrett said. "Learning from our losses, learning from our shortcomings, but still a lot of optimism going forward. We've got a group of guys that believe in each other so much and know that our best football is still ahead of us. We've just got to go get in the game and make it happen."

The Falcons trailed 21-0 in the blink of an eye Sunday but scored 17 points in the second quarter to get momentum entering halftime. Even with all of the struggles and eventual shortcoming, Atlanta's march back highlighted the fight its shown all year.

The game felt out of reach, but so did Week 2's 31-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, when the Falcons trailed 28-3 late in the third quarter. So did the loss to Tampa Bay, which held a commanding 21-0 lead entering the fourth quarter. And yet, both times, the Falcons came storming back.

While Atlanta ultimately couldn't get the ball rolling in the second half, it never felt like the team quit, which is quickly becoming a key part of the budding identity being established by coach Arthur Smith.

"We're still resilient as a group," tight end Kyle Pitts said. "So, keep fighting every drive and don't give up. We'll never give up throughout the year."

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow proved to be too much for Atlanta's resiliency, throwing for 481 yards and three touchdowns while completing 80 percent of his passes.

It was a difficult day for the Falcons' secondary, which entered the contest already down corners Casey Hayward and Dee Alford and lost All-Pro corner A.J. Terrell to injury on the second defensive of the drive.

Still, the Falcons refuse to make excuses, and with a divisional matchup against Carolina looming, are fully focused on moving on and getting a victory in front of the home crowd next week.

"We're serious about this team, we're serious about what we've got," second-year safety Richie Grant said. "Every Sunday we're going out there and we're just trying to put out there for the 404. We've got to go 1-0 each week, and that's the mindset."

After winning three of the last four games heading into Sunday, the Falcons had a big wave of momentum carrying them forward. While the attitude leaving Paycor Stadium didn't necessarily reflect that same energy, Atlanta's young, feisty, competitive group is solely focused on making corrections and getting back to winning.

After all, no matter how bad Sunday's drubbing was, it was just one game - one terrible, horrible, no good, very bad game.

Still, after seven weeks, the Falcons sit tied atop the division and are continuing to ascend, which isn't half-bad for a 2-15 football team.

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You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

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