ESPN Analyst Critical of Raheem Morris's Clock Management in Latest Loss

ESPN's Bill Barnwell was critical of how Raheem Morris mismanaged the clock in the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 loss to the Washington Commanders.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris admitted after the Commanders loss he would have handled his timeouts differently.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris admitted after the Commanders loss he would have handled his timeouts differently. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
In this story:

With the division hanging in the balance, Raheem Morris's poor clock management and decision-making hurt the Atlanta Falcons' chances of victory in their 30-24 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday night.

Morris wasn’t alone in making mistakes on Sunday night, but his clock mismanagement was the most talked about. Social media screamed in unison, calling out Morris's inability to deal with the clock and all the surrounding elements. 

If the Falcons finish second in the NFC South, history will point to this game as one of the reasons why the team collapsed late and missed the playoffs for the seventh-straight season. 

The Misdeeds

With the Falcons driving for a potential game-winning field goal, Michael Penix Jr. completed a deep out to Darnell Mooney to the 44-yard line. When Mooney was tackled, there were 34 seconds left on the clock, and the Falcons still had two timeouts. Morris decided against using one of his timeouts, and Penix missed Mooney on the other side of the field on a hectic play with the clock moving.

12 seconds remained on the clock. The Falcons used up 22 of their remaining 34 seconds to get a rushed play amid the chaos, while sitting on two timeouts. They were able to get off just-two-more plays but were aided by a pair of Commanders penalties that put them into desperation field goal range.

Atlanta settled for a 56-yard try by Riley Patterson, who has a career long of 53 yards. Criticism for Morris rained heavily from all corners, not just Falcons fans.

The Theory-Based

Bill Barnwell from ESPN offers up reasonable discourse regarding football. Never one to utter a hot take, Barnwell offered up pointed but respectful critique about the bungled last drive of regulation. He outlined the fact that a hidden part of Xs and Os are the ability to manage not only time and timeouts. 


“There are so many things that are incredibly difficult about being an NFL head coach, that are untrainable and unteachable, that require decades of learning and experience to understand,” wrote Barnwell on X. “How to use your timeouts in two-minute drills is not one of them.”

Yahoo’s Charles Robinson was more to the point. 

“WILL YOU TAKE A FREAKING TIMEOUT RAHEEM MORRIS,” Robinson wrote

Former NFL wide receiver Brandon Stokley likewise wasn’t impressed.

“Wow these coaches don’t know when to use timeouts,” wrote Stokley. “Crazy!!!! Terrible job by Raheem Morris.”

To be fair, Morris was critical of his own decision making as well. 

“Probably could have,” Morris said after the game when asked why he didn’t stop the clock after Mooney’s catch. “I thought we could get to the line of scrimmage, the operation a little bit faster there. In hindsight, it could have been a good decision, a better decision to take that timeout.”

The Long-Term Anger

In discussing the ripple effects of last night's loss from multiple angles, people feel justified in their seething dislike for Morris's late gameplan. From influencers, to pundits, to fans, many question his overall fitness and capacity to function as a head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. 

While praising the play of Michael Penix Jr., concern grows that Morris as head coach, will kneecap the rookie's chances of leading this team into the playoffs. Looking back, Morris probably should have pulled the trigger on Penix earlier, before the Falcons' division lead evaporated. 

Bottom Line

The loss against the Commanders raised a red flag regarding Raheem Morris's capabilities. In front of a national audience, the Atlanta Falcons let victory slip right between their fingers, possibly along with the division. 

Now they need a win against the Panthers and a Tampa loss to the Saints on Sunday. The entire 2024 Atlanta Falcons season could boil down to time management. In turn, that could remain the legacy of Raheem Morris as a head coach if things don’t turn around in 2025.


Published
Terrance Biggs
TERRANCE BIGGS

Senior Editor/ Podcast Host, Full Press Coverage, Bleav, Member: Football Writers Association of America, United States Basketball Writers Association, and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, National Football Foundation Voter: FWAA All-American, Jim Thorpe, Davey O'Brien, Outland, and Biletnikoff Awards