I could make excuses for the Falcons. I could tell you there’s a solid core already in place and with a little more seasoning under a different regime, it’s all going to work out. But none of that matters right now. At 4-8, the Falcons are an embarrassment. Suffering through this season’s shenanigans has been ... not fun. But it is what it is—all we can do is move forward and hope there are better days ahead.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the best and worst individual performances from yesterday’s los

3 Falcons Up

Younghoe Koo

Koo knocked down 3 field goals yesterday, including a 53-yard attempt. And fun fact: Koo has outscored the rest of the team over the last 3 weeks. Koo has now knocked down 29 of his 30 field goal attempts this season, including 6 of 6 from 50+ yards.

Julio Jones

Julio played injured against the Saints, which is what he does best. He caught 6 balls (10 targets) and racked up 94 receiving yards, including a 35 yard reception. His 18-yard reception between 2 Saints defenders with under 3 minutes to play during the 4th quarter (video below) summed up his gutsy performance perfectly.

Calvin Ridley

Ridley was the Falcons’ leading receiver yesterday, catching 5 balls (10 targets) and racking up 108 receiving yards. His 31-yard reception during the Falcons’ last offensive drive of the 1st half (video below) was a sight to see.

3 Falcons Down

Dirk Koetter

Last week’s win over the Raiders may have helped fool some into thinking he’s not one of the worst offensive coordinators in the National Football League, but yesterday’s train wreck quieted any doubts. If this man is still employed by the Atlanta Falcons Football Club in 2021, something will have gone horribly awry.

Todd Gurley

Oh, Todd. I hate to say it, but it’s time to rule out Gurley being a Falcon in 2021. Gurley had 8 carries yesterday and racked up only 16 rushing yards. Be it his arthritic knee or Koetter’s inept play calling, the Falcons need a better option at RB1.

A.J. Terrell

Terrell had a down game yesterday, which isn’t the end of the world when you’re talking about a rookie cornerback navigating a steep learning curve. This is what Pro Football Focus had to say about his performance against the Saints:

Terrell had an interception, but the Saints kept picking on him and he allowed six catches on nine targets, all for first downs.