The Loop

How'd Your Team Do, Twitter Edition: Falcons get literally and figuratively stuffed into a locker by the Rams

Everything you need to know about the state of the Atlanta Falcons occurred in one clip on Sunday during their game against the L.A. Rams. You probably know exactly which one I'm talking about. It's the one where Aaron Donald lifts Devonta Freeman into the air like a small child:

For reasons that can never be explained, Freeman, who stands at 5-foot-9 and weighs 209 pounds, decided it'd be a good idea to try to fight Donald, who is 280 pounds and moves more like a truck than a human being. I don't care how frustrated you are with you or your team's performance, you don't take on the mass of human that is Donald. That's how you become an internet meme. That's how you become a punchline on Twitter for the rest of your career:

Freeman and the Falcons were literally and figuratively lifted off the ground and stuffed into a locker by the Rams, losing 37-10 on their home turf to fall to 1-6 on the season. They've lost five straight since that Sunday night victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, and in their last three losses, they've given up 34 points or more. In case you forgot, Dan Quinn was a defensive coordinator prior to becoming the head coach in Atlanta. His defense is now one of the worst in all of football. No team has given up more points, only four teams have given up more passing yards and only one team (the Miami Dolphins) gives up more points per game.

What has happened to this franchise? The answer is pretty simple. Instead of burying the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI like they should have, the Falcons put together the greatest collapse in the history of the Super Bowl. Then, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan left for San Francisco, and the Falcons offense, once a lethal operation, has never been the same. Since they gifted the Pats that ring, the Falcons have gone 18-21, and will now miss the playoffs for a second straight year. How this franchise did not win a Super Bowl with the talent it possessed over the last decade is almost sickening.

As of this writing, Quinn remains the head coach, though it's essentially a foregone conclusion that he won't be much longer. The Falcons championship window has slammed shut, which is a sad state of affairs for Matt Ryan and Julio Jones. Let's see how Twitter handled what felt like a Falcons funeral on Sunday.