Every loss hurts in the NFL, but some hurt more than others. On Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Atlanta Falcons in a 34-14 blowout at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Falcons had won three straight games entering Week 7, but their Week 7 loss left a bad taste in the players’ mouths.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins didn’t play his best but hopes the game will serve as a wake-up call to the team going forward.
“We have to be hard on ourselves,” Cousins said following Sunday’s loss. “Coach one another hard, be candid about what we each can do better and you have to kind of start with yourself and raise your hand and say, ‘Hey, I’ve got to do this better.'”
Atlanta has another big game coming up in Week 8 and Cousins knows the team can’t afford to waste time dwelling on a bad loss.
“So that’s a part of what good teams do, but then certainly you have to move forward as well and that’s what Wednesday is all about. And, you know, there’s a phrase they use in the league that you can’t let your previous opponent beat you twice.”
The Falcons have been able to do this so far, bouncing back from their previous two losses with wins the following weeks. Cousins believes the coaching staff will get the team back on track.
“Many times a performance that you don’t like can galvanize you and sharpen your edge a little bit. And that’s certainly what you want a performance like this to do.”
Sharpen the edge
We move forward pic.twitter.com/mD9RApkQfi
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) October 21, 2024
The Falcons will play their fourth NFC South game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road this weekend. The Buccaneers are currently leading the division following Atlanta’s Week 7 loss, but they have a tough game against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night football.