You’ve got to win in all three phases to pull out an NFL game. Unfortunately, the Atlanta Falcons learned the hard way. Against the New York Jets on Sunday, Atlanta actually showed plenty on offense and defense, but things came apart on special teams. This is why even with Bijan Robinson putting up big numbers, the Falcons still walked off with a 27–24 loss.

And this is exactly why Raheem Morris didn’t sugarcoat any of it. When asked about Robinson’s standout performance, the head coach brushed the numbers aside and went straight to the bigger picture:

“You know, stats are for losers. You’ve got to go out there and win that football game. I mean, we did not,” the head coach said.

The Falcons actually moved the ball well, finishing with 389 total yards, 222 through the air and 167 on the ground. And Robinson was at the center of almost everything. He was explosive in both phases. On the ground, he ripped off 142 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown. Through the air, he added 5 catches for 51 yards, working in tandem with Kyle Pitts and creating matchup problems all afternoon.

By the time the game was over, Robinson had piled up nearly 200 scrimmage yards, the kind of performance that usually swings a result your way. In the process, the back just joined a rare company. He’s now the fifth player in NFL history to open his career with three straight seasons of at least 50 receptions and 1,400 yards from scrimmage. And that’s what made the loss sting even more.

Atlanta got a big-time effort from its star back, yet still couldn’t close the deal. The defense did its part, too, holding the Jets to just 269 yards and sacking Tyrod Taylor twice. But the special teams meltdown changed everything. Missed opportunities, poor execution, and field-position losses piled up, wiping out what should’ve been a headline day for Bijan Robinson. No wonder the head coach didn’t hold back when talking about the unit’s struggles.

Raheem Morris wants the special teams unit to get better

Raheem Morris didn’t waste much time pointing out the special teams’ struggles against the Jets. The head coach addressed the issue without any hesitation:

“We just haven’t played well. We have not had the consistency you need to go out there and dominate field position. It’s a lot of different factors, but we gotta be better. You gave yourself a chance on offense and defense. We did not on special teams today.”

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The Falcons’ special teams issues were impossible to ignore. It started early when Jamal Agnew tried to field a punt inside Atlanta’s 10, put the ball on the ground, and handed the Jets a golden opportunity, a gift that quickly turned into New York’s first touchdown. Then came the back-breaker: an 83-yard kick return, a momentum swing the Falcons never really recovered from.

The miscues didn’t stop there. Kicker Zane Gonzalez pushed a 50-yard field goal wide, adding another layer to Atlanta’s frustration. And in the fourth quarter, soft punt coverage allowed a 16-yard return, which eventually set up a game-winning kick for the Jets. To put that in perspective, the Falcons are surrendering a league-worst 29.8 yards per return, per ESPN.

The signs are clear: The special teams’ struggles weren’t just about the Week 13 game. In fact, it’s been a recurring issue that’s holding back the Falcons. Which is why it wasn’t hard to see why Raheem Morris was livid. Atlanta got big plays on offense and solid work from the defense, but special teams kept tilting the field against them.