Falcons run out of time to control their path to the playoffs after mismanaging the clock

— Raheem Morris and the Atlanta Falcons left five timeouts unused, and they may have an extended chance to linger over those mistakes. The first-year coach acknowledged he “probably could have” taken one after Michael Penix Jr. connected with Darnell Mooney on a 25-yard completion with 40 seconds left. Instead, the clock wound down to 17 seconds because he was “trying to save that timeout.” “In hindsight, it could have been a better decision to take that timeout, but I wanted to have the opportunity to move up there so you can always second guess those things,’ Morris said after his team’s defeat that punched the Commanders’ ticket to the playoffs. But I really believe we can get our operation time a little faster and to save that timeout.” Questionable coaching came back to bit the Falcons, including a near-total abandonment of the running game that was picking Washington apart for much of the first half. Whenever we have the opportunity based on that, it could have made us go one way or the other passing or running the ball.” The Falcons had the chance to go up 21-7 instead of 17-7 at halftime, though Morris defended his strategy as a way to not leave Jayden Daniels and Co. the chance to get the ball back: “Took the field goal.