LAS VEGAS – The Falcons are in danger of going 0-5 against the AFC for the second time over the past three seasons.
The Falcons (6-7) are set to face the Raiders (2-11) at 8:30 p.m. Monday at Allegiant Stadium.
The Falcons have lost to the Steelers, Chiefs, Broncos and Chargers this season.
In 2022, when they played against the AFC North, the Falcons also went 0-5. They lost to the Browns, Bengals, Steeler, Ravens and the AFC West’s Chargers.
In fact, over the past five seasons, the Falcons are 7-16 (.304) against AFC teams. However, the Falcons won their last meeting with the Raiders, 43-9, on Nov. 29, 2020.
The Falcons are treating the Raiders’ game as a “must-win” situation.
“I’d be lying to you if I said no,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “I would absolutely be lying to you. I can’t tell you that. There is definitely more into this game than most games, right?”
The Falcons need to keep pace with Tampa Bay after falling a game behind with four to play.
“We are essentially playing playoff-type football right now,” Morris said. “All these games become must wins, except the only thing different right now is you don’t go home, right? But, we are essentially playing playoff type football. We’ve got to play playoff caliber.”
The struggling Raiders have lost nine in a row and are set to start former Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder because of injuries to Gardner Minshew II and Aidan O’Connell. The Falcons have not been playing playoff-caliber football, as they have lost four in a row.
“We’ve got to bring all of the good things that have happened over the course of this year together,” Morris said. “You’ve got to put it together – whether it be the pass rush for us that showed the last two weeks, whether it be our passing efforts that have been going out there, our running efforts, whether it’s been our effort on defense vs. the Chargers and throughout the course of the game. How do you bring those things together? It’s got to happen.”
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