My Take: Sarkisian got out-foxed in second half

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan appears stunned on the sidelines after throwing a interception to Miami in the final minute of the game Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, in Atlanta.

Credit: Curtis Compton

Credit: Curtis Compton

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan appears stunned on the sidelines after throwing a interception to Miami in the final minute of the game Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, in Atlanta.

The Falcons’ offense was out-foxed in the second half against the Dolphins.

Miami defensive coordinator Matt Burke got the best of Atlanta offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who was calling the game from above in the coaches’ box.

Everything that worked in the first half offensively was taken away in the second half as the Dolphins made the Falcons’ one dimensional. Then they unleashed their athletic defensive line to overwhelm the Falcons offensive line.

The Falcons ran the ball for 82 yards in the first half, but could only muster 18 in the second half.

The Falcons couldn’t block Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake and had to rely on quick passes or inside-cuts into the middle of the Miami’s zone defenses.

“I did OK,” said right tackle Ryan Schraeder, who was coming back from a concussion after missing the past two games. “I had some issues in pass protection with Cameron Wake, but nothing that can’t get corrected.”

He wasn’t alone.

The offensive line appeared to be over-powered at times, especially as the Dolphins had five tackles for losses. The Dolphins finished with two sacks and seven quarterback hits.

“We just weren’t consistent enough, from an offensive standpoint at least,” center Alex Mack said. “I don’t think we moved the ball as well in the second half. They ate up a lot of the clock in the third quarter, so when you have those chances you have to make the most of them.”

Sarkisian didn’t adjust and couldn’t figure out how to get All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones loose. Jones, who doesn’t have a touchdown catch through five games, caught six of his seven targets for 72 yards.

“Just in-game adjustments from half to half,” Jones said. “From the first half we were very successful in running the ball and then we came out in the second half, they tried to take the run game away. Basically, they tried to make us one dimensional and make us throw the ball.”

The Falcons scored on three of their five possessions in the first half. The opening drive was stopped when Sarkisian called a toss sweep on third down-and-1 and Tevin Coleman lost a yard.

For some reason, the Falcons will not run power plays in short-yardage situations. They didn’t at the end of the game against Buffalo and didn’t at the beginning against Miami.

The Falcons’ second-half possessions ended with a punt, aborted punt, punt and interception, which was Matt Ryan’s seventh turnover of the past three games, including two straight losses. His late-game pass was on target but his receiver failed him.

Ryan completed 24 of 35 passes for 248 yards one touchdown and the interception. He finished with a passer rating of 86.4.

“Well, I thought we put ourselves behind schedule,” Ryan said. “You know, the first drive of the second half, I think the first play we got backed up with a sack and did a good job on second and third down, but we were a little bit too far behind the chains to come away with a first down, so that was just an execution standpoint.”

While driving for a potential game-winning touchdown, tight end Austin Hooper was stripped by cornerback Cordrea Tannersly. The ball popped up and safety Reshad Jones made the interception.

What wasn’t working in the second half?

“They were sending pressures and everything and they were just trying to keep everything in front of them,” Jones said. “We had three-yard gains and quick throws, getting the ball out of Matt’s hands. Things like that.

“We just have to do a better job of that when we know that it’s going to come when the running game is successful (early) like it was today. We have to find ways to get the ball down the field.”

The Falcons still believe they can put things together offensively for a whole game.

“Hats off to them, they were the better team,” Jones said. “But it’s on us. This is a player-led team. We have to find a way to win games and finished games. The coaches did their job. They put us in great situations. As players, we have to just go out there and finish games.”

It’s not certain if Sarkisian could have jump-started the offense from the sidelines, where he has worked this season.

Where ever he elects to call game six, Jones believes the unit needs to be ready to adjust.

“It’s not frustrating,” Jones said. “We just have to continue to keep working. We are not frustrated here.

“We are not going to get divided, players to coaches and things like that or player to player. We are just doing our jobs. We just have to find a way to finish games, that’s it.”