Falcons coach calls out Patriots after crucial late-game call

Both the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons made their fair share of mistakes in their matchup on Sunday, which the Patriots won 24-23. Among the most costly miscues? An intentional grounding by the Falcons late in the fourth quarter, that led to a 4th & 20 then forced them to punt the ball way down one with just over two minutes to go in the game. The Falcons never got the ball back.

That intentional grounding happened, in part, because Falcons center Ryan Neuzil snapped the ball before the rest of the offense was ready. After the game, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris cited the Patriots' defense as the reason for that.

"They did a nice job. They simulated a snap," Morris said in his postgame press conference. "The ball came early, was snapped early. Within that snap, that was when we got the intentional grounding. Nice job by those guys. Great situational football. Great play. Got to snap the ball. That's why the ball was snapped early on Mike. He wasn't ready for the snap."

Just how did the Patriots' simulate the Falcons' snap count? Quarterback Michael Penix added some context.

"Supposedly they were clapping. For us, whenever I'm clapping, that means I want the ball," he explained. "I knew he said he heard them clapping, and he thought it was my clap, and he snapped the ball. I threw the ball in [Kyle Pitts'] direction. He had just released on a route. I thought I was going to be okay with the grounding part. Obviously that wasn't the case.”

Pitts was pretty far away from Penix when he threw the ball, so the grounding itself isn't the controversial part here. However, simulating defensive signals is supposed to be a penalty on the defense. While the call isa delay of game, it falls into the unsportsmanlike conduct category so it comes with a 15-yard penalty.

The question is, did the Patriots commit the penalty in question? Looking at the replay, safety Jaylinn Hawkins might clap before the snap a little over 10 yards back from the line of scrimmage. However, players are allowed to clap or make other noise to get the attention of their own teammates to communicate. It could have also been a case of home field advantage, and the Gillette Stadium crowd noise impacting the Falcons. After all, that's why teams usually use a silent count to begin with.

Typically, defensive delay of game is called on the defensive line. Those players are in a better position to mimic the calls of the offense, being as close as they are to the quarterback and linemen.

“Who was clapping? Did it look like I was clapping?” defensive tackle Milton Williams said after the game, via Mark Daniels of MassLive. “I’m going to go watch and see who was clapping. I didn’t hear no clapping. I’m looking at the ball. The ball moves, I’m gone.”

"I think both their guard were out. I think their communication might’ve been off,” Williams added. "One of them probably tapped him or something. I’m going off the ball. I’m down, ready to go, so when he snaps it, I’m gone."

Whatever the reason, no flag was thrown. That was in line with the way the game was called for most of the day. Head referee Brad Allen and his crew came into this game averaging a league-low 13.8 flags thrown per game, and lived up to that 'let them play' reputation throwing a total of just nine flags over the course of the day.