Kirk Cousins [1296x729]
Kirk Cousins [1296x729] (Credit: AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

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DENVER -- The Atlanta Falcons home locker room at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was vibrating with hope and adulation two weeks ago. The team was celebrating its best start -- 6-3 -- since 2016, the last time the franchise appeared in the Super Bowl.

Fast forward two weeks to Sunday, and the mood in the visiting locker room at Empower Field at Mile High was sullen. The same team went from thoughts of controlling the NFC South to trying to shake off a 38-6 rout at the hands of the Denver Broncos.

"Pissed off," Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss said, describing the mood after the Falcons' largest margin of defeat since losing to the Dallas Cowboys by 40 points in 2021.

Coach Raheem Morris said the Falcons weren't just beaten, but they lost the battle of physicality and effort. They didn't tackle well. Atlanta didn't score an offensive touchdown, and a struggling defense -- that came in without three cornerbacks and lost another in Kevin King (concussion) -- allowed rookie Bo Nix to put in one of the best first-year quarterback performances in NFL history.

Nix was 28-of-33 passing for 307 yards and four touchdowns, the first rookie QB to throw for 300 yards and four  touchdowns with an 80% completion percentage. The Falcons already came in allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete passes at the highest rate in the league, and their pass rush was nil again Sunday, other than a bull-rush sack by Matthew Judon.

"The whole game was about physicality and effort and they out-physicaled us, they out-efforted us," Morris said. "They absolutely won the game. They talked about that early in the game and what it takes, and it was being your very best when your best is required. We were not that today."

Atlanta's offense wasn't much better than its defense. Key penalties halted drives, which has been a recurring issue, and quarterback Kirk Cousins was 18-of-27 for 173 yards and an interception. It's his third game with no passing touchdowns and an interception, which is tied for the second most in the league.

The Falcons go into their bye week banged up and looking for solutions. Defensive linemen Zach Harrison (knee) came out of Sunday's game. Edge rusher James Smith-Williams and defensive linemen Ta'Quon Graham were just put on injured reserve Saturday. Atlanta was missing cornerbacks Mike Hughes, Dee Alford and Antonio Hamilton Sr. in Week 11, as well, due to injuries.

"There's no magic formula, but I think that having conversations this week to say, 'Hey, what are we doing well, what are we not doing well?'" Cousins said. "And then how do we fix it? Those are important questions to ask, but the answers are even more important as to how you fix it, and that's to be determined."

Cousins said things like effort and physicality can be controlled, so that's something the Falcons can correct. 

"You can't expect to come into a hostile environment and win with that defensive effort," said Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons, who spent eight seasons in Denver. "It's not nearly good enough for us."