5 takeaways from Falcons' 27-24 loss to the New York Jets

The Atlanta Falcons have officially hit rock bottom, and the future looks bleak following Sunday's 27-24 loss to the New York Jets. The Falcons took a 24-17 fourth-quarter lead but -- as they have all season -- found a way to lose an extremely winnable game.

This time, special teams blunders led the way, but it was far from a perfect performance from the offense or defense. Jeff Ulbrich's unit gave up huge plays to negate what was a solid day overall. The offense went 4-for-12 on third down but still won time of possession and went 3-for-3 in the red zone.

Kirk Cousins went 21-for-33 for 234 yards and one touchdown. Kyle Pitts led the team with seven catches for 82 receiving yards. Plus, rookie James Pearce Jr. came away with another sack. None of that mattered, though, and Atlanta now sits at 4-8 overall.

Here are five takeaways from the Falcons' 27-24 road loss to the Jets in Week 13.

Falcons' special-teams blunders prove costly

The Falcons had a dreadful day on special teams. The team muffed a punt that led to a Jets touchdown in the first half. Kicker Zane Gonzalez missed a 50-yard field goal in a game that the Falcons lost by three points. And, as they have all season long, the special teams coverage unit gave up a huge return at the worst possible time. Immediately after taking a 24-17 lead, the Falcons allowed an 80-yard return to the Jets. It's been a rocky year for Atlanta's special teams units, and Sunday's game was the worst performance yet.

Bijan Robinson carries Falcons offense

Robinson had 90 rushing yards in the first half alone, and finished with 193 total yards (142 rushing, 51 receiving) for the game. The third-year running back scored a touchdown as well, but his efforts were once again wasted as the Falcons failed to close the game. Robinson averaged 6.2 yards on 23 carries, plus his 42-yard reception was the team's longest play of the game.

Falcons defense held together as long as possible

The Falcons allowed just over 70 yards in the first half and gave up one first-quarter touchdown following a muffed punt by Jamal Agnew. However, while the stats all favored Atlanta, the team continues to give up untimely touchdowns to keep opponents in the game. The Falcons offense sputtered in the final minutes with multiple chances to put the game away, which put the defense in a bind. It's hard to blame the defense overall, but this team seems incapable of playing complementary football.

NFC South Standings after Week 13

Sunday went as bad as the Falcons could have imagined in terms of their playoff chances. On top of losing to a two-win Jets team, the Falcons saw two of their division rivals come away victorious in Week 13. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Arizona Cardinals. Even worse, the Carolina Panthers defeated the Los Angeles Rams. Check out the updated NFC South standings below.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)

2. Carolina Panthers (7-6)

3. Atlanta Falcons (4-8)

4. New Orleans Saints (2-10)

What's next for the Falcons?

Things will get much tougher for the Falcons in Week 14 as they return home to face the Seattle Seahawks. Not only has QB Sam Darnold been a home-run signing for the front office, but the Seahawks defense is extremely talented at all three levels. Considering how much the Falcons struggled against the 2-9 Jets, it's not looking good for the team entering Week 14. The Seahawks are 8-3 and hold a 16-0 lead over the Vikings in the second half.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons lose to Jets: Recap of NFL Week 13