FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Whether its a kid's board game, a high-stakes poker match, Pop Warner football or the best of the best suiting up on Sundays in the NFL, the most frustrating part of any game — for the loser at least — is that there was a chance the outcome could have been different.

We all run the risk of feeling this way no matter the game. This frustration was never more apparent as it was in New England when the Falcons dropped their third consecutive game, a one-point, 24-23 loss to the Patriots.

"We have to find ways to win that one," Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said postgame.

One could argue no one has to look very far to find a way. Any way. That's because the Falcons were never without a way. They squandered opportunities that arose, in fact.

The defense gets a turnover, or two. Drake London caught a touchdown pass, or three. The defensive front got a sack, or six.

All good things. All opportunities to capitalize on. All plays that can — and have — lead to wins.

In fact, there's a stat floating about that states since the 1964 season teams that were plus-two in turnovers and plus-five in sacks won 96.9% of the time. This is cited from Pro Football Reference.

By those odds, the Falcons should have won. Or at least been in the position to win.

But then there's the other side of the coin.

The offense goes 1-of-10 on third down, contributing to just a 25% conversion rate in the last three games. An opposing defense holds Atlanta's run game to less than 100 rushing yards for the third week in a row. And, of course, Parker Romo misses an extra point that would have tied the game with less than five minutes to go.

"Still didn't feel good, like last week didn't feel good. But yeah, can't say it was all bad (Sunday). But we didn't win, so that's the bottom line," left tackle Jake Matthews said. "We got to find a way to win. We'll keep working that way. There's a lot of games left. We know we're a good team, just got to get back in that winning column."

Tired: The Falcons have to find ways to win.

Wired: The Falcons had ways to win, and didn't.

It all goes back to the same word that has echoed through the walls of the Falcons' facility in Flowery Branch in the wake of the team's loss in Week 8 to the Miami Dolphins: Execution.

The Falcons are now 3-5. They have lost three of their last four with a tough test against a seven-win Indianapolis Colts team on the road in Germany slated for next Sunday. Until this team can execute more than it extinguishes, the same narrative will remain. And Atlanta's record won't improve in the way it needs to in order for this team to get into the postseason, which is a feat looking more and more daunting as the weeks — and losses — pile on.