The Falcons have fallen quite short in 2023, and it may cost Arthur Smith his job.
Before Atlanta’s Week 14 contest against the Buccaneers, a report from Jeremy Fowler said the only way Smith would be fired following the season would be if there was a “late season collapse” for the Falcons.
Now, we weren’t told exactly what that would entail, but a blown opportunity against Tampa Bay seemed rather close to it. While fans debated if it was or not, the Falcons moved ahead as regularly scheduled, traveling to Carolina to take on the 1-12 Panthers.
Surely a loss to the worst team in the league, which would effectively dash the club’s postseason hopes, would fit the billing of a late-season collapse. Atlanta’s worst fears were realized as they fell to their coach-less division rivals.
If that wasn’t a late-season collapse, it seemed that only losing the confidence of the locker room could rid Smith of his job because he returned last week against the Colts in the most impressive victory of the season.
Following the 29-10 drumming of Indianapolis, reports surfaced that Arthur Blank would likely give Arthur Smith and Terry Fontenot the 2024 campaign, but another embarrassing loss the next week might’ve turned the tide.
The Falcons looked as bad as they’ve looked all season on Sunday against the Bears. As I said before, the head coach’s seat seems scorching hot, but the only way he’d be canned is if he lost the locker room. Well, that seems to be happening in real time.
Cordarrelle Patterson, one of the most highly respected veterans in Flowery Branch, voiced his frustrations with his role in the offense on social media for all of the world to see. An internal shift within Atlanta’s locker room following the Week 17 loss is convenient timing for this next bit of information.
Not that the two are at all related, but a report from Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post suggests all signs point to Arthur Blank firing Arthur Smith this offseason.
“Anything short of a firing would be shocking. Owner Arthur Blank isn’t a big fan of the work being done by Coach Arthur Smith, and plenty of people around Blank at the most recent league meetings came away thinking a coaching search was imminent. Smith’s series of painful losses since then haven’t helped, nor has the revolving door at quarterback,” La Canfora stated.
The Falcons have been one of the bigger disappointments in the league this season, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the club is back in the hiring pool after just three seasons with the former Titans offensive coordinator. La Canfora isn’t alone in these sentiments. Two current GMs believe Blank’s mind is already made up.
“I don’t care what anybody writes, Arthur Smith isn’t safe,” the first GM said. “He’s there for one more week.” The other GM said: “They can’t sell tickets, man. They have all these first-round picks on offense and they can’t score. He has to make a change. You can’t sell Arthur Smith anymore.”
Smith’s usage or lack thereof his three first-round picks has become an ongoing joke among Falcons fans and fantasy footballers. Underutilizing Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London surely has to be concerning for Blank.
Moreover, the Falcons haven’t consistently filled out Mercedes Benz Stadium since its inception, and Blank sees the empty seats just like everyone else. Contests in Atlanta have become a place where visiting teams come to make a home away from home.
With all of that being said, La Canfora has notoriously been off on several reports, including on the Falcons. So, while I think it’s entirely possible that Blank fires Smith, I would take this information with a grain of salt.
—
Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.