The Falcons hired Arthur Smith because of his offensive success in Tennessee, resurrecting Ryan Tannehill’s career and helping lead the Titans to a top seed in the AFC.
Through two seasons, Smith’s offenses weren’t anything to write home about, but he made the most of what he had. The roster was void of talent; however, that’s no longer an excuse.
The offense, Smith’s baby, has been inconsistent, and that might be putting it mildly. The Falcons are one of the least productive offenses in football in terms of scoring points, and it’s hard to pinpoint the primary catalyst.
The quarterback position gets most of the blame, and rightfully so. Desmond Ridder hasn’t developed quickly enough, leads the league in turnovers, and has no redeeming qualities other than his uncanny professionalism. The offensive line has had its fair share of struggles while Smith is also to blame.
As Super Bowl champion and Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner pointed out, Smith’s inability to accentuate his offense’s strength has plagued them. With three top 10 picks, the Falcons feature one of the most predictable offenses in football.
There’s no rhyme or reason to many of the passing concepts, and it’s clear that Arthur Smith’s strengths lie in and around the run game. Well, he didn’t take too kindly to such criticism.
“I don’t care. I really don’t,” Smith said. “Everybody has their opinions. He’s welcome to come down here to our meetings. I would actually embrace that. I’m sure he gets paid a lot of money. I could give a rat’s… whatever. Unless you’re in the building with our guys and know what is asked of them and know what is really going on…”
Granted, you, me, and Warner aren’t in the meeting rooms, so we don’t know the specific responsibilities or goals of each concept on any given play, but for Smith to have such a snarky response is a bit off-putting. The struggles are real, and the sooner he admits that, the better.
“You have guy’s who get a hot take when they look at something and that’s probably not what was intended to happen,” Smith said. “Maybe a mistake happened. I think sometimes people get a microphone and the further they are away (from the game), they feel they know everything. Maybe he can solve some of the world’s problems, too.”
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Photographer: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire
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