Games aren’t won and lost during the offseason, but don’t tell Falcons fans that right now. The organization is riding as high as they have been in a long time after the acquisitions of Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons. In just a few short months, Raheem Morris has stepped in as head coach and built the culture Arthur Smith failed to create over three seasons.
That’s not to say Arthur Smith deserves all the blame for Atlanta’s shortcomings. Desmond Ridder had a lot to do with it, and having Kirk Cousins in the building has been eye-opening, but there’s no question Raheem Morris has brought a different kind of fire to the Falcons. One that has everybody counting down the days to Week 1, when Atlanta will welcome Arthur Smith back to town as he coordinates the Steelers offense.
The devil works hard, but the National Football League works harder. The schedule makers knew exactly what they were doing when they put together this matchup to open the season. The Falcons would love nothing more than to hand their old head coach a loss and win Raheem Morris’ first game. On the flip side, the players on the Steelers know how important this game is to their new offensive coordinator.
It’s fair to expect a little extra fire from both teams in a few weeks, and Bijan Robinson acknowledged as much on Up & Adams with Kay Adams. When asked which game he’s the most excited for this season, he answered, “The Steelers.”
https://twitter.com/heykayadams/status/1825638169506873545
There is always a little more fire when competing against friends, ex-teammates and former coaches. However, this one feels a little bigger than most. Robinson clearly still has love for Arthur Smith, but this is the beginning of a new chapter, and the Falcons feel as if they are ready to compete for a Super Bowl under Raheem Morris. With a win, all the positive momentum stemming from a productive offseason will grow exponentially. But a loss at home against an offense led by Russell Wilson and Arthur Smith, and questions will immediately be raised across the board.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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