Don’t worry Falcons fans, Arthur Smith willing to die to get this right

Leave a Comment / Falcons / By /
NFL: OCT 15 Commanders at Falcons

To call the Falcons’ 2023 campaign a disappointment would be an understatement.

After a three-game skid against three quarterbacks making a debut of some variety, Arthur Smith’s team captured an important victory in Atlanta over the Saints, parlaying it into a two-game win streak after topping the Jets in East Rutherford.

In first place of the NFC South, the Falcons had a chance to take a stranglehold of the division at home against the Buccaneers, whom they had beaten earlier the year despite Desmond Ridder‘s three red zone fumbles.

Baker Mayfield ended up leading Tampa Bay to a victory that catapulted his club atop the division. Then, the Falcons made the impossible, possible.

Against the 1-12 Panthers, Desmond Ridder and Atlanta’s offense only mustered seven points but still had a chance to put the game on ice late in the fourth quarter. Inside the red zone, the Falcons were attempting to extend their lead. A field goal would have forced Carolina to score a touchdown to win the game. A touchdown would have given the Falcons an eight-point lead, which likely would have been insurmountable given the state of the Panthers offense.

How about neither? Ridder threw an inexcusable interception that eventually led to a game-winning field goal for the Panthers, giving them their second victory of the season.

So, where does the club go from here? Do not fret Falcons fans because Arthur Smith is willing to die to make sure they right the ship.

What does that exactly entail? As we learned earlier in the week, it means Arthur Smith is benching Desmond Ridder for a second time and turning to Taylor Heinicke. I wouldn’t like to have my fate tied to either Ridder or Heinicke, but Smith made his bed, so he has to lie in it now.

—

Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire

Scroll to Top
%d bloggers like this: