Falcons: Conflicting sentiments surface of Arthur Smith’s job security

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NFL: AUG 05 Atlanta Falcons Training Camp

With just one game left to go, the Falcons find themselves in a precarious position.

If Atlanta beats its rival in New Orleans and the Panthers beat the Buccaneers, Arthur Smith’s team will win the NFC South, ending the club’s postseason drought. The Falcons will host the Eagles in the Wild Card round if that’s the case.

However, if the Saints win and the Jets beat the Patriots, the Falcons will once again own the 8th overall pick in the draft for the third year in a row. After an offseason of significant investment in the roster, another 7-10 finish would be a supreme disappointment.

Arthur Smith’s job is in question, and those two outcomes could go a long way in deciding his fate. There seems to be conflicting reports of his standing in Atlanta.

Before the Falcons’ embarrassing showing in Chicago over the weekend, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero at NFL Network reported that Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot are likely safe.

If Atlanta finishes with solid performances in its final two games, Smith should be in good standing heading into Year 4. If it’s a freefall, the Falcons’ 81-year-old owner may have a different view.

Like Smith, general manager Terry Fontenot, who has spearheaded the massive roster and cap overhaul, appears to be on stable ground as of now.

A terrible performance against the Bears brought about conflicting sentiments from Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post, who 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.

Now, La Canfora has notoriously been wrong about other reports, including on the Falcons, but he’s not alone in these feelings about Arthur Smith’s job security. A pair of GMs believe his fate has already been sealed.

“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.”

That was yesterday. Today, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN believes Arthur Smith is safe, at least that’s what people around the league believe, adding that Blank doesn’t “want” to make a move, but how the season plays out could impact that attitude.

I’ve spoken with some people around the league who think Arthur Smith is safe, or at least Atlanta doesn’t want to make a move — though finishing the season losing four of the last five would not be ideal, and the fan base appears on edge. Smith has never had the quarterback in Atlanta, and giving him a fourth year to secure the right one might be the prudent move

Then, on the other hand, you’ve got guys like Mike Garafolo and Steve Wyche saying that Arthur Smith is on the shakiest of grounds.

I’m on the record saying that I believe most of the Falcons’ shortcomings can be attributed to poor quarterback play, but it’s hard to argue with empty stadiums and three underutilized top 10 picks. I could understand Arthur Blank going either way; however, I don’t think anyone actually knows which way he is leaning.

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Photographer: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire

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