All signs seemingly point to Atlanta Falcons firing Arthur Smith.
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.
Leave a Reply