The Atlanta Falcons entered NFL Week 17 with a real shot to win the NFC South and earn a surprise playoff appearance.
They come out of Week 17 needing a whole heck of a lot to happen in order to win the bad division. Atlanta was humiliated on Sunday in a 37-17 road loss to the Chicago Bears.
It was bad. Really, really bad. Atlanta’s defense yielded 22 first downs and 432 total yards of offense. Quarterbacks Taylor Heinicke and Desmond Ridder also combined to throw four interceptions.
Following the ugly loss, owner Arthur Blank refused to speak to media. It’s the clearest indication yet that head coach Arthur Smith could be out of a job if Atlanta doesn’t sneak into the playoffs. Even if the team does at 8-9 while losing in the wild card round, Smith could still be out of a job after three pedestrian seasons in Atlanta.
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Arthur Smith needs miracle to save job with Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta needs to beat the New Orleans Saints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers losing to the two-win Carolina Panthers in order to win the NFC South. That is highly unlikely to happen.
The backdrop here is an owner in Blank who recently refused to commit to Smith beyond the 2023 season. He was unhappy about their recent play heading into Week 16.
“We will let the season play out and go from there. Obviously, this has not been the kind of year we expected,” Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank on Arthur Smith. “I think through this part of the season, it’s been mixed, quite honestly.”
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Smith now finds himself at 21-29 during his tenure in Atlanta. It is not anywhere near the type of performance Blank had in mind when he hired him away from the Tennessee Titans ahead of the 2021 season.
At 81 years old, Blank is not in a position to be patient with this team. He wants instant contention. There is talent on the Falcons. And in the end, Smith could become the proverbial fall guy.