Tag: Arthur Smith

Sep 10, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) in action against the Carolina Panthers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Falcons coach Arthur Smith unconcerned by meager passing production

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Head coach Arthur Smith wasn’t worried about how the Atlanta Falcons earned their first victory of the season over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Despite some first-game mistakes, it was the fact they got it done.

“I’m just happy that we got the win,” Smith said. “It’s always good to get a win in the NFL, especially at home. Now we’ve got to get ready from a good Green Bay team coming in here.”

With the 24-10 win over an NFC South rival, Atlanta is off and running after a 7-10 finish a season ago.

Quarterback Desmond Ridder completed 15 of 18 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown in his fifth career start. Nine of Ridder’s 18 pass attempts were under 10 yards and only one went longer than 20 yards.

Some of that had to do with Atlanta’s inability to pass protect against a talented Carolina front that tallied four sacks and forced Ridder out of the pocket on several occasions.

But Smith emphasized that it wasn’t a lack of effort that the offense didn’t hit more plays downfield.

“We got sacked on four,” Smith said. “Our depth wasn’t good on some of ‘em. Some of them they may have covered. So, no, it wasn’t for a lack of trying. When you’re in third-and-22, third-and-12, it’s give and take. You don’t want them to pin their ears back.”

Second-year pro Tyler Allgeier, rookie tailback Bijan Robinson and safety Jessie Bates III played instrumental roles in the team’s win over Carolina.

Allgeier had a team-high 75 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries, while Robinson added 56 yards on the ground and six receptions for 27 yards and a score. Bates forced three turnovers (two interceptions, forced fumble) and recorded 10 tackles in his Falcons debut.

Rookie Matthew Bergeron, a second-round pick, got his first NFL start at left guard for one of the best run-blocking offensive lines in the league. Smith was pleased with how Bergeron played in his debut.

“Very solid,” Smith said. “It wasn’t perfect. But he’s a strong player with a tough mindset and I thought he played pretty well making his first NFL start.”

The Falcons will host Green Bay (1-0, 1-0 NFC North) Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The Packers rolled to an impressive 38-20 win over Chicago last week behind three touchdown passes from quarterback Jordan Love and two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) from tailback Aaron Jones.

Jones’ status is up in the air, however, after he injured his hamstring crossing the goal line on a 35-yard scoring reception in the third quarter, which gave the Packers a commanding 24-6 lead. After the game, Jones was seen jogging into the locker room so the injury may not be serious enough to keep him out of Sunday’s meeting.

Regardless of Green Bay’s situation, Smith is focused on his team improving from week to week so it can do what it hasn’t done since the 2017 season, and that’s make the playoffs.

“I’m just trying to help make this team better so we can play in the postseason,” Smith said.

–All-purpose back Cordarrelle Patterson (thigh) and cornerback Jeff Okudah did not play in the win over the Panthers. Smith is hopeful the two can return to the lineup in the coming days. Smith also said the team escaped any major injuries in the win over Carolina.

“We were actually pretty clean from an injury standpoint, which is always a positive,” Smith said. “With (Cordarrelle) Patterson and (Jeff) Okudah, they are trending in the right direction so we’ll see what Wednesday looks like for both of those guys.”

–The Falcons released running back Godwin Igwebuike, who was called up from the practice squad before the Week 1 game.

–Field Level Media

Jul 28, 2023; Flowery Branch, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback Jeff Okudah (1) runs during a drill during training camp at IBM Performance Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Falcons coach: CB Jeff Okudah can return in ‘early part’ of season

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith on Saturday provided what he deemed to be a positive update on the health of cornerback Jeff Okudah.

Okudah was carted off the field on Friday due to an ankle injury. Smith told reporters shortly thereafter that he did not wish to jump to conclusions and would wait for an MRI to be performed on Okudah.

“Very positive news with Jeff,” Smith said after Saturday’s practice. “We have (to) think he has a great chance to be back in the early part of the season. We feel really good for Jeff, all things considered.”

Smith did not divulge an exact timeline or the specific nature of the injury for Okudah, who went down while defending wide receiver Frank Darby during a 1-on-1 drill.

Okudah was the No. 3 overall pick by the Detroit Lions in 2020 out of Ohio State, where he was the first Buckeyes cornerback to earn unanimous All-America honors.

The Lions’ offseason signings of projected starters Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley made Okudah expendable, and Detroit dealt him to Atlanta in April for a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Okudah, 24, is entering the final season of his four-year, $33.5 million rookie contract and will be eligible for free agency after the season.

Okudah played in just 10 games (seven starts) combined in his first two seasons, slowed as a rookie by hamstring and core muscle injuries. He suffered a ruptured Achilles on the first day of the 2021 season.

In 2022, he played in 15 games (all starts) and tallied 73 tackles, seven passes defensed, an interception, a forced fumble and his first NFL touchdown.

–Field Level Media

Jan 8, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (25) runs the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Upbeat Falcons have plenty of room to grow heading into ’23

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The Atlanta Falcons finished with a 7-10 record, but optimism abounds entering the offseason.

They’re expected to have roughly $75 million in cap space according to OverTheCap.com, with effective cap space hovering around $60 million.

If those numbers hold, it would give Atlanta the second-most cap space in the league entering 2023.

Armed with a talented young roster and riding a wave of momentum following a two-game winning streak to close the season, general manager Terry Fontenot said he and head coach Arthur Smith are moving to the “next phase of the plan” to mold the Falcons into a championship-caliber team.

“We had a plan from the very beginning, and now we are in the next phase of that,” Fontenot said at the end-of-the-season press conference Wednesday.

“This is going to be a different offseason that we’ve had in previous years. And yet, we are still going to be smart and handle things the right way. We are still going to set parameters and have discipline with everything we do.

“And yes, decisions we made before, we knew exactly what we were stepping into. We knew what the challenge was. And we knew early on in Year One, we are going to have a lot of young players, but we have to sign some veterans because we want to establish the culture and we want to establish our identity. And we want to make sure we’re setting a foundation the right way. So, we had some veterans on one-year deals.

Referring to defensive coordinator Dean Pees, who retired Monday after 50 years in coaching Smith said Pees “was here for two years, and yet Dean laid a foundation that’s going to continue to pay dividends moving forward.”

Smith said the team would be in no rush to hire a defensive coordinator. The versatility Atlanta currently has on its roster, however, could lead to a hire with a 3-4 background.

“Obviously we’ll miss Dean,” Smith said. “I’m glad he got to talk to everybody on Monday. That was important. So, we’ve cast a really wide net. We are going to take our time, which I think is important. Certainly, there is familiarity with certain schemes, but we are not going to be close-minded about anything.”

Atlanta’s 2022 draft class produced four starters — quarterback Desmond Ridder, tailback Tyler Allgeier, wideout Drake London and linebacker Troy Andersen — and key backups in defensive end Arnold Ebiketie and linebacker DeAngelo Malone.

Allgeier set the franchise rookie record for rushing yards in a season with 1,035. London led the team in receptions (72) and yards (866) and tied for the team lead with four scoring receptions. Andersen had 69 tackles, including three for a loss. He also forced a fumble and blocked a kick.

But the million-dollar question remains this: Did Ridder do enough to earn become the team’s quarterback of the future?

“We are still early in the offseason, but we are certainly encouraged by the progress he made,” Smith said. “But there’s a lot of work ahead of us before we are ready to declare anything like that right now.”

Marcus Mariota is still under contract through the 2023 season, with a cap hit of $12 million. If the Falcons choose to cut Mariota, the team’s cap number could balloon to over $80 million.

Atlanta holds the No. 8 pick in the NFL draft, and the Falcons’ staff was selected to coach in the East-West Shrine Bowl. Fontenot and Smith say they will be hard at work to build on the “culture” they have established since taking over the franchise a couple of years ago.

“One thing that we have here is a very strong culture,” Fontenot told reporters. “And you guys know because you see practice, you’re around the building and you see the players so you see the culture that we have here. And on Sundays, you look at the way every game, the way the guys fought and competed for the entire game, and it’s a credit to coach and the staff and the players and the leadership … the way they really attack everything: the meetings, the practices, the weight room, everything. And so, we have to make sure we always prioritize that. And that’s critical.

“Whether we are looking at players, we are going to go through an assessment of every player on the roster, whether they are under contract or not under contract. And it’s always going to start with the makeup, the character, the personal character, the football character, what’s their fit, what’s our trust level with them in the building, outside the building. It’s always going to start with the culture.”

–Field Level Medias

Jan 8, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (25) runs the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Arthur Smith, Falcons proud of rookie class after season finale

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If Sunday’s 30-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was any indication, the Atlanta Falcons’ future looks bright due to a promising rookie class that really emerged as the season progressed.

First-year players Desmond Ridder, Tyler Allgeier and Drake London stole the show on offense in the victory over the Bucs, while fellow rookie Troy Andersen continued his strong play at linebacker on a young defense as the Falcons finished the season 7-10 for the second straight year.

It’s still too early to say if Ridder, a third-round pick, is Atlanta’s future at quarterback moving forward. But in four starts, Ridder made a case that he should be QB1 when the team opens the 2023 season due to his quick decision-making and strong arm.

In the win over the Bucs, Ridder fired his first two touchdown passes as a pro and completed 19 of 30 passes for a season-high 224 yards. For the season, he was 73 of 115 for 708 yards and two scores, good for an 86.4 passer rating.

Allgeier surpassed William Andrews (1,023) for the most rushing yards by a rookie in franchise history by running for 135 yards in the win over Tampa Bay (8-9). Allgeier, a fifth-round pick, rushed 210 times for 1,035 yards and three touchdowns for the year.

“There’s a reason we drafted him,” Atlanta coach Arthur Smith said. “I was pretty pleased with the way he was trending and then some of it was opportunities happen. I don’t know if anybody was running the ball better than (Cordarrelle Patterson) was earlier in the year around the league and unfortunately, he missed some time, and it was an opportunity where I thought Allgeier stepped in and did a nice job. So did Caleb Huntley. And I think he really took off so, some of it is by circumstance, but we had a lot of confidence when we took him out of BYU.”

London, a first-round pick, had six catches for a season-high 120 yards against the Bucs. He led the team in receptions (72) and yards (866) and tied for the team lead with four TDs.

Andersen, a second-round pick, started five games and had 69 tackles, three for a loss. Arnold Ebiketie, a second-round pick, and DeAngelo Malone, a third-round pick, also played significant roles on an Atlanta defense that could really take off if the Falcons can put the ball in the end zone more often.

“The next challenge is to make sure we become more explosive offensively,” Smith said. “We need more of a pass rush. I get all that. But every game except for one up in Cincinnati was a dogfight. These guys embraced it. There’s a big difference between this 7-10 and the last one.”

–Defensive coordinator Dean Peas, 73, announced his retirement after 50 years of coaching. Peas coached in high school, college and the pros and won Super Bowls with New England and Baltimore.

–Linebacker Rashaan Evans, cornerback Isaiah Oliver and right tackle Kaleb McGary are the team’s key free agents.

–Atlanta will have the No. 8 pick overall in the NFL draft. Don’t be surprised if upgrading the pass rush will be a top priority. Receiver, cornerback and the offensive and defensive lines are other areas that could use a boost in talent.

–Field Level Media

Jan 1, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (4) passes the ball against the Arizona Cardinals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Arthur Smith: Desmond Ridder played with ‘great poise and demeanor’

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The Atlanta Falcons are a work in progress under the direction of second-year head coach Arthur Smith.

But after a last-second 20-19 win over the Arizona Cardinals snapped a four-game losing streak, rookie Desmond Ridder is beginning to make an argument to be the team’s future at quarterback.

In this third career start, Ridder orchestrated a 12-play, 72-yard game-winning drive, which was capped by Younghoe Koo’s 21-yard field goal as time expired.

The win improved Atlanta’s record to 6-10 and gave Smith’s team a shot of momentum before the team hosts the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8) in Sunday’s season finale.

Ridder completed 19 of 26 passes for 169 yards on the day. On the Falcons’ last drive, he was 3-for-3 for 31 yards, which included a key 14-yard completion to tight end MyCole Pruitt. Smith said Monday that he had all the belief in the world that his quarterback could execute with the game on the line.

“We could’ve gone super conservative and run it and see what happens and force them to use their timeouts,” Smith said. “But we decided to be aggressive and trust Desmond and the offensive unit. I like the way he operated. That’s three games in a row where I thought in the fourth quarter, when you needed him, he’s had great poise and demeanor so it shows the trust we have in him and the offensive unit.”

Pruitt has seen his role expand in recent weeks after being on the practice squad. The seventh-year pro had four receptions for a team-high 49 yards against the Cardinals.

“MyCole is a guy that I coached at Tennessee,” Smith said. “We picked him up in 2018 off Houston’s practice squad. … Sometimes it takes some time for those guys to find a role. It’s a tough position to play, especially depending on your scheme.

“I think he’s a really smart and instinctive player. He’s played some really meaningful snaps for us. He had a pretty bad injury last year so that was part of the reason why he didn’t sign with anybody. But he’s taken advantage of the opportunity here. Obviously, we have a lot of trust in him and clearly Desmond does too.”

–Left guard has been a revolving door for Atlanta due to injuries, but Matt Hennessy got the start there against Arizona and played well.

“It was nice to see Matt Hennessy to get in there and contribute,” Smith said. “We’ve played a lot of guys different guys at left guard. He played well in that spot and it was good to see.”

–Tyler Allgeier had 20 carries for 83 yards and a score against Arizona. He is 100 yards shy of 1,000 in his rookie campaign.

–Koo is 23 of 24 on field goal attempts inside of 50 yards. He is 6 of 10 on kicks between 50 and 59 yards.

–The Falcons released practice squad wide receiver Cameron Batson on Monday after he was arrested over the weekend. Batson has yet to be released from Fulton County jail as of Monday afternoon and faces five charges: aggravated assault, battery, aggravates assault against a law enforcement officer when engaged on official duty, removal or attempted removal of weapon from public official and driving/fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer.

–Field Level Media

Dec 24, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith during the first half against Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Arthur Smith: Falcons need ‘more points’ in red zone

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It’s been a season of close calls for the Atlanta Falcons, but the team’s inability to score touchdowns proved costly once again in a 17-9 loss to the host Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.

Three Younghoe Koo field goals accounted for all of Atlanta’s scoring, as coach Arthur Smith’s team failed to score 20 points for the fourth consecutive game — and for the sixth time in its last seven.

The Falcons (5-10) entered the red zone four times against the Ravens (10-5) and failed to score a touchdown each time. An inability to score TDs has plagued Atlanta all season long, and it’s a big reason why the Falcons were eliminated from playoff contention with two games still left to play.

“We obviously need more points. I’m not going to rationalize that,” Smith said. “There are different things that have come up. You get down there, you get a penalty — at the end of the half. Another time, we’ve got to be better operationally, just some things mechanically. And one of ’em you’ve got to make a decision to kick a field goal because of the situation in the game.

“It’s a fine line to make excuses and rationalize them but it’s just the reality of the situation. Again, if we thought it was some epidemic when you’re top 10 in the league, but, clearly, we need more points. That’s for sure.”

Despite the team’s struggles in the red zone, quarterback Desmond Ridder showed progress in his second career start against a solid Baltimore defense. The 6-foot-3, 207-pound rookie completed 22 of 33 passes for 218 yards despite being sacked twice.

“I thought he did a nice job,” Smith said. “We were in a little more of a drop-back game, which was good to see from him. I thought he delivered, especially as the game went on, and made some critical throws in critical situations. That’s what I saw. We came up short, which is frustrating. But I thought he made a lot of progress.”

Atlanta’s running game didn’t churn up yards as it normally does squaring off against one of the top run defenses in the league. However, tailback Tyler Allgeier continued his effective rookie campaign by rushing for 74 yards on 18 carries. He added four receptions for 43 yards.

Fellow rookie Drake London had team highs in receptions (seven) and yards (96) for the third consecutive game. He is 301 receiving yards shy of 1,000.

Atlanta has lost four consecutive games and six of its last seven, but Smith is focused on winning with an upcoming home game against the struggling Arizona Cardinals (4-11) on Sunday.

“This is an important game for us. We need to play well and we need to go win,” Smith said. “It’s important to win at home. It’s important to win short term. Obviously, we came up short of our goal. But the next step, we need to finish this out right. We need to win.”

–Rookie Troy Andersen has seen his playing time increase in recent weeks. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound linebacker had two tackles and a forced fumble in the loss to Baltimore. He has 58 total tackles on the year.

–Second-year safety Richie Grant had a team-high 10 tackles against the Ravens. He ranks second on the team in tackles (107 tackles) and is tied for first in interceptions (two). Veteran linebacker Rashaan Evans (150 tackles) leads Atlanta in stops.

–Field Level Media

Oct 9, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Arthur Smith: ‘Every position’ to be evaluated entering Falcons’ bye

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Following a 19-16 loss to Pittsburgh, Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith made it known that all positions, including quarterback, would be evaluated entering the team’s bye week.

Just a few weeks ago, Smith said “nothing’s changed” when asked if he’d consider a switch from Marcus Mariota to rookie Desmond Ridder behind center.

During Monday’s press conference, Smith said “we are still working through that” when asked about the quarterback situation. He also reiterated that Atlanta (5-8) will evaluate every position following its fourth loss in its last five games.

“It’s at every position … whether you’re making a call at left guard or anywhere else on the field,” Smith said. “What you don’t want to do is have a knee-jerk reaction, which I don’t think after 13 games you are.

“What we try to do every Monday is be objective and tell the truth in the meetings. And there’s a way to do that without taking shots at anybody’s dignity or whatever. We’ll never do that. It’s called coaching and being objective and correcting things. And it starts with myself. You’ve got to hold yourself accountable first.”

Mariota garnered criticism after he missed a number of wide-open receivers in the loss to the Steelers. His interception on the Falcons’ final drive sealed the victory for Pittsburgh (5-7).

Ridder, the 74th overall pick in the draft, has yet to be given a shot behind center. But the talented dual-threat could be given a look in order to give the Falcons’ struggling offense a shot of momentum down the stretch.

“We will have some very intense meetings in the next couple of days,” Smith said. “Obviously, I know where we’re at. We understand, too, (that we’ve) been in some close games lately and we need to get back over the hump. There will be changes made. Everything that we decide to do, I will be as transparent as possible.”

Not all of Atlanta’s struggles can be pinned on the quarterback. Penalties at key times have caused drives to stall. And due to the Falcons’ lack of explosiveness, that has often resulted in kicking field goals rather than scoring touchdowns.

“You never going to be really good if you’re in a lot of third-and longs,” Smith said. “Certainly, need to be better than what we’ve been the last five weeks. We’ve been in too many; maybe a hold here and gotten off track. I thought we’ve protected pretty well for the most part against some pretty good fronts. But when you get off schedule, those third-and-9-pluses are hard to convert.”

Despite the team’s struggles, Smith is not giving up hope with four games left and the NFC South title still in play.

“We are in a unique spot,” Smith said. “We have a quarter of the season left and we have a late bye. It’s the latest bye that I’ve been a part of. We have to figure out a way to get over the hump.”

–Smith said he expects to get guards Elijah Wilkinson (knee) and Chuma Edoga (knee), nose tackle Jalen Dalton (toe) and linebacker Arnold Ebiketie (forearm) back following the bye week. He also said there’s “a chance to get (center) Matt Hennessey back.”

–Mariota has completed 184 of 300 passes (61.3 percent) for 2,219 yards and 15 touchdowns, with nine interceptions. He’s also the Falcons’ third-leading rusher with 438 yards and four scores.

–Field Level Media

Nov 27, 2022; Landover, Maryland, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (25) carries the ball against the Washington Commanders during the first half at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Arthur Smith pleased Falcons are ‘building’ on O-line, run game

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Mistakes in the red zone have proved costly in a number of the Atlanta Falcons’ tightly contested games this season.

In the Falcons’ 19-13 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday, a Marcus Mariota pass intended for Cordarrelle Patterson was tipped by Daron Payne and intercepted by Kendall Fuller in the end zone for a touchback with a little over a minute left to play.

But one positive that Arthur Smith’s team can take from the loss was its ability to run the football effectively against one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL.

Behind tailbacks Tyler Allgeier and Patterson, along with Mariota, the Falcons ran the ball 29 times for 167 yards for an average of 5.8 yards per carry. Entering this week’s home matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta (5-7) ranks fourth in the league in rushing (160.0 yards per game).

“We feel like we’re building something here up front in our mentality with our offensive line,” Smith said. “There aren’t moral victories, but it does give you confidence week after week that these guys have stepped up. And we’ve played some good fronts.

“It is the NFL, and everybody is good, I got that. But we’ve played some of the better ones. Played (the 49ers), and I know they didn’t have Bosa, but that’s a damn good front. And then yesterday, they are playing as well as anybody in the league. Low-possession game, I thought we moved the ball really well. Thought we had some good pockets.”

Despite a revolving door at left guard due to a knee injury to starter Elijah Wilkinson, the play of Atlanta’s offensive line has been strong. Right guard Chris Lindstrom and left tackle Jake Matthews are playing at a Pro Bowl level. Center Drew Dalman and right tackle Kaleb McGary have been solid, especially when run blocking.

This week, Atlanta faces another challenge when it meets a Pittsburgh team that ranks sixth in the league in run defense (103.4 yards per game). The Steelers (3-7) rank 31st in the league in pass defense, however, so Mariota could be poised for a big day through the air.

But don’t expect Smith and the Falcons to go against what’s worked best for them all season long. Patterson and Allgeier have formed a dynamic one-two punch, and Caleb Huntley has been solid despite just one carry for 12 yards against the Commanders.

“It was a function of the game, yeah, and he had one good run,” Smith said about Huntley’s lone carry. “That’s a good problem to have because Tyler is playing really well, and we know the impact CP has on the game. We got to make sure he gets it more because he’s earned the right to carry the football for us.”

–Outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie left in the second quarter in the loss to Washington with a wrist injury. Smith is hoping Ebiketie will be able to return Wednesday.

“Obviously, AK, hopefully he’ll be alright,” Smith said. “He’s dealing with a wrist injury. We’ll see how it responds on Wednesday. But day-to-day on all those guys.”

Smith also said Wilkinson “has a shot” to be activated from IR if “he’s ready to practice Wednesday.”

–Atlanta wideout Olamide Zaccheaus had season highs in receptions (five) and yards (91) in the loss to Washington. His 45-yard reception on the team’s final possession got the Falcons into Washington territory with just more than three minutes to play.

–Field Level Media

Oct 23, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith calls a time out in the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Arthur Smith: Falcons will miss Kyle Pitts’ ‘enormous’ impact after IR move

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After Sunday’s thrilling 27-24 win over the Chicago Bears, the Atlanta Falcons are surprisingly just a half-game out of first place in the NFC South and in position to make a run at winning the division.

But any optimism surrounding the Falcons (5-6) in Arthur Smith’s second season as coach was overshadowed Monday by knee injuries to tight end Kyle Pitts and defensive end Ta’Quon Graham, who were placed on injured reserve.

Pitts, who plays a valuable role in Atlanta’s offense with his unique skill set as a receiver and blocker, injured his right knee Sunday. Though the Falcons have not confirmed the severity of the injury, NFL Network reported that the team believes he suffered a torn MCL.

“I did not go to medical school so I listen to the experts,” Smith said Monday, before Pitts’ move to IR. “Obviously it’s important with a player of Kyle’s caliber, and I understand why it’s newsworthy and people want to know, but I, not trying to be evasive, let the guys who are medical experts handle it.”

Graham, the team’s starting left end, also suffered a knee injury Sunday and had to be carted off the field. Both Pitts and Graham will have to miss at least four games before returning from IR.

The injury to Pitts put the Falcons behind the eight-ball against the Bears with fellow tight ends Feleipe Franks and Anthony Firkser inactive. MyCole Pruitt and Parker Hesse saw increased action as a result of Pitts being out. But the loss of Pitts for any period of time is a major blow to Atlanta’s offense.

Pitts has 28 receptions for 356 yards and two touchdowns over 10 games. He was a Pro Bowler as a rookie in 2021, with 68 receptions for 1,026 yards and one touchdown.

“I know the stats aren’t as gaudy as his rookie season but his impact on winning has been enormous for us,” Smith said. “I know at times we haven’t been in sync with the way we’ve had to play, and you are going to sacrifice some passing numbers. But the guy’s a great teammate. He doesn’t pout like a lot of guys with that kind of hype. But he’s a real person and that’s why we love him. And the future is really bright for him.”

Graham, a stout run defender, has 34 tackles and a fumble recovery this season.

This week, Atlanta travels to take on the red-hot Washington Commanders in a critical game that could help determine a playoff spot. Washington (6-5) has won two in a row and five of its last six games.

Taylor Heinicke replaced Carson Wentz at quarterback and improved to 4-1 as the team’s starter this year following the Commanders’ 23-10 win over Houston. He also led Washington to a 32-21 upset of previously undefeated Philadelphia on Nov. 14.

The play of Heinicke, along with a resurgent rushing attack led by Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson, has been critical to Washington’s recent success.

Another key has been the play of the Commanders’ defensive line. Despite playing without star defensive end Chase Young due to a torn ACL he suffered last season, Washington has 29 sacks through 11 games, tied for 10th in the league.

Young was activated to Washington’s 53-man roster Monday and could make his season debut against Atlanta. The Falcons’ offensive line is playing well, but it will face a major challenge against a rugged Commanders front which features Daron Payne (6.5 sacks), Jonathan Allen (6.5 sacks) and Montez Sweat (6.0 sacks).

–Field Level Media

Nov 10, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end Marquis Haynes Sr. (98) sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota (1) in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Arthur Smith: Falcons sticking with Marcus Mariota, no ‘situation’ at QB

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After losing two games in five days, Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith isn’t in panic mode.

Despite some dreary passing numbers and a combined 32 points scored over the two losses, Smith was adamant that Marcus Mariota is the team’s starting quarterback.

“There is no situation,” Smith said. “There never was a situation. Ever.”

In fact, the second-year coach is optimistic about where his Falcons (4-6) stand entering Sunday’s matchup with the Chicago Bears (3-7).

“We are right in the middle of it,” Smith said Monday. “We’re not where we want to be. But the reality is we are right in the middle of a playoff race with a conference opponent coming in here in a game we need to win.”

Atlanta owns the NFL’s fourth-best rushing attack (160.4 yards per game) but ranks 30th in the league in passing yards per game (156.8 ypg). Only the Tennessee Titans (148.2 ypg) and Bears (128.1 ypg) have been worse.

For the season, Mariota has completed 143 of 231 passes for 1,747 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He’s the team’s third-leading rusher (347 yards, three touchdowns) and has done what Smith has asked of him within the framework of a run-oriented offense that relies heavily on play-action passing.

But a big factor in the Falcons’ losses this season has been the results of negative plays and turnovers. And Mariota isn’t the lone man to blame, according to his coach.

“We need to avoid negative plays,” Smith said. “I don’t think an offense is going to be very effective if you’re off track. We’ve been pretty damn good when we’ve been on track. We just haven’t been as consistent lately. Those are things we can eliminate. And that’s not just on the quarterback.”

Atlanta drafted dual-threat quarterback Desmond Ridder in the third round in April’s draft, but Smith shut down any rumors about a potential quarterback change.

“We’re playing the guys who have been playing,” Smith said. “If we were going to make a change, I’d tell you. You’d see it at practice.”

Atlanta and Chicago have been two of the league’s top teams running the ball, and Smith knows his defense faces a challenge trying to contain a three-headed rushing attack which features dual-threat quarterback Justin Fields (749 yards, seven touchdowns) and tailbacks Khalil Herbert (643 yards, four touchdowns) and David Montgomery (434 yards, two scores).

“I think what the Bears have done is they’ve found an identity,” Smith said. “They have a formula right now. You see what their numbers are running the football as well as anybody, and (Fields) is a huge part of that.”

–Chicago enters its game with Atlanta ranked first in the NFL in rushing (201.7 ypg). A big reason for that has been Fields, who passed for 167 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 147 yards and two scores in last week’s 31-30 loss to Detroit.

Fields has been one of the most dynamic players in the league over the last few weeks.

“You can definitely see his confidence growing,” Smith said “He’s strong as hell. He’s certainly probably the strongest guy they got in the backfield so he’s doing a nice job. We are going to have to stop the run, not just him.”

–Atlanta rookie wideout Drake London caught his third touchdown pass of the season in last week’s 25-15 loss to Carolina. It was his first touchdown reception since Week 3’s 27-23 road win over Seattle.

–Field Level Media