Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith has nobody to blame but himself.
Over the last three seasons, nobody has done less with more than the former Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator. Nobody has done a better job of hiding transcendent first-round talent like Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson at the expense of stupid Wildcat stuff in the red zone. And nobody has mangled his quarterback situation more notably.
But we digress. In any event, at the end of the Falcons’ 48-17 Sunday loss to the New Orleans Saints, Smith gave Saints head coach Dennis Allen a bit of what-for based on New Orleans scoring a final touchdown with 1:10 left in the game. This was a fake victory formation at the one-yard line after Saints defensive back Tyrann Mathieu picked off a Logan Woodside pass at the Atlanta 25-yard line, and ran out of gas after a 74-yard run.
Tyrann Mathieu takes what’s his & doesn’t apologize #Saints pic.twitter.com/ALPGs2Zhld
— Trizzy Trace (@tracegirouard48) January 7, 2024
What was Allen supposed to do — kneel on the ball at the Atlanta one-yard line until the clock ran out?
This is the play Arthur Smith was upset about. pic.twitter.com/nAAQaM1DmS https://t.co/Z08FXh0xRN
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 7, 2024
Apparently, Smith thinks that’s exactly what Allen should have done.
I thought the idea was that if you don’t want your opponent to ring your asses up, you stop them. pic.twitter.com/60mjvOCLwK
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 7, 2024
America was ready with corrective action for Coach Smith, and justifiably so. Allen shouldn’t have to apologize for a bit of it, though he did.
Saints coach Dennis Allen: I’m gonna start by apologizing to Arthur Smith and the Falcons.
Said they should’ve taken a knee. But guys wanted to get Jamaal Williams a TD and that’s “unacceptable.”
“That’s not who we are, not what we’re about.”
— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) January 7, 2024
Arthur Smith whining about the Saints scoring a touchdown at the end of the game pic.twitter.com/TV2m2CDPdw
— JJ Zachariason (@LateRoundQB) January 7, 2024
Dear @AtlantaFalcons,
My young son watched in horror after today's game to hear such awful, terrible language from YOUR head coach Arthur Smith. He will not stop crying. Smith is supposed to be a role model for the youth of America.
I'm calling for his firing, ASAP. #dobetter pic.twitter.com/w7u8WvFTmM
— Kevin Tompkins (@ktompkinsii) January 7, 2024
Arthur Smith is a loser.
Get him out of there.
Soft and worried about an extra touchdown being scored on your team when you week in and week out sent an unprepared team out on the field.
Wants to get in Dennis Allen’s face after the game. 😂😂😂
— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) January 7, 2024
This is absolute clown behavior. It is not Dennis Allen's job to make Arthur Smith look less inept as a coach! It is his job to win football games! If you don't want the Saints to score a garbage time TD, IT IS YOUR JOB TO STOP IT FFS https://t.co/at3vtttPBr
— Jeanna Kelley (@jeannathomas) January 7, 2024
Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson after Arthur Smith gets fired tomorrow morning pic.twitter.com/kNAXw6PEP5
— Justin (@Justin_14P) January 7, 2024
Arthur Smith ending the season being upset about scoring is just pic.twitter.com/D1VPsZPenG
— TJ Hernandez (@TJHernandez) January 7, 2024
More leaked footage of Arthur Smith and Dennis Allen postgame pic.twitter.com/JoFhNVzyAJ
— Victoria (@ffb_victoria) January 7, 2024
"This is football man. You have the right to do whatever the hell you want." – Tiki Barber on Arthur Smith's postgame tirade pic.twitter.com/ONXPGVdyoz
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 7, 2024
The Arthur Smith era: pic.twitter.com/wuflZRLBfz
— Ollie Connolly (@OllieConnolly) January 7, 2024
Falcons under Arthur Smith:
2021 – 7-10
2022 – 7-10
2023 – 7-10 pic.twitter.com/P7F6qYhACa— Jake (@SuperiorNBA) January 7, 2024
Arthur Smith coming off the field. Couldn’t make out what was said but looks like he took exception to something yelled from crowd. pic.twitter.com/49AXdBsNzX
— Justin Felder (@Justin_FOX5) January 7, 2024
Arthur Smith took exception to Dennis Allen running up the score. Mark my words – he’s gotta get sweet revenge in a couple years on the high school level. pic.twitter.com/6IVtDlboOX
— Cousin Sal (@TheCousinSal) January 7, 2024
