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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Urben

Arthur Smith says Falcons have ‘turned the ball over too much lately’

​The Atlanta Falcons set themselves up for another fourth-quarter comeback in Week 6, but this time, the offense came up short.

Quarterback Desmond Ridder turned a promising start into a nightmarish finish, throwing three interceptions during Sunday’s 24-16 loss to the Commanders. The Falcons now sit at 3-3 following their 2-0 start.

Things won’t get any easier as Atlanta travels to Tampa Bay to face the 3-2 Buccaneers in Week 7. After the game, head coach Arthur Smith talked about turnovers, communication issues, and the decision to go for two.

Smith on failed 2-point conversion

When asked about the decision to go for two with the team down by eight points in the fourth quarter, Smith said it’s something the team has done before. “Those are consequences you live with,” explained the Falcons head coach.

Smith on rocky fourth quarter

Atlanta’s fourth-quarter performance left a lot to be desired. The team turned the ball over in the red zone and essentially crumbled during the game’s biggest moments. “It’s a tough pill to swallow,” said Smith. “We had plenty of opportunities, but Washington made the plays.”

Smith on turnovers

The Falcons threw three interceptions and it was likely the difference in the game. Desmond Ridder looked good on the first couple of drives, but his opening second-half interception was a crusher. Ridder later threw a pick in the red zone that took potential points off the board. “We’ve turned the ball over too much lately,” said Smith after Sunday’s game.

Smith on communication issues

The Falcons made some critical mistakes on offense in which it was clear there was some miscommunication. “It hasn’t been an issue — it was today,” said Smith. “Some of our operations weren’t that clean. We need to fix that and we will.”

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