The Atlanta Falcons had their chances in Week 9 but gave the game away with some careless turnovers. At 4-5, with some winnable road games coming up, Atlanta’s playoff hopes are still alive.
However, if the Falcons don’t start playing with more consistency, it won’t matter who’s on the schedule. The quarterback change didn’t produce the results fans were hoping and it’s unclear who the starter will be going forward.
Below are two studs and duds from Sunday’s 31-28 loss to the Vikings.
Stud: Jonnu Smith
Jonnu Smith has been a welcome addition to this Falcons offense as he’s proved to be impactful in more ways than one. Not only did he lead the team in catches in Week 9, Smith had 100 total receiving yards, including a 60-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass. For the season, Smith has 34 catches for 422 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Dud: Taylor Heinicke
We got the change we wanted and sort of needed at QB, but the inconsistency was still there. Taylor Heinicke made the kind of mistakes you would expect from Ridder on Sunday. Offensively, the passing game was slightly more effective with Heinicke under center and the team did score the most points it has all season. Still, it wasn’t the improvement many had hoped for and the veteran QB needs to be more efficient next week.
Stud: Younghoe Koo
Younghoe Koo has been as consistent as they come. In Week 9, he converted all four of his field goal attempts. The Falcons wouldn’t have the record they do without the reliable leg of Koo. While it’s nice to see the Falcons get points when the offense can’t get the ball into the end zone, settling for field goals will get you beat most weeks in the NFL.
Dud: Arthur Smith
Smith’s seat is getting hotter each and every week as the team continues its descent into mediocrity. The third-year head coach is already on his fourth quarterback and the team is still making critical errors on offense due to a lack of discipline and focus. The Falcons face off against the 1-8 Cardinals next week, and if they lose, Smith might not be around for much longer.
