Advanced Stat-Based Rankings Prove Popular Atlanta Falcons Theory To Be Correct: It Might Just Be on Arthur Smith

As we head into Week 16, it’s worth going over how the offensive play-caller rankings have changed throughout the season. The defending champs, with Andy Reid at the helm, are now second after the NFC powerhouse, the 49ers. But what’s more interesting is that Arthur Smith is now resting among the bottom dwellers, whose job has been in question for a while now.

Kyle Shanahan and Andy Reid boast a point over or close to +0.6, whereas Arthur Smith is at minus 1.0. Patriots’ Bill O’Brian is second last, yet he has .05 more points than the Falcons’ head coach, which has once again led to chatter among the fanbase.

The Falcons’ playoff dreams are now hanging by a thread after losing to the 1-12 Panthers last week. If they manage to win their next three consecutive games, which they haven’t been able to do in the entire season, maybe Arthur Blank won’t have Smith’s head on Black Monday. At least, the veteran head coach still has optimism left, as he feels that his guys will be able to bounce back.

There’s no shortage of criticism towards his star QB, Desmond Ridder, whom he benched for the upcoming matchup against the Colts. He returned to the lineup after being benched for two straight games and will once again be replaced by Taylor Heinicke. Ridder’s turnovers have been real trouble for the Dirty Birds, and they have even cost the teams a few games.

Therefore, it needs to be asked why the head coach didn’t let the QBs fight it out in the offseason like good ‘ol days and choose a stable starter rather than making panic moves at the end of the season. Then again, it could surely save his job if the team manages a few wins with Ridder out. Perhaps that’s Smith’s plan for now.

Fans Are Still Calling for Arthur Smith To Get Sacked

As soon as the offensive play-caller rankings surfaced online, fans didn’t shy away from taking a jab or two at the Falcons’ head coach. One of the fans took to the comments and wrote, “Us being dead last, says why Arthur Smith deserves to get fired. Supposed to have a innovative offense like the niners. Never seen it or will very predictable. Why he should be fired.”

Another fan noted, “Can someone make sure Arthur Blank sees this please?”

It’s not only this post on X, as several fans made sure to let the NFL world know that Arthur Smith is the sole reason for the Falcons’ recent hurdles. This fan argued that Smith is doing absolutely nothing on the sidelines.

Even his comments about ‘getting this right’ in the remaining few games by ‘die trying’ didn’t sit well with the majority of fans. One of the fans wrote, “It’s your play calling dude, you’re the problem.”

The Falcons owner recently stated that he is ‘committing’ to Arthur Smith, but after the season plays out, everything will be scrutinized thoroughly. So, the head coach must clinch the first spot again in the NFC South division if he wants to stay in the clear. Since their dominating win against the Saints, with 228 rushing yards and a 24-15 final score, the team has struggled to run the ball. Smith has acknowledged this and added that injuries have hindered the results over the past few weeks.

After losing two straight games against the struggling Jets and the league’s worst team this season, the Panthers, the Falcons will now go on to clash with the Colts, Bears, and Saints in the remaining weeks.