Getty Image / Edward M. Pio Roda
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith has a ton of skill talent as his disposal. Yet, week after week, the offense disappoints, leaving Falcons fans and fantasy football players baffled.
That was once again the case on Sunday, as the Falcons’ offense scored just seven points against the lowly Carolina Panthers in a 9-7 loss.
With the loss, the Falcons drop to 6-8, a game back of both the Saints and Buccaneers in the NFC South. They’re a game back in the NFC Wild Card race, as well. Considering that it was against the 1-12 Carolina Panthers, it’s as bad of a loss as they could have had at this juncture in the season.
Make no mistake, when your defense doesn’t give up a touchdown in the entire game, the burden of a loss falls on the offense. They had just 202 total yards of offense on the day, a truly terrible total. Yes, it was in a driving rainstorm. But, the out-manned Panthers offense managed 283 yards in the same conditions.
An offense that has spent three straight top ten picks on skill players in tight end Kyle Pitts, wide receiver Drake London, and running back Bijan Robinson and has a pretty good offensive line should not be putting up putrid totals like that.
It falls on the shoulders of Arthur Smith. Those three top picks only had thirteen total touches on Sunday. Tyler Allgeier had fourteen on his own. How does that make any sense at all? Why is he and management using first-round picks on players they won’t give the ball to? It makes no sense.
From a fantasy football perspective, it was the first week of playoffs for a lot of leagues today. London and Pitts are two risky fantasy plays, and if you played them, that’s just how it goes with those two. But, Bijan Robinson, the best player on the entire offense, only getting eight touches in a must-win game is comical. Not only did Arthur Smith potentially kill the Falcons season, he killed the season of hundreds of thousands of fantasy football players.
Thankfully for Falcons fans, I don’t think Smith will be allowed to be a football terrorist in Atlanta next year. Better days should be ahead.