Falcons’ Arthur Smith ‘Comical’ View on QB Controversy? No, Coach, This Isn’t Funny

[oSI7ENT]

Please delete if posted.

https://www.si.com/nfl/falcons/.amp/news/desmond-ridder-rookie-marcus-mariota-atlanta-falcons-arthur-smith-comical-view-qb-controversy-no-coach-not-funny

Coach Arthur Smith is, hopefully, saying one thing but doing another when it comes to the Falcons evaluation of “Marcus Mariota vs. Desmond Ridder.'' Because, all of his media deflection aside, that's his job.

Dear Coach Arthur Smith,

Let’s strike a deal: You don’t tell the Atlanta Falcons media and fan base how to ask questions …

And in exchange, we won’t tell you how to run your football team.

No, wait. We’ll never live up to our end of the deal. Scratch that. Let’s do it another way ...

We won’t be offended by your deflective instance that questions about your quarterback conundrum because as you rightly note, that’s out job.

And you will therefore continue to be probed on “Marcus Mariota vs. Desmond Ridder”- as solving the puzzle is your job.

Smith did this last week after Mariota's foibles contributed to a feckless loss to a poor Panthers team. His reply to questions about Mariota vs. rookie Desmond Ridder. ...

"Comical,'' he said. "I understand why you gotta ask 'em. ... to get a headline to put in your articles in a 'link economy.' ... It ... drives attention and eyeballs and clicks.''

Whoa. Slow down, boss. We appreciate your "Inside-Journalism'' mention of a "link economy,'' but ... slow down. Because ... 

Coach, you're wrong.

The question wasn't being asked to sell newspapers, though that is certainly an offshoot of any "QB controversy.'' The question was (and is) being asked because your QB play is poor and your team is slumping.

Oh, and the word "comical'' actually fit some of what Mariota haplessly did in that game.

Fast-forward to this week: Back-to-back losses within five days during which the Mariota-led offense totaled 32 points, with the running game fading and the gifted Kyle Pitts turning into a ghost.

And yes, the 4-6 coach is being quizzed again. Appropriately, being asked on Monday about his QB "situation.''

And answering inappropriately.

"There's no 'situation," said Smith, planning to stick with Mariota. "We're right in the middle of a playoff race. There is no time to panic."

Arthur, you're deflecting again. Nobody asked you about "panic.'' The question is about the "situation'' - about as inoffensively as it can be phrased - and while you have every right to defend your decision and protect your players (there can be wisdom there), it is intellectually dishonest to pretend that the media is somehow manufacturing a bogus story in a journalistically unsound way.

You are, Arthur, overseeing a "situation.''

"Panic''? No, that accomplishes nothing. Admitting publicly that the Falcons have at quarterback a "controversy'' or a "problem'' or a "situation''? No, Coach, you are not obliged to do that.

But acknowledging privately inside Falcons QB that you have at quarterback a "situation,'' and that every effort and every consideration should be involved in fixing it? 

Yes, Coach, you are obliged to do that.

[Brookings]

[KRUNKuno]

Smith does NOT have the cache to be shrewd about his QB situation.  While I admire him sticking to his guns and his plan, he often tries too hard to be the smartest man in the room with his responses.

Just answer the questions.

[FalconsFanSince194eva]

Meh, let him dig his grave if he wants to. If this is the hill to die on, than so be it. 

[Killing Floor]

Forward to CP84! He’s giving away free tickets if you say you have a problem with the coach. 

[raysnill1]

I think this is the first in the history of my self acknowledged homerism that I'm completely over a coach and QB. I'ma support because this is my team but the whole "I'm smarter than y'all thing is arrogant and has gotten old" no it's not my job to decide who the QB is but dude needs to quit trying to pretend that what we see ain't what we're seeing

[FalconJim]

NO, NOT COMICAL AT ALL!!!  The success of the rest of our season could hinge on his decision to either stay with Marcus "Mediocre", or try the QB he drafted!  On one hand, we have a known product under center, which hasn't been very good, as of late, and an unknown product on the bench, which could be VERY GOOD, or not any better, or even worse.  I'm ready to find out, myself!!!

[falcndave]

20 minutes ago, raysnill1 said:

I think this is the first in the history of my self acknowledged homerism that I'm completely over a coach and QB. I'ma support because this is my team but the whole "I'm smarter than y'all thing is arrogant and has gotten old" no it's not my job to decide who the QB is but dude needs to quit trying to pretend that what we see ain't what we're seeing

He isn't smarter than us?  Seriously, what is your honest opinion?

[oSI7ENT]

My thing is, we have 4 wins in 10 games and this dude as talking about the playoffs 😂. Who hired this man? YOU PLAY ONE GAME AT A TIME COACH. The goal is to be 1 and 0. And even that goal is only obtainable by playing your best players. Oh well…

[Dark Bird Rising]

Y'all ain't gonna coach this team by committee! Ridder will play when Uncle Buck says so!

[MarkMc44]

***** willows blowing in the wind......

GO FALCONS!!!!

 

[NCFalconfan]

Smith is really cementing the perception that UNC grads are arrogant d-bags.

[Lornoth]

43 minutes ago, KRUNKuno said:

Smith does NOT have the cache to be shrewd about his QB situation.  While I admire him sticking to his guns and his plan, he often tries to hard to be the smartest man in the room with his responses.

Just answer the questions.

If our HC isn't the smartest football guy in the room full of journalists then just fire him now. I get the frustration but I think the relative successes of this team under AS so far compared to what is expected has gifted him the benefit of the doubt for now.

[oSI7ENT]

1 minute ago, Lornoth said:

If our HC isn't the smartest football guy in the room full of journalists then just fire him now. I get the frustration but I think the relative successes of this team under AS so far compared to what is expected has gifted him the benefit of the doubt for now.

4 out of 10 isn’t success. Likewise Success isn’t measured by the failures of others (Bucs). We are what are record says we are. A losing program. 

[Lornoth]

2 minutes ago, jetpac said:

4 out of 10 isn’t success. Likewise Success isn’t measured by the failures of others (Bucs). We are what are record says we are. A losing program. 

4 is way better than my or your evaluation of our roster was prior to the season. That's what I mean. He's outperformed his talent levels so far.

[FalconFanSince1969]

Why does anybody actually care about what he says to the media? The same media y'all hate on constantly because they never cover the falcons or when they do it's negativity? 

[Lethal]

1 minute ago, Lornoth said:

4 is way better than my or your evaluation of our roster was prior to the season. That's what I mean. He's outperformed his talent levels so far.

I said 6 on the year so they're pretty close to where I expected.  Seattle is probably our best win which is funny considering I had them drafting top 5 next year prior to the season.  Cleveland was a good win.  The other 2 are pretty meh.  

[KRUNKuno]

5 minutes ago, Lornoth said:

If our HC isn't the smartest football guy in the room full of journalists then just fire him now. I get the frustration but I think the relative successes of this team under AS so far compared to what is expected has gifted him the benefit of the doubt for now.

He can be the smartest man in the room, but respect is earned.  Not given.  His responses are highly arrogant, borderline demeaning.  Performance aside, stop talking to people like they’re beneath you and don’t deserve to be in the same room as you.

Your team is 4-6 fresh off a loss to a 2-7 team with a QB that just threw a butt pass. With all due respect, the product you’re putting out deserves to be questioned. 

[oSI7ENT]

And just for reference when talking about the benefit of the doubt. Here’s what a super bowl winning coach did that got him fired

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nfl/doug-pederson-defends-decision-bench-hurts-eagles-loss/sn-amp/

Pretty sure he was “smart” as well. The point is, don’t out think the obvious. I remember watching a football game this year and Collinsworth was commenting on these newer head coaches. He basically said they’ll go to a play that works, and never run it again throughout the game even to the point of losing. His point was sometimes coaching arrogance leads to disaster. AS gives me these vibes to the core. My man mentions starting faster after a loss, then proceeds to come out and run the same plays over and over to little to no success to start the game (Car game). It’s like, I know y’all just played us 10 days ago. But i’ve don’t little on my end to foresee the adjustments you’ll make and i’m going to stick to my original gameplan. Meanwhile 2-7 Carolina studied and learned and executed a gameplan against us that was, for the most part, very effective.

 

Coaching adjustments anyone?

[Lornoth]

Just now, KRUNKuno said:

He can be the smartest man in the room, but respect is earned.  Not given.  His responses are highly arrogant, borderline demeaning.  Performance aside, stop talking to people like they’re beneath you and don’t deserve to be in the same room as you.

Your team is 4-6 fresh off a loss to a 2-7 team with a QB that just threw a butt pass. With all due respect, the product you’re putting out deserves to be questioned. 

Eh, I don't care about how people present themselves nearly as much as most NFL fans. It's all just window dressing.

 

2 minutes ago, Lethal said:

I said 6 on the year so they're pretty close to where I expected.  Seattle is probably our best win which is funny considering I had them drafting top 5 next year prior to the season.  Cleveland was a good win.  The other 2 are pretty meh.  

Yeah I would have sworn up and down that Seattle would be the worst team in football this year. Haven't been blindsided like that for a long time. lol

[oSI7ENT]

5 minutes ago, Lornoth said:

4 is way better than my or your evaluation of our roster was prior to the season. That's what I mean. He's outperformed his talent levels so far.

[A Dog Named Brian]

54 minutes ago, FalconsFanSince194eva said:

Meh, let him dig his grave if he wants to. If this is the hill to die on, than so be it. 

Not the hill I would want to die on in this situation but 🤷‍♂️ 

[fuego]

1 hour ago, jetpac said:

The question wasn't being asked to sell newspapers, though that is certainly an offshoot of any "QB controversy.'' The question was (and is) being asked because your QB play is poor and your team is slumping.

Oh, and the word "comical'' actually fit some of what Mariota haplessly did in that game.

THIS.

[SavedByGrace1221]

5 minutes ago, KRUNKuno said:

He can be the smartest man in the room, but respect is earned.  Not given.  His responses are highly arrogant, borderline demeaning.  Performance aside, stop talking to people like they’re beneath you and don’t deserve to be in the same room as you.

Your team is 4-6 fresh off a loss to a 2-7 team with a QB that just threw a butt pass. With all due respect, the product you’re putting out deserves to be questioned. 

Seems like our fans are just happy as can be with mediocrity... Wait a minute we're way below mediocrity... 

[youngbloodz]

I’ve seen a lot of you posters football knowledge. And let’s just say it’s severely lacking lol. And I want Ridder to start