There is no doubt in my mind that Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith will turn the Falcons into a playoff team.

[Falcons Fan MVP]

For all those who think that Arthur Smith and possibly even Terry Fontenot should be fired.... Once we get some money to spend and some more draft picks there is no doubt in my mind we will be a playoff team. Worst case scenario the Falcons are like they were with Mike Smith where they make the playoffs but struggle to win a game. But I'm very confident we will be a playoff caliber team. 

The million dollar question is can Terry and Arthur get us that Lombardi. 

Arthur Smith will be a winning coach once we get more money to spend. I don't know if he will become great (I hope so) but he will be good. 

 

[Flyin' In DC]

I agree. There is no way you can win or even be competitive when you are starting bargain basement backups at best. 

[Sui_Generis]

Wait?! @Falcons Fan MVPhave you been hacked? I came in here fully prepared to answer a question.... I kid. 

Surprising post from you. Kudos.

[sun3nee]

My problem with AS is he overthinks his game.  Stick with your game and RUN THE BLOODY BALL!!  So what if they get a stop, RUN IT AGAIN!  Play with what you have.  He called a terrible game last week, especially with so much on the line against our biggest division rival in their house.  Ridder should have been throwing much less AND much higher percentage passes to get him into the game, especially with how successful our running game was last week.  Block out all the noise and let teams adjust to you, and stop playing yourself out the game.

[Falcons Fan MVP]

18 minutes ago, sun3nee said:

My problem with AS is he overthinks his game.  Stick with your game and RUN THE BLOODY BALL!!  So what if they get a stop, RUN IT AGAIN!  Play with what you have.  He called a terrible game last week, especially with so much on the line against our biggest division rival in their house.  Ridder should have been throwing much less AND much higher percentage passes to get him into the game, especially with how successful our running game was last week.  Block out all the noise and let teams adjust to you, and stop playing yourself out the game.

I wonder if Arthur Smith wants to become a pass first offense the way we got Pitts and London as top 10 picks.

[Spongebob]

No excuses next year. 3 draft classes, lotsa cash on hand. 

[EddieK]

1 hour ago, Falcons Fan MVP said:

The million dollar question is can Terry and Arthur get us that Lombardi. 

I see you trying to ask a question without using a question mark

[DonDaLuvMaker]

1 hour ago, Sui_Generis said:

Wait?! @Falcons Fan MVPhave you been hacked? I came in here fully prepared to answer a question.... I kid. 

Surprising post from you. Kudos.

 

THE END OF DAYS!!!!!

[octoslash]

3 hours ago, Falcons Fan MVP said:

For all those who think that Arthur Smith and possibly even Terry Fontenot should be fired.... Once we get some money to spend and some more draft picks there is no doubt in my mind we will be a playoff team. Worst case scenario the Falcons are like they were with Mike Smith where they make the playoffs but struggle to win a game. But I'm very confident we will be a playoff caliber team. 

The million dollar question is can Terry and Arthur get us that Lombardi. 

Arthur Smith will be a winning coach once we get more money to spend. I don't know if he will become great (I hope so) but he will be good. 

 

No doubt?

I have plenty doubt.

Been a Falcons fan since 1972.

Comes with the territory I guess. 

[kiwifalcon]

For me this next off season will dictate TF & AS’s future.

They’ve cleaned up alot yes.Now they have a full load of picks and it’s their 3rd draft.This for me is the turning point for these initial draft picks.

Add in a boatload of FA cash the Falcons need to show that improvement.I’m expecting playoffs next year as my marker if they don’t there both in the hot seat going into year 4.

[PokerSteve]

I concur AS and TF will get us back to the playoffs, very likely next season. Getting to the playoffs when 14 of 32 teams make it in is not the impossible dream it might seem to us at the moment. The big question is can they take us to the SB, and then actually win it after we get there?

Font has shown me enough working with pennies to make me a believer in his ability to put a great roster together. I'm not quite as sold on AS, but he's no dummy. He's figured out the run game, I'm thinking he'll figure out how to add a passing game to the mix. Put me down for us to make a deep run no later than 2025 with AS and TF at the controls.

[falconsd56]

2 hours ago, Spongebob said:

No excuses next year. 3 draft classes, lotsa cash on hand. 

Next year is make or break for someone.

Normally the coach goes first but I think this setup is a little different than normal so who knows.

 

[Doctor Kildare]

24 minutes ago, falconsd56 said:

Next year is make or break for someone.

Normally the coach goes first but I think this setup is a little different than normal so who knows.

 

I don't think so. Not with Blank's history. He knows you do not ask a new regime to tear down a failed organization and then pull the rug out from under it before the job is finished. That's the way to turn into the Browns of this century. And despite some disappointing losses, Arthur Smith has already made progress in correcting long time flaws in the running game and offensive lines.

[falconsd56]

15 minutes ago, Doctor Kildare said:

I don't think so. Not with Blank's history. He knows you do not ask a new regime to tear down a failed organization and then pull the rug out from under it before the job is finished. That's the way to turn into the Browns of this century. And despite some disappointing losses, Arthur Smith has already made progress in correcting long time flaws in the running game and offensive lines.

We have been through this before.

It is precisely because of Blanks history as to why it becomes make or break.

[skullkrusher07]

1 hour ago, octoslash said:

No doubt?

I have plenty doubt.

Been a Falcons fan since 1972.

Comes with the territory I guess. 

Been a fan since 75...feel the same way.  I took a class called "Sports Psychology" in college, and there's a term I will never forget - learned helplessness.  It's about how easy it is to have that "here we go again" attitude and feel deflated.

[Killing Floor]

Said last year. Saying again. 
If Kyle Pitts isn’t catching the ball at least 6 times game 1 there is no place for Art Smith with the Falcons. Tired of the losing mentality. 
TF deserves a lot of credit for maximizing the economic signings at RB. Keep that up.
Smith is in way over his head and the results are evident in his play calling. Smith was fully impressed with Marcus Mariota until week 13. 
Disagree?  Come at me. What happened weeks 11-12-13 that was Worse than the Butt Pass?  Make decisions before the season is sabotaged or just go away. Leadership by excuses is not a thing. 

[Killing Floor]

4 minutes ago, skullkrusher07 said:

Been a fan since 75...feel the same way.  I took a class called "Sports Psychology" in college, and there's a term I will never forget - learned helplessness.  It's about how easy it is to have that "here we go again" attitude and feel deflated.

“Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all the time thing. You don’t win once in a while… you don’t do things right once in a while… you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately so is losing.”

Lombardi nailed it. At some point it’s in the culture. It’s acceptable. 

[FalconJim]

3 hours ago, Falcons Fan MVP said:

I wonder if Arthur Smith wants to become a pass first offense the way we got Pitts and London as top 10 picks.

I doubt that, very seriously!  He's said many times (even yesterday) that he wanted to be a more balanced team.  But who knows, he may change his mind next year, when we get Pitts back, and a few more really good WRs to compliment London ---

[Spongebob]

2 hours ago, falconsd56 said:

Next year is make or break for someone.

Normally the coach goes first but I think this setup is a little different than normal so who knows.

 

I actually think they'd get at least 4 years. They inherited a disaster and needed to not only build a team, create depth, but they need to change the entire culture of an organization (and this is a work in progress still). 

Blowing leads and finding 101 freaky ways to lose games has not stopped since 2017. They need to stop that. Every team blows a lead now and then (see the Patriots last week lol). Ours is almost a weekly adventure. 

[falconsd56]

22 minutes ago, Spongebob said:

I actually think they'd get at least 4 years. They inherited a disaster and needed to not only build a team, create depth, but they need to change the entire culture of an organization (and this is a work in progress still). 

Blowing leads and finding 101 freaky ways to lose games has not stopped since 2017. They need to stop that. Every team blows a lead now and then (see the Patriots last week lol). Ours is almost a weekly adventure. 

It honestly depends on exactly how 23 goes.

If they are around .500 then year I can see a short leash in 24 ala Quinn in 2020.

If we are a 5-6 win team then someone is getting fired.

The only way for you to change the culture is to win.

Culture doesn't mean jack if you continue to lose, guys will check out.

[The Don™]

53 minutes ago, falconsd56 said:

It honestly depends on exactly how 23 goes.

If they are around .500 then year I can see a short leash in 24 ala Quinn in 2020.

If we are a 5-6 win team then someone is getting fired.

The only way for you to change the culture is to win.

Culture doesn't mean jack if you continue to lose, guys will check out.

Yup. Even AS keeps saying that lately. Said it again on 92.9 today. He said he wants to see results and not just moral victories. He likes the fight and progression of the OL and the run game. But he pointed out Ridder needs to trust himself more and not to be too perfect and overthink. The passing game needs to catch up.

He made another great point. He said at some point, these one possession games will go our way and the guys fighting in there now will know what it takes to get over the hump because they've been in those games.

Next year will be a test. Plenty of cap room. Third draft. Need to add talent at key areas. Edge, QB(Ridder?), LB, DT, WR. TF and company have a lot of work to do this offseason but yeah I agree, 2023 seat gets warm if we keep seeing the same results. 

[Rings]

Nice thing is we should have the upper hand in division as well.  If TB takes division they are picking 19+, while others are top ten.  We have second most cap space, TB & NO deal last and Carolina was right there before trading CMC, now bottom around 25th last I saw.  Coaching in question for other three teams, QB in question likely for all four teams.  Gonna be a crazy off-season for the NFC South but like our chances next year.

[falconsd56]

50 minutes ago, Rings said:

Nice thing is we should have the upper hand in division as well.  If TB takes division they are picking 19+, while others are top ten.  We have second most cap space, TB & NO deal last and Carolina was right there before trading CMC, now bottom around 25th last I saw.  Coaching in question for other three teams, QB in question likely for all four teams.  Gonna be a crazy off-season for the NFC South but like our chances next year.

Yeah, I don't think I can remember a time where the entire division was so unsettled.

There is a decent chance that Smith will be the only coach with their team next year

Though you can make cases for the other coaches, I think Wilks has done a **** of a job in Carolina given the circumstances and it would be cool to see him get another gig .

[thofin21]

As a long time Falcon fan there is always doubt in my mind. However I agree that next year we better win at least 8 or 9 games , no excuses . Can AS deliver ? Seeing is believing .

[Captain Falcon]

14 hours ago, Flyin' In DC said:

I agree. There is no way you can win or even be competitive when you are starting bargain basement backups at best. 

I always see people say this but I would love to hear which players specifically are the trash that we need to upgrade. Not saying I disagree with you at all but I feel people are so vague saying we’re playing trash starters. Who we referring to?