The Falcons kicked the 2022 NFL season off with a brutal blown loss to the rival Saints, 27-26, at home in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta had every opportunity to win this football game, blowing a two-touchdown lead in the third quarter after Marcus Mariota had what would end up being a back-breaking fumble inside the 5-yard line. Despite all of the miscues, the talk of the town will be Arthur Smith’s response to yet another embarrassing loss.
He essentially took his frustrations out on beat reporters and other members of the media. “You guys wrote our obituary back in May, and continue to write our obituary. Who cares? We got 16 games,” Smith said. “Write whatever y’all want. Same guys that ranked us 45th, buried us in May, bury us again. We don’t care. We’ll get back to work.”
Arthur Smith then ended his postgame press conference after a few questions with a walk-off: "You buried us in May. Bury us again. We don't care. We'll get back to work." https://t.co/ipIJboD9lJ pic.twitter.com/rW8One9uDA
— Kelly Price (@thekellyprice) September 11, 2022
This continues to be a laughing stock of a franchise, and the only way to get out from under that stigma is to win football games, especially ones like this. The Falcons should’ve won this game. Atlanta had every opportunity to put this one away and folded when it came down to the wire. Smith’s comments are completely unnecessary and shed a bad light on the Falcons coaching staff.
Smith’s Falcons were scolded last year for being extremely conservative in games last year, and nothing has changed. Do you know when the best time to rub pre-season expectations in peoples’ faces? After winning a football game, not after a Week 1 loss to your rival where you blew a 16-point lead.
Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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