Falcons Thriving In Close Games Under Arthur Smith
When an opponent begins to come back from a big deficit against the Atlanta Falcons, there is a certain level of "here we go again." It's not hard to see why.
Starting with the blown 28-3 lead in Super Bowl LI, the Falcons lost five games when leading by double digits under former coach Dan Quinn. After firing Quinn last October, the Falcons lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers despite taking a 17-0 lead under Raheem Morris.
The Falcons haven't blown any double-digit leads this season, but they led the lowly New York Jets by 17 in London during October and held on to win by seven. The Falcons were ahead by double digits in the fourth quarter against both Miami and New Orleans, but the Dolphins and Saints each took the lead with a few minutes remaining.
Matt Ryan and Younghoe Koo helped keep those games from joining the list of blown double-digits losses. Atlanta beat each Miami and New Orleans with last-second field goals.
These Falcons shouldn't be defined by the old narrative of failing in clutch situations. Not when the team's record in one-possession games this season is 7-2.
That accounts for all of Atlanta's wins. The Falcons (7-8) won another close game Sunday, beating the Detroit Lions 20-16.
Sure, it was against the team with the worst record in the NFC and the Lions outgained Atlanta by 84 yards. But the Falcons found a way to win, as they have in almost all of their close games this year.
"We're trying to create a culture of winning, playing as a team, playing smart situational football," coach Arthur Smith said Sunday.
The Falcons were 2-8 in one-score results in 2020.
In Quinn's final 37 games, the Falcons went 7-11 in one-possession contests.
"This year, we're definitely putting an emphasis on situational football, how to handle situations and stuff," Falcons linebacker Foye Oluokun said. "If you really look at a lot of NFL games, they come down to one possession, so if you know what you are doing down the stretch or even in the second quarter going into half, that's what good teams, teams that win do.
"They know how to win situational football and moments."
Critics can point to the fact that because all of Atlanta's wins this season have come in close games, the Falcons possess the second-worst point differential in the NFC at minus 122. The only team that's worse in that category is Detroit (-127).
When they win, the Falcons barely get by. When they lose, it's been in blowouts.
Furthermore, the opponents the Falcons have beaten this season have a .310 combined win percentage. That gives Atlanta the lowest strength of victory in the league. The Falcons have only beaten one team with a winning record -- Miami, which improved to 8-7 on Monday night with its seventh straight win.
Among the 11 teams still alive in the NFC playoff picture, the Falcons have the lowest strength of schedule (.451) as well.
Although the Atlanta schedule being is one of the weakest isn't all that surprising, the Falcons have been fortunate to face one of the easiest slate of games. With a more difficult schedule, it's hard to envision this team competing for a playoff spot.
Yet, don't minimize the transformation the Falcons have undergone in just one season under Smith. The team is learning how to win close games and building a culture that will hopefully have the Falcons competing in the NFC South title soon.
