Falcons Making QB Change? Coach Arthur Smith Says 'No Time to Panic'
The Atlanta Falcons are not panicking despite losing their last two games.
In the immediate aftermath of the Atlanta Falcons' 25-15 loss on the road to the Carolina Panthers, head coach Arthur Smith said he never considered pulling starting quarterback Marcus Mariota in the losing effort.
A day later, Smith continued not to budge when pressed further, telling everyone that the quarterback position would be evaluated like any other. After a long weekend, due to playing on Thursday night, Smith's Falcons had some more time to start preparing for this Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears, with the big question being who will be under center. Do the Falcons have a quarterback controversy?
"There's no situation," Smith said about quarterback. "We're right in the middle of a playoff race.
"There is no time to panic."
Last Thursday's loss dropped Atlanta to 4-6, second in the NFC South, but following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 21-16 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, the Bucs now hold a one-game lead over the Falcons.
Mariota was held to under 200 yards passing for the seventh time this season, as the usually efficient quarterback struggled mightily, completing 19 of his 30 passes for 186 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception after being sacked five times.
And it was not just Mariota who struggled. Even the Falcons' usually consistent rushing attack didn't find much success, mustering just 138 yards against a stout Panthers defense.
After drafting rookie signal-caller Desmond Ridder out of Cincinnati this past April and the underwhelming results in the passing game to this point, the calls for a change at quarterback could not be louder.
Yet, even in the face of a lot of noise, Smith is holding firm with the 29-year-old Mariota, who's helped get the Falcons into the division race.
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