Falcons Coach Arthur Smith Reveals When He'll Name New Starting QB
Since trading Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts in March, the Atlanta Falcons have faced questions surrounding the quarterback position both short and long term.
With veteran Marcus Mariota taking over the reins in a rare second-chance opportunity to start under center, there was an element of intrigue - but most eyes were on third-round rookie Desmond Ridder, the two-time American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
While there have been calls for Mariota's job seemingly since pen hit paper over the offseason, they've reached a new level following the Falcons' 19-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Mariota went 13 of 24 for 167 yards, one touchdown and an interception, making it the ninth out of Atlanta's last 10 games that he's thrown for under 200 yards. Moreover, Mariota went just four of eight for 45 yards in the second half as the Falcons lost another close one.
After the game, Falcons coach Arthur Smith was non-committal to Mariota's future in the starting role, mentioning that "every option is on the table" as the team enters its bye week.
Supposed to be the lone "off" week of the season, it'll be anything but for Smith and his staff - and he's set a decision date on the starting quarterback spot.
"We're still working through that," Smith said. "We'll have some very intense meetings the next couple days. I know where we're at, we've been in some close games lately, need to get over the hump, there will be changes made. Anything we decide to do, I'll be as transparent as possible ... next Monday."
As losers of four of its last five in what was supposed to be a winnable stretch, Atlanta's quickly seen its record deteriorate, but remains in the playoff hunt due to the struggles around them in the NFC South. If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drop the next two games, the Falcons will return from the bye week in a three-way tie atop the division.
As such, even though things feel down surrounding the Falcons, there's still plenty to play for and lots on the line ... both in the present and future. But for now, all eyes are on finishing the season strong - starting with closing out games.
"We've got to get over this hump here," said Smith. "There's a lot of things at stake. It's what's going to be best for this team, short term and long term."
The last time there was a fully perceived quarterback controversy came following Atlanta's 25-15 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Thursday Night Football, when Mariota had a difficult outing in rainy conditions on primetime. But when Smith returned from the mini-bye week, he acted as if there was never a doubt surrounding his starter.
Of course, Mariota kept the role - but Smith doesn't seem to have the same attitude toward the situation this time around, even going as far as to say it's "different" than it was after the Panthers game.
"What you don't want is to have a knee-jerk reaction, which I don't think after 13 games that you are," Smith claimed. "The circumstances are very different today than they were a couple of weeks ago."
The biggest difference is, simply, wins and losses. Atlanta's lost two of its three games since, and even though it remains in the race, it has little reflection on the team's quality of play. Smith's initial motive to stick with Mariota is that the team was firmly in the hunt and there was plenty to lose, but with Mariota's play not doing much to inspire winning and the Falcons finding themselves unable to "get over the hump," the time to make the switch might just be now.
But, ultimately, the final decision has yet to be made - and won't become publicly official until Smith's next press conference on Monday, Dec. 12. In other words, mark your calendar and get comfortable, because there's still plenty to play out.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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