Ask most NFL evaluators, and they’ll tell you the next few months could be bleak for the Atlanta Falcons.
Arthur Smith is not paying any mind to that.
The Falcons, after finishing 7-10 last season, have a different look in 2022. Matt Ryan is gone, replaced by Marcus Mariota with Desmond Ridder behind him. The defense was ghastly last season, but the Falcons made that a point of emphasis in the draft, and tried to offset the loss of Calvin Ridley to suspension by adding Drake London in the first round.
That’s done little to convince prognosticators that the Falcons are able to finish anywhere other than the basement. But for the Falcons head coach, none of it matters.
“I don’t give a crap what people predict out there,” Smith said in an interview with 92.9 The Game’s “The Morning Show with John and Hugh”. “I told the team the other day, how many people in this room have an iPhone? Damn near everybody raised their hand other than (veteran coach) Steve Hoffman because he’s the only guy who doesn’t.
“I said let me give you a little bit of a history lesson. There were some of the smartest people in the tech industry who said the iPhone is never going to work, Apple can’t produce this phone or whatever. I said it’s nonsense, if you’re buying this stuff, shame on you. I said there’s a graveyard of hot takes and these predictions that are just comical. So we’ve got to go out there every year in the NFL and earn it, and this team is going to compete. It should be fun to watch.”
Independent of the Falcons’ ability, they have their work cut out for them simply because of the division they play in.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are running it back with Tom Brady and should be the frontrunner to win the NFC South. However, the Saints are never an easy out, and they’re looking like they might have a quality collection of offensive weapons this season, while Baker Mayfield adds intrigue to the Panthers.
It never was going to be easy for the Falcons but the division they, which is why people making predictions are so down on Atlanta.
Not that Smith cares.
Related
