There is plenty of uncertainty surrounding Arthur Smith’s future as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, but none of that seems to faze him.
As unlikely as it may seem, the Falcons still have a path to the playoffs, which Smith remains focused on while tuning out all the outside noise.
“I feel good,” Smith told 92-9 The Game’s “Dukes & Bell” on Wednesday. “It’s Week 18 and the focus is we have a chance to get to the playoffs, regardless of what’s [been] going on all year. That’s the No. 1 priority: do your jo and we’re excited to go down to New Orleans.
“Obviously, we need a little help, but what we can control going down there and preparing a big game for us and getting a win in New Orleans.”
The Falcons can still clinch the NFC South with a win over the Saints and Bucs loss to the Carolina Panthers. That would put them in a three-way tie with the Bucs and Saints, which Atlanta holds the tiebreaker for due to their head-to-head records.
Yet, the Falcons are coming off an ugly loss to the Bears and are losers of three of their last four games, putting the spotlight on Smith’s future as head coach.
Nevertheless, Smith remains optimistic.
“It’s pro football. Obviously, you don’t get results you want all the time. … It’s an up-and-down season,” Smith said. “Every time we have our backs against the wall, we play our best. After the bye, first time against New Orleans, after Carolina we came back and played a decent game against Indy and right now, just look at the current situation. There’s time to reflect when the season’s over but right now the mindset is to go down and beat New Orleans.”