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Greg Auman
NFC South Reporter
Everything seemed so promising for Arthur Smith and the Falcons on Dec. 10.
With 3:23 left in the fourth quarter, Atlanta quarterback Desmond Ridder had run in for a touchdown for a 25-22 lead on the defending division champion Bucs. Closing out a win would put the Falcons atop the NFC South standings at 7-6 and Tampa Bay at 5-8, and Atlanta’s season sweep would leave the Bucs essentially three games back. The Falcons also would be a game up on the Saints, having already beaten their division rivals, so a clear path was in sight for Atlanta to end a five-year playoff drought.
But the Bucs marched 75 yards, converting a fourth-and-1 and a third-and-10, and Baker Mayfield’s touchdown to tight end Cade Otton gave them a 29-25 lead with 31 seconds left. The Falcons would still get agonizingly close to a wild comeback, hurrying to the Bucs’ 31-yard line and seeing a final throw from Ridder to receiver Drake London end with him tackled at the 3-yard line, that close to a stunning touchdown for a walkoff win.
It was the beginning of the end, as the Falcons would lose four of their last five games, with Smith finishing 7-10 for the third time in his three seasons in Atlanta. The first two had the asterisk of financial limitations as the Falcons moved on from stars Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, but 2023 had been an offseason of ambitious spending and optimism that Atlanta could be back.
Smith’s offensive mind was armed with three straight top-10 draft picks at skill positions: tight end Kyle Pitts, London and running back Bijan Robinson, a potential Rookie of the Year headed for a big year. That offense was paired with a solid defense behind new coordinator Ryan Nielsen, upgraded with veteran signings like safety Jessie Bates and defensive lineman Calais Campbell.
This was a season of thrilling finishes, where seven Falcons games had lead changes in the final minute, four as time expired. Early…
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Publish date : 2024-01-08 16:14:20
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