Head coach Mike Smith ponders why the Falcons can't score TDs in the 3rd quarter of games.
(source: YardBarker)

The NFL is a game of adjustments. How you react to what your opponent is doing is crucial to long-term success. Sure, Bill Walsh used to script his first 15 plays but after that it was about how to best exploit weaknesses and create positive matchups for his team.

The biggest adjustment, perhaps, comes in the third quarter of games. Both teams have had a half of football to understand what the other is doing. The third quarter is important to set the tone for the rest of the game. It’s also when the most adjustments are made since the time between quarters is short.

Using this as a basis I wanted to see how teams have done in the third quarter of games since 2007. My theory was this would be a good indicator of coaching. Teams that can’t adapt, can’t win. They’ll keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. This is the definition of insanity.

So how did my theory work out? Hit the jump to find out and to see why, as a Falcon fan, you hope this theory is not true.

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