Atlanta Falcons Coordinator Sarkisian Gives His Thoughts On Falcons Offense Thus Far

Atlanta Falcons Offensive Coordinator Steve Sarkisian provides a response to the Falcons offense play during the first four games of the season.

Four games into the 2017 season and new Atlanta Falcons Offensive Coordinator, Steve Sarkisian, has some thoughts regarding the team’s offensive performance.

Sarkisian provided the following statement, as reported by Falcons staff member Kelsey Conway:

Sarkisian offers great insight. Namely, he points to the need to get to know and learn his players.

Falcons fans came into the season with expectations for Atlanta’s offense. After all, the team had an historic offensive year in 2016. The hope was that 2017 would produce similar results.

However, in the process of hoping for a seamless transition, Sarkisian, a new coordinator not only to the team, but the NFL, had to learn about his personnel.

As he points out in the comments Conway has reported, Sarkisian needed to learn even the simplest of things (e.g. “How does Julio respond to running a deep ball?”).

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While watching tape and spending time with his (Sarkisian) players on the practice field is certainly beneficial and a part of the process, a lot can be gained from examining players during game time situations. More specifically, game time situations that Sarkisian himself has dialed up and orchestrated.

In his comments, Sarkisian notes that the offense was relatively limited in terms of play calling earlier on during and prior to the season. Note, limitations were not the result of personnel or lack thereof. Rather, limitations is the result of lack of time spend between personnel and offensive coach.

Now that Sarkisian is four games into the season and has had an opportunity to (via a bye week) process and further understand his offense, Falcons fans could expect to see a difference in offensive performance.

It is understandable that Atlanta fans would hope to see a replicated 2016 offense. However, that is simply not going to happen. The 2016 campaign was orchestrated by a different offensive coordinator who had his own unique opinions about his personnel.

Sarkisian is just getting to learn about his players.

As the season progresses, Sarkisian will further understand his offensive personnel and their capabilities. Therefore, with more understanding, comes greater personnel usage.

With greater personnel usage, we will see the reason why Falcons Head Coach Dan Quinn selected Sarkisian.

As opposed to hoping for a 2016 Falcons offensive reincarnated, perhaps Falcons fans should hope that Sarkisian continues to learn about his players and further imprints his unique style onto the offensive side of the ball.

While he may not replicate the exact offense from 2016, who his to say that a Sarkisian ran offense could not provide greater results than last year’s team?

Maybe a Sarkisian offense can hold a lead by running the ball? Wouldn’t that be nice?

This is Sarkisian’s first year in the NFL, so there is absolutely no record of his capabilities other than the fact that he has coached an offense to a 3-1 record. Now it is time to see if, through four games, Sarkisian will continue his success…or perhaps even exceed it.

I had a chance to speak with Coach Sarkisian in Chicago during Week One and noted to him that I was excited about having him on the Falcons staff. Coach simply responded, “You should be”.

Next: Atlanta Falcons vs. Miami Dolphins: What to watch for this time around

Falcons fans, Sarkisian is learning his offense more and more each day. We should all be excited about what is to come.