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Atlanta Falcons: In the End, Offensive woes cost them when it mattered most

By Austin Williams

ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 26: Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian of the Atlanta Falcons calls plays from the sidelines during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 26, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 26: Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian of the Atlanta Falcons calls plays from the sidelines during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 26, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Throughout the season, the Atlanta Falcons offense was inconsistent. When it mattered the most, their inconsistency showed up at the worst possible time.

I tried giving Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian the benefit of the doubt all year. There were some instances where he looked great and there were some instances where he stunk up the joint.

The team’s last drive on Saturday in the Divisional Round game against the Philadelphia Eagles was a microcosm of the 2017 season. The offense was a no show for much of the second half but had a chance to win the game with one last drive.

Running back Tevin Coleman was able to get the Falcons inside the Eagles 10-yard line with over a minute left and two timeouts.

He didn’t touch the ball for the rest of the game.

I made the comparison, (Sorry Georgia Fans), that Sark not handing the ball to Coleman was almost just as bad as Bulldogs play caller Jim Chaney not handing the ball to their explosive running back Sony Michel in the fourth quarter of the National Championship.

The comparison is eerily similar.

Michel averaged seven yards on 14 carries. Coleman averaged 7.9 yards on 10 carries. For those coordinators not to give the ball to their play makers at a crucial time is mind boggling.

Yet, Sark took a page out of Chaney’s playbook on the most important drive of the game.

Even worse, inside the Eagles 10-yard line, with plenty of time left and two timeouts in their back pocket, Sark called four-straight pass plays, including a horrible shovel pass — and did not run the ball one time.

The last play of the game was pretty questionable in itself. With the receivers cluttered on one side of the end zone, Matt Ryan threw a catchable ball for Julio Jones but Jones couldn’t come down with it — and would have had one foot out of bounds even if he had.

Eagles Safety, Malcolm Jenkins, said after the game that:

"“We were able to recognize that (the play) pretty much before they even came out of the huddle.”"

If there was a positive in this season is that the defense is really good now. However, if the offense wasn’t inconsistent as it was this year, the Falcons would be playing in New Orleans or Minnesota next Sunday.

Next: Falcons Free Agents: Who should stay, who should go

Maybe with another offseason under his belt Sark could improve, but if this offense shows the inconsistency that it did this year for another season, Sark’s time in Atlanta could be cut short.

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