The Atlanta Falcons are running into the same barriers every week

Ever since Arthur Smith’s first game as the Atlanta Falcons head coach, it has seemed like his team has just not been prepared for NFL action. That is the most simple way to explain it, they just have not looked ready.

It was a concern in the beginning but you could chalk it up to a new head coach and growing pains, but here we are one year and a week later (at least in NFL calendar terms) and we are seeing the same problems.

Whether this team comes out strong or, like vs. the Rams, puts the pedal to the metal late in the game, they just cannot finish due to a variety of bad mistakes.

The Atlanta Falcons keep running into the same walls every week

The Atlanta Falcons opened up the 2022 NFL season as hot as anyone. They simply slapped the New Orleans Saints right in the face, but they still had some unexcusable mistakes that caught up to them.

For example, them constantly stalling in the red zone, Marcus Mariota fumbling following a Saints fumble, penalties, bad play calling, and bad player usage. If you even take away a couple of those issues, the Falcons start the year out 1-0.

Despite a dominant performance for three quarters, they were still consistently one step behind what they should have been.

Then on Sunday, it was the same mistakes that cost the Falcons a miracle comeback.

On the first drive, Atlanta stalled out due to a false start that turned into a sack right after, and then they missed the kick.

Right before the first half wrapped up, the Falcons got an interception in the red zone, but then guess what happens? A pass that was a bit high gets bobbled around by Cordarrelle Patterson resulting in an interception returned to the red zone for the Rams. That right there was at the very least a seven-point swing.

It is the same stuff every week, dating back to the debut of Arthur Smith as head coach. Critical penalties, dumb decisions, and lack of simple execution, it has all added up to a mediocre first season and a disappointing first two weeks.

It isn’t quite time to hit the panic button but if routinely happens for the next few weeks then things need to change because this team has had two great performances completely overshadowed by terrible mishaps that have resulted in an 0-2 record.