5 Surprising observations from Atlanta Falcons 2022 season
By Nick Halden
4. Atlanta still is the complete opposite of clutch
Whether it was losing a must-win game to P.J. Walker or throwing a back-breaking interception to Jalen Ramsey to end an epic comeback Atlanta continued to demonstrate their lack of clutch. While there was some growth in the way Arthur Smith handled late-game situations there was more bad than good for Atlanta when it came time that they had to make a play.
Perhaps the biggest example of this is in a game Atlanta ultimately won against Carolina. Giving up a desperation heave at the end of the game to D.J. Moore for the improbable touchdown winning the game only because of a missed PAT and Carolina’s ineptitude in the clutch.
Late-game situational coaching on this team has improved, however, the player’s execution continues to be very poor. In nearly every Atlanta Falcons loss this season Atlanta was a play away from flipping the result. The Falcons were consistently outmatched but had chances in the clutch they seemingly could never take advantage of. For this to change it starts not with the head coach but with who lines up under center for the team in 2023. Ridder has shown some strides but not enough for Atlanta to believe he is the answer to this problem.