Arthur Smith’s 2023 Atlanta Falcons team must make the playoffs

This will be Arthur Smith’s third season as the Atlanta Falcons head coach with it being the first season, he will have had the benefit of Atlanta’s full cap space. Terry Fontenot and Smith have spent the majority of their first two seasons together clearing bad contracts and searching for an answer at the quarterback position.

In each of the first two seasons, the Falcons were in playoff contention but unable to win the important games. Winning just enough to stay respectable but not enough to put any pressure on the teams in front of them.

While two seven-win seasons consecutively might not feel like progress it is important to remember that the 2022 season had a much tougher schedule and was played without a reliable quarterback. The point here is that there is a legitimate excuse for how the last two years have gone, excuses that are now gone and leave Smith and Fontenot facing typical pressure head coaches and general managers face in this league. The rebuild is over and the excuses have been replaced with playoff expectations.

It is winning time for Atlanta with overwhelming cap space, a very easy schedule, and a top ten pick in this year’s draft. The table is set for Smith and the pressure is going to be at the highest it has ever been during Smith’s tenure.

If you cannot make the playoffs in an objectively bad NFC South with the second most cap space to work with in the league and plenty of young talent on rookie deals, there is no defense. This season is simple for Arthur Smith it is time to contend for a playoff spot or Smith should be looking for a new job next off-season.