Why Arthur Smith was disrespected in latest CBS head coach rankings

In recent head coach rankings, CBS ranked Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith the 29th best coach in the league clearly not paying attention to what Smith has accomplished. Coaches ranked ahead of Smith include the Saints Dennis Allen, Bucs Todd Bowles, Jets head coach Robert Saleh, and two first-year head coaches.

These rankings continue the trend of off-season disrespect the Falcons have been given despite having a very strong off-season. Ranking Smith in the bottom half of the league based on two seasons is completely fair but having Smith in the bottom four ignores the state of the division and what Smith accomplished in his first two seasons.

Atlanta managed to win seven games each of the last two seasons despite rebuilding and clearly not making the needed moves to contend. Smith's strategy and coaching have been a large part of the reason Atlanta has been completely lost each of the past two seasons.

This should have been taken into account as well as the fact that this is only year three for Smith. Ranking the Colts and Texans head coaches ahead of Smith for two teams that aren't expected to win seven games with two rookie head coaches ignoring what Smith has accomplished thus far.

Bringing us to Saleh and Allen being placed ahead of Atlanta's head coach. The Jets have had a year longer than Smith with Saleh and have won three fewer games in that time what evidence is there that Saleh is a better head coach?

For Allen, the case is even worse in his fifth season as a head coach with only one more win than Smith has managed in two seasons with Atlanta. Add in the consistent mistakes and the fact that New Orleans was attempting to make a push to contend and how is Allen a better option?

Arthur Smith still has a lot to prove in this league, however, the head coach deserves more respect considering what he has accomplished two years into the league.