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So much for optimism regarding the Atlanta Falcons. The team sits at 2-2 following Sunday's 23-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, a dispiriting defeat that left Atlanta coach Arthur Smith searching for answers.
“We put ourselves in a hole again,” he said, per Falcons in-house beat reporter Tori McElhaney. “…We've got to get this thing jumpstarted.”
Smith put the onus on himself for the Falcons' anemic offense to be better going forward. But the third-year head coach only has so much control over turnovers, inaccurate throws and shoddy offensive line play, all of which contributed to Atlanta managing just 287 yards of total offense against Jacksonville.
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Quarterback Desmond Ridder was the biggest source of his team's issues offensively. The sophomore signal-caller went 19-of-31 for 191 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions on Sunday. He also took four sacks, was hit seven more times and lost the Falcons' only fumble, accounting for all three of their turnovers by himself.
While Ridder's subpar performance was clearly Atlanta's most limiting factor offensively, Smith still took his fair share of criticism from fans for the team's offensive approach. Recent first-round picks Drake London and Kyle Pitts combined for just five catches and 49 yards on 11 targets, vexing usage for the Falcons' two most gifted pass-catchers. Atlanta could've committed more to the run, too, as rookie star Bijan Robinson had 14 carries for 107 yards, averaging 7.5 yards per rush.
It's time for the Falcons, losers of two straight, to go back to the offensive drawing board. We'll see what Smith and company come up with against the Houston Texans in Week 5.
