Atlanta Falcons Preparing For ‘Most Important Game of The Season’

Head coach Arthur Smith believes his Atlanta Falcons will have their work cut out for them when the team faces the Carolina Panthers in a crucial game.

The Atlanta Falcons (6-7) have just lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and, with that, lost control of the NFC South. Luckily, facing the Carolina Panthers in Week 15 could be precisely what the team needs to recalibrate.

Through 13 games, the Panthers are 1-12, but that doesn’t mean Falcons players should underestimate their struggling divisional rival.

“I’m sure they feel pretty good about the way they ran the ball yesterday,” Atlanta head coach Arthur Smith said about Carolina. “Looking at some of the things that may have hurt us yesterday. That’s something that we have to shut down. They’re going to change a little bit of the style from what they were doing with Frank (Reich).”

Since Carolina fired its former head coach, the run game has averaged 168.5 rushing yards per game. For context, if that sample size average is over 10 yards more per game than the team with the highest average of rushing yards per game this year, the Baltimore Ravens.

Last week against the Bucs, the Falcons allowed Tampa Bay’s ball carriers to average four yards per carry and account for nearly 150 rushing yards; that’s about 60 yards more than the team averaged all season. 

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder will have his work cut out for him in what may be the most important game of his career thus far.  / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

In addition to presenting offensive challenges, Smith has acknowledged the potential difficulties the Panthers’ defense could present.

“Defensively, they’re playing solid,” Smith said. I think Derrick Brown is as good as anybody inside. We’ve got to block him. It will start there. We have our work cut out for us.”

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Blocking Brown will be essential for allowing the offense to get in rhythm and score points early; making sure that quarterback Desmond Ridder starts strong is crucial because the team’s playoff chances rely on him taking the next step, and Smith knows how important this game is.

“This is the most important game of the season, so we have to make sure we play really well and eliminate the couple of plays that have stopped us from taking the next step,” Smith said.

The Falcons and Panthers are set to kick off on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET inside Bank of America Stadium.