Atlanta Falcons Coach Arthur Smith Credits Defense's 'Huge Momentum Plays'

Following the Atlanta Falcons' win against the Houston Texans, head coach Arthur Smith credited the defense for how well they played their role.

The Atlanta Falcons got back in the win column this weekend, thanks in large part to their defense playing lockdown against the Houston Texans. 

In a game decided by a last-second field goal, the defense kept the Falcons in it late. Despite the offense nearly fumbling the game away for good in the second half when Jonnu Smith and Bijan Robinson both turned the ball over. 

Luckily, the defense managed to hold Houston to field goals up until the final two minutes of the game, helping give Atlanta a chance to come back late in the game by limiting the momentum swings something that Falcons head coach Arthur Smith referred to as the game within the game. 

The Atlanta Falcons' defense came up big against the Houston Texans by limiting them to field goals on multiple drives / USA Today Sports

"They had been getting a lot of chunk plays," Smith said. "They had a few, nothing crazy explosive, but enough where they got down there a few times, and thought they did a good job, again, playing situational football. It's the National Football League. Somebody is going to make a play, but you don't let that all of a sudden deflate you and then you give up touchdowns. Yeah, those are huge, huge momentum plays.”

When the lights were bright this week, the defense stepped up and prevented the team from falling below a .500 win percentage. If Atlanta can continue to get this type of showing from its defense, then its offense, which is littered with explosive skill position talent, will continue to have a chance to come back even if the passing game continues to find its footing.