'Play as Hard & Physical as Anybody': Atlanta Falcons Find Identity Under Coach Arthur Smith

The Atlanta Falcons have returned to the identity they established last season and bore the fruits of their labor Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, rushing for 228 yards in a crucial victory.

When Matthew Bergeron arrived in Flowery Branch for summer workouts, it didn't take long for the Atlanta Falcons' second-round pick to see what the offense wanted to accomplish.

“I realized the identity was to run the football" Bergeron said.

His realization was accurate - the Falcons held the NFL's third-best rushing offense last season, averaging just under 160 yards per game, and had more rushing attempts than anybody in the league at 32 per game.

The expectation was for this identity to only strengthen with Atlanta spending the No. 8 overall pick on running back Bijan Robinson and adding Bergeron thereafter to fortify the left guard spot.

But through this season's first nine games, Atlanta wasn't the same force on the ground. It was averaging 124 yards per game, still a respectable number but not where it was last year, and the team had already failed to eclipse 110 rushing yards four times after missing the mark just twice in 2022.

Falcons coach Arthur Smith wanted to be more balanced offensively this season with a greater presence on the passing attack. There were glimpses from Desmond Ridder, but Smith opted to bench him for Taylor Heinicke in Weeks 9 and 10.

Atlanta's offense improved through the air - but at the expense of the rushing attack and, ultimately, wins. Even with $190 million invested in free agency, the Falcons held the same 4-6 record at the bye week as they did last year.

But things began to change before the bye week - Atlanta suffered a 25-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals but ran for 184 yards, its second-best mark this season.

During their week off, the Falcons reevaluated everything - and assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray said they decided to rely on advice from veteran coaches such as Tony Dungy and return to what worked previously.

“You hear what they tell you, ‘Go in the season, when you start game planning, you’re doing a whole bunch of stuff, but then eventually, you’re going to get back to who you are,’" Gray said. “The faster you can get back to where you are, the better you’re going to be.

“That bye week kind of helped us look and say, ‘Hey, we’re not good at these; throw them out, and let’s do what we’re really good at.’”

When the Falcons returned from the bye week, they did so with a renewed sense of energy and intensity. Their Wednesday practice was as physical as a training camp session, Smith said.

Despite losing three straight games, Atlanta was just a win away from retaking first place in the NFC South. The New Orleans Saints entered similarly fresh off their bye week and held a one-game lead in the division. It's a rivalry game, but there was even more at stake than usual.

The stakes were clear - and so was Smith's message to his offensive line in the team meeting. He chose not to go into detail but said it was "pretty practical" before adding the unit up front played well.

Not only did the offensive line perform well but it dominated the Saints' defensive front en route to a season-high 228 rushing yards ... and climbed atop the NFC South with a 24-15 victory.

Robinson led the way on the ground, taking 16 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown. Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson combined for 107 yards on 18 carries. Ridder added 30 yards on seven scrambles.

Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson stiff-arms New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor / © Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

It was, by all accounts, a return to form by Atlanta's offensive line - and helped create a fun Sunday at the office for Robinson and the rest of the ballcarriers.

“I don’t know what they were on, but they were just overpowering everything,” Robinson said. “At practice, they had a different mindset. Seeing all five of those guys go out there and dominate the will of another defense, it speaks a lot for how good the O-line can be when we just play together and play our hearts out.”

The Falcons' offensive line didn't simply wake up and decide to be better - it's been a work in progress throughout the season, but with an added push from Smith, played its best game of the year when needed most.

“That’s something we’ve been trying to do all year,” Bergeron said. “Obviously, we had a better game than we have in the past, so we’re trying to replicate that and correct the mistakes.”

The goal now becomes keeping the trajectory pointed upwards, with Bergeron stressing consistency and the need to get off the rollercoaster Atlanta's been riding for much of the year.

But that's the thing about an identity - it doesn't often just go away, which is why the Falcons' early-season inconsistencies running the ball were so frustrating for those inside the building.

However, with 412 rushing yards over the past two games, Atlanta now has the No. 4 rushing offense in the league at 139.3 yards per game and is getting back to what it's been under Smith, embracing the foundation that's been set.

“I think we got a chance to look and see who we were and what we’re about,” Gray said. “Do we want to be a physical team? Do we want to be this? Do we want to be that? Eliminate some of the stuff we’re not good at and put in things that we are good at.”

The Falcons have long known what they're good at under Smith, who arrived with the reputation of being ground-heavy and only added to that in 2022 after boasting a stronger aerial attack with Matt Ryan under center the year prior.

But in the Ryan-less era of Falcons football, running the rock has been the most consistently effective strategy, especially when Atlanta's needed to put games away late.

Falcons Run Game 'Encouraging' as Team Makes Playoff Push

Take, for instance, the 10-play, 54-yard fourth quarter drive Sunday that ended in a game-sealing field goal from kicker Younghoe Koo. The Falcons didn't attempt a pass, and the Saints knew they wouldn't. It didn't matter.

Close games are the name of the game in the NFL, and Smith admitted that playing in such contests has been a common trend in his tenure - but in terms of on-field characteristics, Atlanta has a clear identity.

“Our guys play as hard and as physical as anybody,” Smith said. “It’s week in and week out. Certainly, was the case last week.”

The Falcons are trying to make the playoffs for the first time in six years, breaking the other identify they've formed - coming up short when opportunity exists to change the narrative.

Atlanta's victory over New Orleans was just the start of several big games coming up, the next coming Sunday at 1 p.m. EST against the New York Jets in MetLife Stadium.

And if the Falcons are to going to break their postseason drought, there's a clear recipe of success - lean on the identity that's proven so stable and encouraging over the past two years.

Or, in Smith's words, "play as hard and physical as anybody."