Falcons’ Arthur Smith ‘Comical’ View on QB Controversy? No, Coach, This Isn’t Funny

Coach Arthur Smith is, hopefully, saying one thing but doing another when it comes to the Falcons evaluation of “Marcus Mariota vs. Desmond Ridder.'' Because, all of his media deflection aside, that's his job.

Dear coach Arthur Smith,

Let’s strike a deal: You don’t tell the Atlanta Falcons media and fan base how to ask questions …

And in exchange, we won’t tell you how to run your football team.

No, wait. We’ll never live up to our end of the deal. Scratch that. Let’s do it another way ...

We won’t be offended by your deflective instance that questions about your quarterback conundrum because as you rightly note, that’s out job.

And you will therefore continue to be probed on “Marcus Mariota vs. Desmond Ridder”- as solving the puzzle is your job.

Smith did this last week after Mariota's foibles contributed to a feckless loss to a poor Panthers team. His reply to questions about Mariota vs. rookie Desmond Ridder. ...

Marcus Mariota with one of the worst pass attempts in NFL history pic.twitter.com/13FwAYheI9

— GhettoGronk (@TheGhettoGronk) November 11, 2022

"Comical,'' he said. "I understand why you gotta ask 'em. ... to get a headline to put in your articles in a 'link economy.' ... It ... drives attention and eyeballs and clicks.''

Whoa. Slow down, boss. We appreciate your "Inside-Journalism'' mention of a "link economy,'' but ... slow down. Because ... 

Coach, you're wrong.

The question wasn't being asked to sell newspapers, though that is certainly an offshoot of any "QB controversy.'' The question was (and is) being asked because your QB play is poor and your team is slumping.

Oh, and the word "comical'' actually fit some of what Mariota haplessly did in that game.

Fast-forward to this week: Back-to-back losses within five days during which the Mariota-led offense totaled 32 points, with the running game fading and the gifted Kyle Pitts turning into a ghost.

And yes, the 4-6 coach is being quizzed again. Appropriately, being asked on Monday about his QB "situation.''

And answering inappropriately.

"There's no 'situation," said Smith, planning to stick with Mariota. "We're right in the middle of a playoff race. There is no time to panic."

Arthur, you're deflecting again. Nobody asked you about "panic.'' The question is about the "situation'' - about as inoffensively as it can be phrased - and while you have every right to defend your decision and protect your players (there can be wisdom there), it is intellectually dishonest to pretend that the media is somehow manufacturing a bogus story in a journalistically unsound way.

You are, Arthur, overseeing a "situation.''

"Panic''? No, that accomplishes nothing. Admitting publicly that the Falcons have at quarterback a "controversy'' or a "problem'' or a "situation''? No, Coach, you are not obliged to do that.

But acknowledging privately inside Falcons QB that you have at quarterback a "situation,'' and that every effort and every consideration should be involved in fixing it? 

Yes, Coach, you are obliged to do that.