The Falcoholic
There’s been a feeling of the Falcons hitting rock bottom continually since 2019. It started with a 1-7 start that season, followed by losing the first five games in 2020, leading to the firings of Dan Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff. While 2021 was a rebuilding year, the season opener at home against Philadelphia ended in a 32-6 defeat. That’s not how you want to start a new era with Arthur Smith.
Being heavily linked to trading for Deshaun Watson in 2022 was a dark moment in franchise history. Losing to a one-win Panthers team in 2023 essentially ended their playoff aspirations and the plan to develop Desmond Ridder. A four-game losing streak last season, with non-NFL caliber quarterback play from Kirk Cousins, ending in a 42-21 defeat to Minnesota, felt like the latest moment of hitting rock bottom.
It didn’t take long for the Falcons to do it this year. A 34-10 defeat to a dysfunctional Miami team has left everyone wondering what the Falcons can do to rectify what could become another lost season. They looked bewildered in all aspects against one of the worst teams in the league. A roundtable is very much needed to assess the team. Dave Choate, Adnan Ikic, and Aaron Freeman for this month’s roundtable. The previous 2025 season editions were published in September and August.
Dave Choate: I don’t think there’s an easy, clean answer here. Like Dirk Koetter and Arthur Smith before him, Robinson has shown himself to be inflexible about his preferences. I don’t think he’s going to suddenly abandon the pistol, his preferred pre-snap motions, or his ideal personnel; all we can really expect are tweaks.
I do think the team can rely a little less on the pistol and try to eliminate tells that have made it easy to guess when the Falcons are running, like particular pre-snap motions for Charlie Woerner. I definitely think more Casey Washington and KhaDarel Hodge at receiver in place of David Sills, a willingness to use a little more Feleipe Franks or Teagan Quitoriano if you’re not willing to commit to using a sixth offensive lineman on days where the ground game is struggling, and in general a lighter reliance on three receivers when the Falcons don’t have three worth putting on the field at the same time can only help.
That’s what this needs to be about: Making this offense less predictable and more tailored to helping the guys on the field succeed, rather than what Robinson thinks will work (and has really not). Even modest gains can make a big difference over time.
Adnan Ikic: With pure talent, at this point. The schematic issues are such a hindrance and give defensive play callers such an advantage to know if the next play will be run or pass based on the formation (for the most part). If nothing changes, all we can hope for is for Bijan Robinson to...
