FLOWERY BRANCH -- The Falcons' offseason evaluation likely will address the failures in the running game, especially in short-yardage situations, a problem compounded by two unsuccessful fourth-and-1 opportunities in Sunday's 24-2 playoff loss to the Giants.
“It’s a big concern,” coach Mike Smith said Monday at his season-ending news conference. “You’ve got confidence in your football team that they are going to be able to move the football a half yard. There were many times this season when we were unable to get that accomplished. In the past, our fourth-down efficiency has been very good. This year it’s not so good.”
In a scoreless game, the Falcons could not get a yard on a fourth-down attempt from the Giants’ 24-yard line on the first play of the second quarter, when quarterback Matt Ryan was stopped on a sneak. Ryan was denied again from the Giants’ 21-yard line in the third quarter, with Atlanta trailing 10-2.
The Falcons also failed on fourth-and-1 from their 29-yard line in overtime against the Saints in November. Running back Michael Turner was stopped for no gain. Four plays later, the Saints kicked a game-winning field goal.
On Sunday's second attempt, the Falcons lined up in an empty backfield. The play call might have been affected by the absence of running back Jason Snelling, who suffered a broken jaw on a first-quarter carry. He had his jaw wired Monday.
Snelling used social media to inform fans of his condition, posting on Twitter: “Well I just got back from the Dr and it looks like I will be eating jello and apple sauce next couple weeks.”
Smith added, “Jason is a very tough guy. He played through a lot of pain. ... He is getting it taken care of today.”
On Monday, Smith said, “If the lead blocker is not healthy it would dictate [the fourth-down play selection]."
He defended the play calls, indicating they were part of the team’s game plan.
“They are not made by happenstance,” Smith said. “They are made well in advance. We made the decision to go for it and these are the plays we were going to run in those situations. We have a group of them, not just for fourth-and-1, but for all of our fourth-down scenarios.”
The Falcons were 4-for-14 on third down Sunday, and 81-for-220 (36.8 percent) on the season. They were 0-for-3 on fourth down Sunday, including a sack of Ryan on the team’s final offensive play, and 4-for-16 on the season.
Turner, who finished third in the NFL with 1,340 yards, knows the entire offensive unit will be closely examined.
“That’s up to the coaches to evaluate the guys on the team and see what the problems were,” he said.
Turner said the team did some positive things this season. However, it will carry the sting of defeat, the team’s third first-round playoff exit in four years, into the offseason.
“The only thing you think about is that you lost the game,” Turner said. “No matter how you lost it, it still hurts. You work so hard to get to the playoffs and you come up short. We’ve got to find ways to get over the hump.”
Smith would not be specific about the offense’s offseason evaluation process and whether the team might change from a run-first mentality. He did emphasize the team would not be one-dimensional, in either the run or pass game.
“In terms of our offense, we were inconsistent this year,” Smith said. “We were inconsistent running the ball at times.”
The evaluation process could be further complicated if the Falcons lose Mike Mularkey. The offensive coordinator will interview for vacant head coaching positions in Miami and Jacksonville.
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