Falcons coach Mike Smith’s efforts to move on from last season’s fall from Super Bowl contenders to a 4-12 finish were complicated by the public’s need for a narrative.
Beating the Saints in the season opener on Sunday finally allows the Falcons to change the subject.
Falcons fans spent the off season scrutinizing the team’s efforts to improve the offensive and defensive lines. After Falcons owner Arthur Blank said the team wasn’t tough enough in 2013, HBO’s “Hard Knocks” documentary focused on Smith’s efforts to make the team more physical.
All of that that happened as the 4-12 season hovered over the franchise like a cloud.
“We as coaches and people in this organization, we liked to say we turned the page in February last year because we were making plans for 2014,” Smith said Monday. “But this game is so popular. With the off season, they will talk about acquisitions but they are still going to be talking about last game played because that’s the focal point of the NFL is those games. Now everybody has an opportunity to have a new focal point to talk about and that’s the game against the Saints.”
The Falcons didn’t just win their season opener. They beat their hated NFC South rivals in overtime while setting a franchise record with 568 offensive yards.
Smith said the Falcons didn’t spend much time savoring the victory. The Falcons play at the Bengals on Sunday.
“I can assure you this, we met early with the players today, put this game to rest and we are on to the Cincinnati Bengals because they had a really impressive win on the road against the Baltimore Ravens (Sunday),” he said.
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