"A total mismanagement of a declining roster between Thomas Dimitroff and Dan Quinn in 2019 and 2020 led to a complete revamp in 2021. Two years of slow progression led to a season with credible expectations in 2023. That came crashing down in a division there for the taking, leading to Arthur Smith's dismissal. As exciting as the beginning of last season was under Raheem Morris, another late-season collapse resulted in another wasted opportunity to make the playoffs."
"You can draft all the exciting, top-tier offensive prospects. You can sign a big-name veteran quarterback with gaudy statistics. You can play in primetime against the two teams that made the Super Bowl. All of these high-profile moves and moments generate short-term enthusiasm, but everything feels largely empty in the long haul when there is no playoff berth to show for it."
"Unlike in the past several seasons, there is genuine optimism at the quarterback position. It won't be an aging franchise legend (Matt Ryan), diminished veteran (Kirk Cousins), journeyman (Marcus Mariota), or someone who isn't an NFL-caliber player (Desmond Ridder) as the opening day starter. An ultra-talented, prolific quarterback with all the poise in the world is taking over the reins in Atlanta."
Atlanta's franchise faces its longest playoff drought since 2018, joining the Panthers and Jets as teams without postseason appearances since 2020. Mismanagement of a declining roster under Thomas Dimitroff and Dan Quinn in 2019–2020 prompted a complete revamp in 2021. Slow progression produced credible expectations by 2023, but a late collapse and division failures led to Arthur Smith's dismissal. Raheem Morris' early-season spark vanished with another late collapse. High-profile drafts and veteran signings generated short-lived enthusiasm but no playoff results. Genuine optimism now centers on rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., viewed as the catalyst to revive the team.
Read at The Falcoholic
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