The worst thing you can do as an offensive-minded head coach is get shut out. That’s what happened to Falcons coach Arthur Smith on Thursday night during the team’s 25-0 loss to the Patriots. Atlanta gave up four sacks, 12 total pressures and wasted what was a gutty defensive effort.

Following the game, Smith didn’t blame the offensive line and tried to stay optimistic about the rest of the season.

“You sit there and you ride the roller coaster, you feel like you’re improving,” said Smith. “Obviously, the last two weeks, clearly not good enough. But we’ve done it we’re going to continue to work — that’s the only thing we know how to do. That’s what it is. We’re going to play seven more games and as bad as this feels, a lot of things can happen in seven games.”

Smith would explain his confidence comes from having done it before.

“If we hadn’t done it at all, sure. You’d be like ‘what are you going to realistically do?’ But we have, and we will get it fixed.”

LIVE: Arthur Smith speaks to the media following the game. https://t.co/I7pX7WB3PC

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) November 19, 2021