Falcons' 崩壊（する） not surprising but still painful for Smith
ATLANTA (AP) - From 4-4 to 5-10, the Atlanta Falcons have 崩壊（する）d in the second half of a season that was seen as a 再構築するing year from the start.
Even so, that doesn´t take away the sting of losing for coach Arthur Smith, who is 12-20 in nearly two years on the 職業.
"最終的に, it´s about winning, but you can look at a lot of 進歩 存在 made," Smith said after Saturday´s 17-9 loss at Baltimore. "Our guys are a resilient group. We need to 勝利，勝つ. I´m thankful we have another 適切な時期 next week at home."
When the Falcons bring a four-game losing streak into a likely half-十分な Mercedes-Benz Stadium to 直面する Arizona on Sunday, they will do so knowing they 港／避難所´t had a winning 記録，記録的な／記録する at any point since the end of the 2017 season. They have 行方不明になるd the プレーオフs for five straight years and have lost six of seven, even with a change at quarterback from Marcus Mariota to 新人 Desmond Ridder.
All this gloom hasn´t 影響する／感情d Smith´s 見通し on the final two games of the season. Seven of Atlanta´s losses have been by 10 points or より小数の. Five of the last seven losses were one-所有／入手 games.
"There has been a トン of 進歩," Smith said. "It´s different from last year when we were in some one-得点する／非難する／２０ games, 完全に different team and different 状況／情勢s going 支援する and looking at them. We´ve got to find a way to get over that hump."
Atlanta Falcons 長，率いる coach Arthur Smith challenges a call during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
The Falcons will spend the next two weeks and plenty of time in the offseason 評価するing whether Ridder, a third-一連の会議、交渉／完成する 草案 choice from Cincinnati, is the answer at quarterback. Four games as a starter is a small 見本 size, and Ridder has yet to show he can 勝利，勝つ in the NFL.
He hasn´t been terrible, either, 完全にするing 35 of 59 passes for 315 yards. He hasn't thrown a touchdown pass but hasn't been 迎撃するd, either. His passer 率ing is a mediocre 73.8. Atlanta´s 罪／違反 under Smith is run-first.
"I thought his 決定／判定勝ち（する）-making was good, and he was pretty 正確な," Smith said after Ridder 完全にするd 22 of 33 passes for 218 yards against Baltimore. "I thought he made some big-time throws when the 圧力 got on him in the second half, and that´s what you want to see. He was 静める and collected, and I thought he 配達するd the football.
"A couple things here and there that we have to look at 負かす／撃墜する in the red zone. Short yardage and things like that. But I thought from the pocket presence against a 質 弁護 that gives you a lot of looks, I thought he had pretty good 宙に浮く."
WHAT´S WORKING
新人 Tyler Allgeier, who led the team with 74 yards 急ぐing on 18 carries against Baltimore, has developed into a solid starter for a fifth-一連の会議、交渉／完成する 草案 選ぶ. Allgeier is hard to bring 負かす／撃墜する once he 攻撃する，衝突するs a 穴を開ける, and he´s shown durability, playing in every game except Week 1 and not 行方不明の practice. He leads the team with 817 yards 急ぐing, and his 4.9 yards per carry is second.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
The red-zone 罪／違反 was abysmal. Four of Atlanta´s final five 運動s ended inside Baltimore´s 20-yard line, but the team was held without a touchdown.
STOCK UP
Second-year safety Richie 認める led the 弁護 with seven 単独の 取り組むs and 10 total stops and is second on the team behind linebacker Rashaan Evans with 61 単独の 取り組むs and 106 total stops. 認める, who didn´t start for much of last year, has two interceptions, and his seven pass 崩壊／分裂s are second on the team to A.J. Terrell´s eight.
STOCK DOWN
Drake London, the eighth 全体にわたる 草案 選ぶ and the first receiver chosen, had a 高くつく／犠牲の大きい fumble for the second straight week. He 辞退するd to use the 冷淡な 天候 as an excuse. Last week´s game was indoors at New Orleans.
"I´m 狙撃 my team in the foot, it´s as simple as that," London said. "I´m the one who (messed) up. I´m the one who keeps putting the ball on the 床に打ち倒す, and that shouldn´t be the 事例／患者. I want to make sure that this team knows I´m surehanded, and 権利 now, I´m not doing that. It definitely 傷つけるs me and kills me. All I can do is just learn from this."
INJURIES
The Falcons didn't 報告（する）／憶測 any new 傷害s after the Baltimore game.
KEY NUMBER
6 - Atlanta's posi tion in next year's 草案 if the season ended today.
NEXT STEPS
Shore up the red zone 罪／違反 and get ready to host the 4-11 枢機けい／主要なs on Sunday.
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (4) 減少（する）s 支援する to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
