Arthur Smith following loss to Saints: ‘Better days are ahead’

“We scrapped and clawed,” said Smith after the game. “Definitely feel like we’ve got a good foundation, and that better days are ahead.”

The Atlanta Falcons improved their win total by three this season, but it was painfully obvious that this roster needs a few upgrades before the team can compete for championships.

In Week 18, with a chance to sweep the NFC South-rival Saints, the Falcons sputtered to a 30-20 loss that wasn’t as close as the final score would suggest. Nonetheless, head coach Arthur Smith was consistent in his message throughout the year and following the game, he said he felt like the team had built a good foundation.

“We learned how to win close games,” said Smith. “We went 7-2 in one-possession games. We scrapped and clawed. Definitely feel like we’ve got a good foundation, and that better days are ahead.”

Smith got a little testy when asked about ESPN’s report that he wants Matt Ryan around in 2022. Watch his full postgame presser below, as shared by the team’s Twitter account.

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