The stakes were similar for the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints in Week 18.
However, Dennis Allen and the Saints came up big with a 48-17 victory over the Falcons.
The Saints scored the final 31 points. Instead of being upset with his Falcons, head coach Arthur Smith had a problem with Allen and mouthed off when the coaches went to shake hands.
Falcons HC Arthur Smith had some words for Saints HC Dennis Allen in a heated exchange after the game. pic.twitter.com/EXit2gsjDJ
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 7, 2024
I thought the idea was that if you don’t want your opponent to ring your asses up, you stop them. pic.twitter.com/60mjvOCLwK
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 7, 2024
Arthur Smith was not happy with Dennis Allen after the Falcons-Saints game.
Here’s how it looked — and sounded — on CBS (with Andrew Catalon on play-by-play). 🏈🤬pic.twitter.com/x1Jnawnq2t
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 7, 2024
Smith was set off by the Saints’ final touchdown with 1:10 left in the game.
Take it away Jamaal 😏#Saints | 📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/L8vZjocAzQ
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) January 7, 2024
Allen apologized to Smith at the start of his media availability.
Saints coach Dennis Allen: I’m gonna start by apologizing to Arthur Smith and the Falcons.
Said they should’ve taken a knee. But guys wanted to get Jamaal Williams a TD and that’s “unacceptable.”
“That’s not who we are, not what we’re about.”
— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) January 7, 2024
Give Smith credit for consistency during his tenure in Atlanta. All three seasons have seen the Falcons finish 7-10.
Not sure a 21-30 mark is anything that will promote job security heading into the offseason.