FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — With only seven games remaining and the 2-7 Falcons nursing a three-game losing streak, it would figure the coaching staff might have an eye toward the future with ceratin players.
For head coach Mike Smith, the No. 1 goal remains victory; although on Monday, he hinted that changes could be in the offing following Atlanta's 33-10 loss to Seattle.
"This season’s not over," Smith said. "I know people want to say 'doom and gloom.' That's not the case. We've not played the type of football we would like to play in the first nine games. It is well below our expectations, and we are going to continue to work and get ready to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"I don’t think any time, do you not want to try to win the football game? But we will take a good hard look and have competition in practice and the person that wins the competition in practice will have the opportunity to play in the football game," Smith added. "But we're not just going to make wholesale changes and say we're going to play this guy because of what our record is at this point in time."
On the defensive side of the ball, in particular, where the Falcons got torched for numerous explosive plays on Sunday — Smith counted 12 for 296 yards — a couple examples exist where change could be on the way:
In addressing those explosive plays after the game, Smith sounded especially disappointed.
"There's no excuse in terms of who's out there, young players, old players," he said. "These young players we've had out there, they've been playing for eight weeks, nine weeks so they're not rookies any longer. We've got to start making football plays. We've got to do it as a coaching staff to make sure we put them in the best position."
Sean Weatherspoon, the team's top linebacker, is eligible for activation this week after being put on injured reserve/designated to return. In the Falcons' base defense, Akeem Dent has started seven of eight games this season, along with 13 last year.
However, the two undrafted free agents, Paul Worrilow and Joplo Bartu, have received more snaps than Dent in recent weeks.
Worrilow, who has notched 19 tackles in consecutive games, played 100 percent of the snaps on Sunday and Bartu played 97 percent — while Dent played 51 percent, coming out in nickel situations.
Smith would not divulge which player would come out of the base defense with Weatherspoon’s expected return, but Dent seems to be the odd-man out.
"The two young guys have played very well," Smith said. "I don’t think it would be to my advantage or to our advantage to reveal as to who's going to be playing where. We pretty much have a good idea as to how it's going to go. ... We've got some young guys who have stepped up so it gives us a number of options."
Dent said competition is the nature of the league. He was asked if he were concerned that snaps might be harder to come by with Weatherspoon’s return.
"I mean, you go in each week and you just prepare to try to play," Dent said. "The only thing we can control is what we can control, and that's going out and giving the opportunity and playing football."
There could also be competition at the nickel positions. Coming out of the bye, Robert McClain lost his job as the nickel corner. In those situations, second-round pick Robert Alford moved to the right corner and Desmond Trufan — the starter at right corner — moved to the nickel.
On Sunday, Alford and McClain each played 18 snaps, with Smith saying that was part of the game plan, as a means of countering the Seahawks' formations.
Asked about his position battle, McClain tries not to look beyond each week's game, while conceding the season has been tough for him.
"I made some mistakes some past games I wish I could make up on," he said. "I've just got to keep working hard. Everybody gets beat, every corner, every nickel gets beat here and there. I just have to bounce back. I'll be OK."
The question remains as to whether McClain and others will play their way into the lineup — or off the roster — in the remaining seven weeks.
