When the Atlanta Falcons meet the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville for their Week 8 game, it’ll be the first time head coach Arthur Smith returns to his old stomping grounds.
Smith was able to parlay his success as the Titans’ offensive coordinator in 2019 and 2020 into the head-coaching gig with the Falcons in 2021, where he’s sported an 18-23 record but currently has Atlanta in first place.
“I am from Memphis,” Smith said on Tuesday, per Greg Auman of FOX Sports. “I was fortunate to be there [with the Titans] for 10 years, but it’s going to be about the players for us and the Titans on Sunday.
“A lot of good friends and colleagues that I was fortunate to work with. Some of them are still on the coaching staff. A lot of people, the equipment and support staff, just thankful for my time there.”
Arthur Smith says he tries to pretend playing the #Titans is nothing different but it is given all the relationships he built in 10 years with the franchise. #Falcons
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) October 26, 2023
Since Smith’s departure, the Titans’ offense just hasn’t been the same. When he was at the helm, the Titans had one of the better groups in the NFL, with the unit averaging 25.1 and 30.7 points per contest.
After Todd Downing took over, Tennessee averaged 24.6 and 17.5 points per contest. The Titans replaced Downing with Tim Kelly and the offense is now scoring even less in 2023 at 17.3 points per game, although play-calling is hardly the biggest issue Tennessee faces on that side of the ball.
Despite the fact that the Titans are flailing right now with a 2-4 record and on the cusp of being sellers at the trade deadline, Smith has no doubt head coach Mike Vrabel will have his team ready to go coming out of the bye.
Falcons' Arthur Smith: Said working under #Titans' Vrabel was his favorite time as an NFL coach.
— John Glennon (@glennonsports) October 26, 2023
“I know this. They’re coming off a bye week. Vrabes will have them ready to go,” he said. “Regardless of who plays quarterback, I promise you, they will be ready. We have to be ready to roll. This will be our toughest challenge, going on the road, game we need to win.”
“They will make you earn everything,” Smith added. “It will be a tough, physical game. We have to minimize our mistakes and be ready to go execute.”
Mike Vrabel has done well not asking Arthur Smith about Tyler Vrabel, who’s on #Falcons practice squad.
“He’s never asked me. I give him unsolicited some times. “#Titans
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) October 26, 2023
The quarterback situation Smith mentions has to do with the fact that Ryan Tannehill, whose career he helped revive as OC in Tennessee, is not expected to play due to a high-ankle sprain, leaving either Malik Willis or Will Levis to start in his place.
The Titans haven’t made their starter official yet, but a report suggests it will be Levis. However, Vrabel is trying his best not to show his hand after saying Tennessee might alternate signal-callers on Sunday.
