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Alabama dodge a bullet? Steve Sarkisian under fire after Falcons’ playoff loss
By Cody McClure
Published:
Atlanta Falcons fans are done with Steve Sarkisian.
The former Alabama offensive coordinator, who currently holds the same role for the Falcons, helped cost Atlanta a playoff game on Saturday.
He was catching heat from Falcons fans — and many others who watch the game of football — for a late-game shovel pass, among other questionable play calls made in an NFL divisional round playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Falcons lost to the Eagles, 15-10, with a berth in the NFC Championship Game on the line.
Sarkisian left Alabama for the Atlanta job in February of 2017, just about a month after being promoted as the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator to replace Lane Kiffin. Sarkisian coached the Tide in its national championship loss to Clemson last year.
Perhaps Alabama dodged a bullet when Sarkisian elected to leave and it hired Brian Daboll.
Twitter reacted accordingly to Sarkisian’s coaching performance on Saturday:
Win or lose, Steve Sarkisian is awful.
— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) January 14, 2018
I will always maintain Saban cost Alabama a natty by firing Kiffin a week before the championship game and elevating Sark. And then the whole thing really blew up when Sark left for Atlanta. Huge mistake there.
— Tommy Deas (@tommydeas) January 14, 2018
Steve Sarkisian looks over his play sheet featuring countless pass plays to one of the best receiving corps in the NFL on second and goal with a minute left in game. Calls a shovel pass instead. I swear offensive coordinators overthink their play calls so badly late in games.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 14, 2018
If Steve Sarkisian was still at Alabama, he would have kept Tua Tagovailoa on the bench. Georgia would have won the title, Falcons would have won this game. Sark is Atlanta’s biggest nightmare since Sherman
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) January 14, 2018
The Steve Sarkisian Offensive Coordinator experience can be summarized by Al Michaels’ “What was that?”
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) January 14, 2018
I’m not the “fire him” guy.
Steve Sarkisian can’t be back.
— Brad Rowland (@BTRowland) January 14, 2018
THAT’S your play? Shoot Sarkisian into the sun
— Jim Murray (@bigjimmurray) January 14, 2018
An incomplete shovel pass and a fullback split out to wide receiver in goal-to-go situations needing a touchdown.
Steve Sarkisian’s masterpiece.— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) January 14, 2018
Steve Sarkisian just took one of the best offenses in the NFL last year (with the same players) and scored 10 points. Awful performance all season. Awful play calling all season. Just a terrible terrible season.
— Connor Blake Wolfe (@cb_wolfe82) January 14, 2018
Hated the final play call by #Falcons Sarkisian. Roll to Julio? Cut field in half. One option. Terrible. And so was the shovel play call. Terrible.
— buck belue (@buckbelue8) January 14, 2018
Steve Sarkisian…. pic.twitter.com/CXVvKv95CW
— Sad GA Sports Fan (@KingAustinW) January 14, 2018
Cody McClure is an SEC Football Writer for Saturday Down South. He lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he also co-hosts a midday sports radio show for FOX Sports. Cody previously worked for Athlon Sports.
