Updated: December 10, 2025
- The Falcons have been a major disappointment this season
- Atlanta's offense has sputtered during a five-game losing streak
- The odds point to Steve Sarkisian losing his job as OC
The Atlanta Falcons are a hot mess.
They've lost five straight, their offense is regressing, and the winds of change appear to be blowing in their direction.
The jobs of Head Coach Dan Quinn and General Manager Thomas Dimitroff appear safe, so where does that leave Offensive Coordinator Steve Sarkisian?
I'll reiterate what I said last week: This offensive effort is going to get Steve Sarkisian fired.
— The Falcoholic (@TheFalcoholic) December 9, 2018
Over at Bovada, the odds are against Sarkisian returning to Atlanta for another year.
Odds Steve Sarkisian is Falcons OC Week 1 of 2019?
| Will Steve Sarkisian be the OC of the Falcons for Game 1 of the 2019 Regular Season | Odds at Bovada |
|---|---|
| YES | -110 |
| NO | -130 |
Shanahan vs Sarkisian
Under Kyle Shanahan's guidance, the Falcons were arguably the NFL's most potent offense in 2016.
They led the league in points, yards per play, and were second in yards per game. But it's been a completely different story since Sarkisian took over as OC.
2016 vs 2017/18 Falcons Offensive Stats
| 33.8 | Points Per Game | 23.2 |
| 415.8 | Yards Per Game | 370.4 |
| 6.7 | Yards Per Play | 5.85 |
| 120.5 | Rush Yards Per Game | 98.3 |
Atlanta's offense has performed significantly worse under Sarkisian, despite having most of the key pieces from their 2016 team in place.
During the 2017/18 seasons, the Falcons averaged 23.2 points per game.
This was just behind the NFL league average of around 23.4 points in 2018, showing their struggles in maintaining their offensive edge.
Additionally, their 370.4 yards per game lagged slightly behind the league average of 363.3 yards in 2018.
The team's red zone efficiency also compared unfavorably at key moments.
They've been especially bad during their current five-game losing streak, scoring 20 points just once and committing 10 turnovers.
The Matt Ryan pick-sixpic.twitter.com/HtyOt9mJZ5
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 9, 2018
They've also failed to protect Matt Ryan, who's taken 48 hits since Week 9, the most by any quarterback during that stretch.
Red Zone Disappearing Act
Perhaps the most perplexing part of Sarkisian's run in Atlanta has been his inability, or unwillingness, to scheme more red zone targets for Julio Jones.
Let’s play the suddenly perennial game of: how many redzone snaps can the Falcons have and NOT target Julio Jones?
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) September 7, 2018
Jones leads the league in receiving yards but has just 11 red zone targets this season. That ranks 41st in the NFL, behind guys like Jeff Heuerman, Zay Jones, Sterling Shepard, and teammate Austin Hooper.
Not exactly a who's who of prolific NFL receivers.
Steve sarkisian avoiding Julio Jones in his offense ESPECIALLY in the Redzone pic.twitter.com/jH5IUrJdkK
— Kurt Jones ? (@kurtancall) December 19, 2017
These offensive struggles have not only impacted the team's record but also strained morale among players and fans.
Attendance at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium dropped slightly during the losing streak, reflecting decreased enthusiasm.
Players expressed frustration in post-game interviews, hinting at the pressure building internally as Sarkisian's schemes continued to stall.
Not surprisingly, the Falcons red zone efficiency rate was in the bottom-third of the league in 2017, and while it has improved this season, they're still converting just 50% of their red zone trips on the road.
Historical Context of Offensive Coordinator Changes
Historically, changes in the offensive coordinator position have had mixed effects on NFL teams.
For instance, the Falcons themselves experienced a boost when Kyle Shanahan took over before the 2015 season, leading them to the Super Bowl in 2016.
Similarly, several teams have seen either immediate improvements or gradual adjustments following such transitions.
Will Sark Stay?
Sarkisian's tenure in Atlanta hasn't been a smashing success, but there are some positives to draw from.
Sure, they rank dead last in rushing this season, but Ryan is completing a career high 70.5% of his passes, Jones has 171 more receiving yards than any other wideout, and the Falcons have a 3rd down conversation rate of 46%.
Is that enough to save Sark's job? My lean is no, but we'll find out very soon.
The post Odds Favor Falcons Moving On From OC Steve Sarkisian in 2019 appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.
Original source: https://www.sportsbettingdime.com/news/nfl/odds-favor-falcons-moving-on-steve-sarkisian-2019/
