The playoff editions of SoundFX on NFL Network are always good for a few revealing moments.
Last year gave us Saints coach Sean Payton memorably finding issue with Mike Bell’s cleats. A clip from the Falcons-Packers game won’t go down as a funny memory, but more a painful one for Falcons fans.
One play before Matt Ryan’s crushing interception returned for a touchdown just before halftime, Smith wanted to kick a field goal. There were ten seconds left in the half. (Skip to 3:25 to watch the sequence.)
“We gotta kick the field goal. Field goal!” Smith said, pointing towards the field.
After hearing a voice in his ear, presumably offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, Smith relented.
“You want to take one shot? Throw it out of bounds if it’s not there. We gotta get the field goal,” Smith said.
Ryan, of course, didn’t throw it out of bounds. Smith slammed his play sheet to the ground, and the game was essentially over.
If it makes Smith or offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey feel any better, we don’t think that mistake really made a difference with the way Aaron Rodgers was playing last Saturday.