This Sunday the Jacksonville Jaguars will be looking to acquire win No. 3 against an Atlanta Falcons team that endured a change at the head coaching position just as they did this offseason. In fact, the organization gave the job to a familiar face in Arthur Smith, who previously was the offensive coordinator for their division rivals: the Tennessee Titans.

Despite both teams enduring changes at the top, though, the Falcons are still a bubble team with a chance to make the playoffs, so they have a lot to play for. The Jags, on the other hand, aren’t mathematically out of the picture, but most understand that it would take a miracle at this point to make the postseason.

Still, the Falcons aren’t significantly better than the Jags and it’s clear the Cardiac Cats have a chance if they play a good game. To get more intel on Smith’s team heading into the game we chatted with Deen Worley of the Falcons Wire, and here are four questions he was able to answer about the Dirty Birds:

JW: With the coaching change that occurred this offseason, could you talk about how the overall season has gone to this point under Arthur Smith, and run down a few key roster additions the team made this year to give our listeners a preview of the new-look Falcons?

Oct 31, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith on the field against the Carolina Panthers in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

DW: So far, it’s been a bit of a mixed bag with Smith as head coach. There’s a lot of good moments and then there are also a lot of bad moments, but the foundation is there. So right now, it’s hard to judge how he’s been because we have been so talent deficient (mainly on offense) and he’s an offensive coach who formerly was with the Tennessee Titans as a coordinator. 

Smith came into a situation where they lost Julio Jones in the offseason. So that made his start a rough one. Then they had to replace Calvin Ridley mid-season for his situation, which could be temporary, but there hasn’t been an update regarding that. I’d imagine that plays a role into how Smith gameplans week-by-week because they are missing a key part of the offense. So, it’s simply too early to tell right now.

JW: When looking at this Falcons team on defense, they are ranked 20th overall and 15th against the pass, so there seems to be some potential within the unit. Could you discuss some of the building blocks they have on that side of the ball?

Nov 18, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell (24) intercepts a pass in front of New England Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith (81) during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

DW: Falcons fans have grown accustomed to seeing their defenses ranked much lower. It’s just been awful in the past several years, so being ranked 20th this year is a blessing in disguise. There are moments obviously when they show how talent deficient they are and they have the tendency to leave players wide open downfield for massive gains on occasions, but when it matters the most, they take on a “bend but don’t break” mentality (holding teams to field goals in key moments, etc.)

When looking at who the defense can be built around, I think it’s A.J. Terrell, their standout corner. Many hated the pick last year whenever the Falcons took him, but it’s proven to be worth it. When looking at some of the options taken in front of him at cornerback like C.J. Henderson (no longer with the Jags) and Jeff Okudah (has dealt with injuries), his selection was a smart one as he’s been a shutdown cornerback for the team and has the third-best cornerback grade on Pro Football Focus though he isn’t a traveling cornerback.

JW: What are the keys to victory for Atlanta this week?

Nov 14, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson (84) runs with the ball against Dallas Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson (6) at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

DW: The biggest key to victory is having Cordarrelle Patterson back. We saw a week ago just how poor the offense is without him. They looked lost as Patterson has become Matt Ryan’s top weapon. Simply put, he has the ability to turn 2-yard passes into 10-yard gains. It really does change their offense to have a guy who brings that much electricity to the offense. 

Then the offensive line needs to improve. It’s been hard for Matt Ryan to do a lot behind this offensive line. He’s been unable to step into throws often and it’s affected the passing game in a big way, so guys like Kaleb McGary and Matt Hennessy have to play better. 

JW: What are your score predictions for Sunday's game?

Nov 22, 2018; New Orleans, LA, USA; Atlanta Falcons helmets on the bench during their game against the New Orleans Saints in the first quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

DW: I’ll go with the Falcons in a 20-10 win, that’s a reasonable score. I think the offense gets going and reaches the end-zone a few times and I think the defense should be able to hold the Jags in check without Agnew.