Saints reporter has a spicy theory about why the Falcons haven't fired anyone yet

The Atlanta Falcons are going nowhere fast, but there may be a good reason as to why owner Arthur Blank has not fired anyone just yet. Atlanta was in the driver's seat to win the NFC South only two weeks ago. However, a pair of brutally heart-breaking losses to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home and then to the lowly Carolina Panthers on the road have the Dirty Birds saddled as a very sad 6-8.

Still needing to play them one more time, the New Orleans Saints are in the mix to win the division with a Falcons home date in Week 18. They may be looking up at the Buccaneers in some regard as well, but Who Dat Nation is in a far better place right now than Dirty Bird Nation. When trying to figure out what is going in on Atlanta, Nick Underhill of NewOrleansFootball.com had some thoughts, alright.

He said that the reason he believes Atlanta has not fired anyone is that Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot does not have the authority to put head coach Arthur Smith out of work, leading him to believe that both Fontenot and Smith could be out together after this season. That may happen, but Blank has always had final say in the matter. If only one had to go, Smith is the one out of a job.

The Fontenot bit may sound like news to those outside of Atlanta, but the really interesting thing that Underhill said that had my attention was that the Falcons would be a potential landing spot for LSU superstar quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. Saints fans and LSU fans often overlap. While Louisianans may hate to see Daniels in the red and black, that is very much a reality.

The big question is if Fontenot, or even Smith, will have any say in replacing Desmond Ridder in 2024.

Why the Atlanta Falcons have not fired anyone else, possibly explained

This is the order of operations for the Falcons. They need a new quarterback, probably a new head coach and debatably a new general manager. Two of the guys with Saints ties in this Falcons organization should be retained at all costs. Fontenot has built a magnificent roster, despite having obvious limitations at quarterback. New defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen has been a revelation.

Smith's play-calling has made Falcons fans turn on him very quickly over the last three years. His persnickety attitude with the local media is both funny, yet another reason he may be let go come Black Monday. This really comes down to how Blank feels about this. Smith was almost certainly going to get a fourth year this time two weeks ago, but a lot can change during December football.

With the Falcons probably picking inside the top 10 again, I would venture to guess that Daniels is their ideal quarterback to select entering the draft. They could be in the mix for Michigan's J.J. McCarthy where they are picking, assuming he declares as well. Conceivably, Atlanta could also trade for Kennesaw native Justin Fields if the Chicago Bears want to go in a different direction next season.

Ultimately, Smith has completely lost the fanbase with his shortcomings as an offensive-minded head coach. He may still have the locker room, but playing musical chairs the final two weeks with Ridder and Taylor Heinicke at quarterback won't do him any favors. If Atlanta doesn't win two of its final three games, I would suspect that Blank will pull the plug on Smith, but will still retain Fontenot.

If Fontenot is able to pair Daniels with a great offensive mind, Atlanta could be much better in a hurry.