The Falcons are hoping Arthur Smith winds up coaching the Falcons well enough to get them back into the playoff picture and eventually a Lombardi Trophy. They would not have hired him if they didn’t think he could do that, but whether he can actually do that is very much an open question.
Much will depend on whether Smith’s offensive acumen translates over to the Falcons. This is a league where great offense can carry you a long way, and the Falcons have become mired in mediocrity for long stretches over the past three seasons, with that problem becoming most acute under Dirk Koetter.