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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Arthur Smith stood at the podium, trying to explain what happened. Inside the Atlanta Falcons' locker room, a morose, sullen vibe hung in the air and in the words of his players.
Atlanta entered Sunday with playoff aspirations, tied atop a subpar NFC South with everything in the Falcons' control. By the end of a 9-7 loss to the Carolina Panthers, owners of the worst record in the NFL, the Falcons were left needing help to make the postseason and with legitimate questions about the futures of Smith and his quarterback, Desmond Ridder.