Watch: Falcons HC Arthur Smith left fuming after Saints score garbage-time touchdown in 48-17 rout

Atlanta was blown out 48-17 against New Orleans in their regular season finale. Smith used his meeting with Allen at midfield following the game to air his grievances over the Saints' decision to run a play out of victory formation for a garbage-time touchdown with 1:10 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Afterward, Allen defended Smith's reaction and apologized to the beleaguered head coach, saying players overrode his call for a kneel-down.

"That's not who we are, not what we're about," said Allen, failing to understand that a petty, meaningless touchdown against the Falcons is exactly what the Saints are about. 

Allen's admission suggests he doesn't have the command of the locker room that he should and is as bad a look as Smith pouting over getting blown out in a rivalry game. Smith's overblown reaction might be due to his realizing that he is probably hours away from being fired on "Black Monday." In December, reports surfaced that the Falcons' third-year head coach was safe barring a late-season collapse.

That's exactly what happened over the final two weeks of the regular season, though. In consecutive losses to the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints, the Falcons were outscored 85-24.

On Sunday, NFL insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported that Atlanta is a team to look out for should they part ways from Smith and the Patriots move on from head coach Bill Belichick.

Jim Harbaugh appears likely to return to the NFL following Michigan's College Football Playoff championship game appearance and the Falcons could be an intriguing destination for him, too.

The Falcons have talented young playmakers in tight end Kyle Pitts, wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson. With a top-10 pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, Atlanta is in a prime position to draft a quarterback in a promising class.

After a promising first half against the Saints, quarterback Desmond Ridder showed why he's better suited for a starting job in the UFL with several poor throws in the second half, including an interception, another would-be pick and an awful fourth-down throw to Robinson in the end zone.

The Falcons will probably have a different head coach and quarterback for the 2024 season, making Sunday's embarrassing loss to the Saints an ignominious way for the Smith era to end. We would probably be upset, too.