ATLANTA -- Mike Smith has some decisions to make, some tough decisions.
As he reflects on his team's three-game losing streak, the Atlanta Falcons' coach has to figure out a way to salvage the season and probably save his own job in the process.
Things look rather bleak after Sunday's 27-13 loss to the Chicago Bears, a defeat that has the Falcons sitting at 2-4 and looking up at NFC South leader Carolina (3-2-1). The offense unexpectedly stumbled on the home turf, while the defense was as atrocious as usual in defeat.
So what can Smith do to rectify the problem, specifically on the defensive side of the ball?
"We've played very inconsistently on defense throughout the entire season," Smith said. "And we haven't played nearly up to our potential on the offensive side of the football, either. And I don't think anything is off the table in terms of what we've got to get done.
"These are the guys that we have on our football team. We have to coach them better; they have to play better. We're all in this together."
It's fair to wonder if Smith might consider a radical change such as assuming the defensive play calling from defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. Smith was the defensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2003 to '07 before becoming the head coach of the Falcons.
But Smith recently gave Nolan a vote of confidence. One has to wonder if his thoughts have changed after the latest debacle.
On Sunday against the Bears, the Falcons surrendered five plays of 20-plus yards, including a 74-yard hookup between Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and receiver Alshon Jeffery. The Falcons gave up 25 yards on a third-and-11 play, 19 yards on a third-and-15 play, and 15 yards on a third-and-7 play. Receivers were running free down the field at will.
Embarrassing would be an understatement.
Cutler finished with a career-high 381 yards, which is no surprise considering opponents typically have career days against the Falcons. Running back Matt Forte gained 157 all-purpose yards. And the Bears outgained the Falcons 478-287.
So again, how will the Falcons address their defensive woes?
"We have to look at everything," Smith said. "We've got to do a better job of rushing the quarterback. I thought that we moved [Cutler] some. ... When he moved, we weren't good with our rush lanes, so the quarterback was able to extend some plays.
"We had busted coverage. You don't give up the explosive plays that we have given up without having the mental errors. Very rarely, guys, do you see a team just make a perfect throw and a perfect catch. We've got to be much better. Our young players, our old players have all contributed to this. And we have to get it fixed. And nothing is off the table in regards to what we have to do to be better."
It appears the Falcons still want to be multiple, although they seemed to lean more toward a 4-3 look Sunday. In terms of personnel changes, Jonathan Massaquoi likely earned himself more playing time with an inspired, one-sack effort, while Kroy Biermann's lack of production against the run as a pass-rusher is likely to cut his playing time significantly moving forward.
But the Falcons don't have the ability to dig into their "Madden" collection and find a create-a-player capable of dominating on defense. So they'll have to work with what they have and make what they have work better.
The road ahead won't be much easier, with four straight games away from the Georgia Dome, including a "home" game against the Detroit Lions in London.
"I think it will show how tough these guys are," Smith said. "The schedule-makers make the schedule. We have to go out and play the games. And I think it will test our resiliency as we go through these next five weeks."
With the season on the line, the Falcons continue to bend. Now, they have to find a way not to break.
