FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Marcus Mariota and Arthur Smith trace it back. Well, kind of in the sense that they worked together in Tennessee, split for two seasons, and are back on the same roster here in Atlanta.
The familiarity is undeniably present during this round. However, it’s not like the old days. Both men are different, influenced by recent experiences.
Mariota spent two seasons as Derek Carr’s backup in Last Vegas, playing a little and watching a lot. Smith transitioned from Titans offensive coordinator to Falcons head coach when he was over a year old in his new role.
So what happens is both familiar and different. That’s not a bad thing.
“We’ve been through a lot, with different situations and scenarios,” Mariota said. “From that perspective, we both understand if we can put these things on the field here, that at the end of the day we just want to play our best football.
“Art does a good job of making me feel like I can go out there and play freely. I look forward to this chance to grow with these guys. I look forward to the opportunity.”
Dig that term. Getting Mariota to operate that way would be a positive thing for the Falcons offense. He’s already feeling the urge from the coaching staff to trust what he sees, read and react correctly.
“From a free play standpoint — we talk about it all the time in the quarterback room — you can get really robotic at times. Especially me,” Mariota said. “You can get, ‘Here’s your progress: 1, 2, 3, 4’, but the game doesn’t always work that way. Work with [offensive coordinator Dave Ragone] and [quarterbacks coach Charles] London to come up with the 7-on-7s and jog-throughs and just play free, play what you see and trust your eyes.”
Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman Grady Jarrett #97 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Thursday June 9, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons in linebacker Dorian Etheridge #48 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Thursday June 9, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons in linebacker Nathan Landman #55 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Thursday June 9, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge #12 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons in linebacker Nathan Landman #55 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Thursday June 9, 2022. (Photo by Mitch Martin/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London #5 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota #1 and tight end Kyle Pitts #8 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Thursday June 9, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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XXXXX during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts #8 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons cornerback Darren Hall #34 and cornerback A.J. Terrell #24 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier #25 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Thursday June 9, 2022. (Photo by Mitch Martin/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell #24 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons running back Jeremy McNichols #33 conducts a drill Thursday, June 9, 2022 during practice in Flowery Branch, Georgia. (Photo by Mitch Martin/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder #4 and kicker Younghoe Koo #7 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder #4 and kicker Younghoe Koo #7 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons tight end Leroy Watson #72 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts #8 and defenseman Mike Ford #28 during practice in Flowery Branch, Georgia on Thursday June 9, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota #1 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota #1 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman Marlon Davidson #90 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Wednesday June 1, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder #4 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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The Atlanta Falcons take on Jake Matthews #70 on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell #24 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons tight end Brayden Lenius #81 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Atlanta Falcons defenseman Dee Alford #37 during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
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Terry Fontenot during team practice at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Mariota’s eyes, and the rest of him, really is a bit older and wiser than when he last played regularly. He was able to learn from previous experiences and use them in this scheme. His familiarity with it will help free play to become faster. Knowing the scheme and its rules better and applying them pre-snaps and within games will help him work fast and use his natural talents, of which there are many, without hesitation.
“I really learned from that experience and being a backup,” Mariota said. “If you have to sit and watch, that’s a different perspective. Apart from that, I was able to use these experiences as tools. Being close to Art where he had a similar experience where he was head coach for a year. Being able to get this experience has allowed us to play better and play quote-unquote-free.
