EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Arthur Smith said it came at his wife’s suggestion, growing the stubble that might eventually grow into a salt-and-pepper beard on the Atlanta Falcons coach’s face. Perhaps she liked the look. Perhaps it was something to shake things up after two straight 20-plus point defeats to start his tenure.
Smith is not a superstitious person, but the beard might be here to stay for a little while.
“A get-a-win beard, how about that?” Smith said.
While Smith was joking -- maybe -- the other messages he has tried to stress over the past three weeks might have stuck.