Falcons GM confident Sarkisian will improve offensive play-calling

General manager Thomas Dimitroff is confident Steve Sarkisian will take a significant step forward as offensive coordinator in 2018, after the Atlanta Falcons' offense took a major step backward in his first season running the unit.

"It's his second year now calling plays in the NFL, he gets a good idea of what flies and what doesn't fly with the personnel we have and don't have," Dimitroff said Wednesday on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "I think that's gonna be where he's gonna make some major strides."

Sarkisian was a surprise hiring by the Falcons last year, who poached him from the college ranks to replace Kyle Shanahan - now the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers He drew plenty of criticism in his first campaign with the Falcons, and it grew exponentially after a puzzling series of play calls at the end of the team's 15-10 loss in the NFC Divisional Round versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Falcons led the NFL in scoring two seasons ago - Shanahan's last year as the offensive coordinator - but regressed to 15th in 2017.

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