Coaches get too cute

It was a risky call to throw, but honestly it was the least risky pass play they could call. If Barkely wasn't open Hurts could just run, stay in bounds ,and maybe he gets the first down. But Barkley was wide open for an easy catch and he just dropped it. Yes, the safe call was to just run the ball, run the clock, and then kick the FG or go on 4th down. But, had Barkley caught an easy pass the narrative right now would be how Siriani has giant balls for calling a pass play on 3rd and that's how you win games. I mean, people keep talking about the times Payton ran the risky play instead of the safe play, but that's why he won games. He was always aggressive. Sometimes it doesn't work and sometimes it turns into Ambush and you win the Super Bowl.
Those are all solid points but contextually and situationally, the smart call is to run - because in that particular moment, the Falcons couldn’t stop the clock and time was a factor.

If Atlanta still had a time out left, then that play call is less risky because you have already lost the element of running out precious time on a running play.

So again, the old “no risk it, no biscuit” saying is true in a lot of cases but situationally, it wasn’t the best decision.

Conservative play really annoys fans - but there are times when it really works - so long as it’s not the overall philosophy of the team.