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ok Mods, if this is in the wrong place, feel free to move it where ever. I built me a new set of corn hole boards. Found some of the old school logos. I bought a cheaper vinyl cutter we play around with here at the house, so I did my own lettering. I love how these turned out. Might put another coat of polyurethene on them, depending on how they play..... so what do y'all think? I already showed them to @Knight of God I know his opinion

Combined with him reaching out to Forney to train for a month AND getting Kaleb in for some work after he saw the benefits? Pros pro.

Turnaround of Falcons Defense Key to 2020 Success 2 weeks ago Screen Shot Courtesy of NFL.com Gamepass The Falcons Defense was simply atrocious through the first half of 2019. They allowed 31.3 points per game, went more than 4 straight games without a sack, generated just 4 turnovers, and couldn’t get off the field on 3rd down. It wasn’t just the numbers that were ugly. Atlanta also didn’t pass the eye test, with defenders regularly blowing coverages and giving up big plays. As a unit, they looked lost. The end result was a 1-7 start to the season. With Head Coach Dan Quinn’s job on the line, something had to change. And it did. Quinn moved wide receivers coach Raheem Morris to defensive backs coach, and turned play-calling duties over to him on 3rd down. The impact was immediate: The most significant turnaround, and possibly the most important, was the improvement on 3rd down. During the first half of the season, opposing quarterbacks played to a 137.1 QB rating on the most important down. For reference, no quarterback has ever finished a season with a rating higher than 122.5. It’s hard to get off the field when you turn every passer into the best quarterback in NFL history. With Raheem Morris calling the plays, though, the change was drastic. The Falcons went from the worst 3rd-down defense in the NFL (53.0% conversion rate) to the best (25.8% conversion rate): So what was the big change? First, Morris got the Falcons away from their previous tendencies. He increased their use of zone coverage and utilized more 2-deep safety looks: The underlying philosophy of increasing the use of 2-deep safety looks was to win with more underneath defenders in coverage. In zone (Cover-2/Tampa-2), that leaves 5 underneath defenders to protect the first down markers instead of just 4 in Cover-3. In man (2-man coverage), it allows defenders to play inside and underneath their receivers, making those shorter completions more difficult to come by for quarterbacks. Morris also wanted more bodies in coverage in general. In fact, the Falcons utilized 3-man rushes on 3rd down twice as much under Morris as they did during the first half of the season. Through those first 8 games, opponents converted 87.5% of 3rddown attempts against these 3-man rushes versus just 6.25% in the second half of the season. And truthfully, that trend is consistent across the board. The Falcons were better on 3rd down in the second half of the season no matter what coverage they played. They were better in zone, better in man, better in 2-safety coverages, better in 1-safety looks, better when they rushed 4, rushed 3, or blitzed. Coverage mix and the change in tendencies certainly played a significant role in the Falcons’ improvement. The ability to execute was just as critical, if not more. And this was where Morris made the biggestdifference. In the second half of the season, Atlanta defenders appeared to have a better understanding of the design and purpose of the coverages they played. They did a better job of playing to each situation. Their communication in the secondary improved as they stopped blowing as many coverages. You can see the contrast on the below plays. In Week 5 against the Texans, Houston was facing a 3rd-and-3 and aligned with a stack to the right of the formation. The Falcons played man-free coverage, with cornerback Isaiah Oliver responsible for Will Fuller. To deal with any traffic created by the stack, safety Ricardo Allen would drop down to provide help inside. Screen Shot Courtesy of NFL.com Gamepass Fuller went inside initially. Oliver followed aggressively, despite having help inside. When Fuller broke to the outside, Oliver was caught in the traffic, resulting in an easy 36-yard gain. This was a bad job by Oliver of understanding what the offense This was a bad job by Oliver of understanding what the offense was trying to do and where his help was coming from. Fast forward to Week 10 against the Saints, with Morris now coaching the DBs. This was 3rd-and-6. Oliver’s man, Michael Thomas, was again aligned in a stack. This time there was no help inside. Screen Shot Courtesy of NFL.com Gamepass The design of the play was for Thomas to run a crossing route with receivers coming from the other side of the field to create traffic and separate him from Oliver. Despite the fact that there was no help inside this time, Oliver initially remained patient and under control (unlike in the previous example) so he could see the field clearly, read the route combination, and then attack. Playing with patience and control allowed Oliver to process Playing with patience and control allowed Oliver to process what the design of the play was, cleanly avoid traffic, and then make the play. The Saints were forced to punt. Now to a couple of zone examples. The below play was a 3rd-and-8 against the Rams in the first half of the season. The Falcons would end up playing 3-deep with 5 men underneath (3-man rush). Keep your eye on defensive end Vic Beasley. Screen Shot Courtesy of NFL.com Gamepass He dropped into zone right around the first-down marker. However, instead of hanging in his zone, he jumped the running back, who was 4 yards from the line of scrimmage. On 3rd-and-8. With two other defenders in the area. The result was a vacated zone behind him and a way-to-easy completion for a play where 8 defenders dropped into coverage. That’s a poor understanding of the situation and bad execution, something we saw far too often out of the Falcons throughout the first half of the season. During the second half of the season, we saw a better job across the board of players understanding both their coverage responsibilities and the situation. On the below 3rd-and-5 against the 49ers in Week 15, the Falcons again rushed 3 and rotated into a Tampa-2 zone (a look we saw a fair amount of in the second half of the season). Focus on cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson. Screen Shot Courtesy of NFL.com Gamepass Screen Shot Courtesy of NFL.com Gamepass Wreh-Wilson understood the situation and his role in the the Wreh-Wilson understood the situation and his role in the the design of the coverage as an underneath defender. He wasn’t about to allow an easy completion on 3rd-and-5 right at the first-down marker. Instead, he sat in his zone and didn’t even react to the corner route, knowing that his help over the top could take away that route. The rest of the defense played to theirresponsibilities as well. You can also see that there were more defenders in coverage to clog the short-to-intermediate zones in this Tampa-2 look, as we mentioned earlier. You may be thinking, big deal. A player did what he was supposed to do. This isn’t earth shattering. And you’re right. But many players throughout the NFL don’t do what they are supposed to. Many coaches struggle to get all 11 players to do their jobs (The Falcons in the first half of the season being the prime example). This is where coaching comes in. It’s not just about teaching technique and calling plays. It’s about making sure that players understand the design of the play. It’s about helping them understand the purpose of a coverage. This helps defenders feel comfortable playing to their responsibilities and allows them to trust that their teammates will be in the right place. Atlanta should have a very good offense this season, given their talent. But their defense will need to execute with the discipline they played with in the second half of 2019 if they are going to have any chance in a loaded NFC South. Raheem Morris did a tremendous job turning the defense around in 2019, resulting in a well-deserved promotion to Defensive Coordinator. Getting his defense to pick up where it left off, as well as ensuring that the new additions acclimate quickly, will be critical for succeeding in a division with Tom Brady and Drew Brees. Like what you read? Follow us on Twitter @FB_FilmRoom (Football Film Room) for more insight and analysis.

Can’t say they didn’t try this off-season

https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2020/7/23/21335170/kaleb-mcgary-and-chris-lindstrom-working-out-with-former-falcons-rg-kynan-forney If you’ve been a regular of our website over the last couple of weeks, you’ve probably read an article or two about former Atlanta Falcons right guard Kynan Forney. Forney made news recently for his private workouts with right guard Chris Lindstrom who was the 14th overall selection by the Falcons in the 2019 NFL Draft. On Wednesday night, Forney stopped by The Falcoholic Live to talk about his private workouts with both Kaleb McGary and Chris Lindstrom, and why Falcons fans should feel optimistic about the future of the team’s offensive line. Forney is one of the best right guards in franchise history, playing with the team from 2001-2007. To see him working out with the future of the Falcons future on the right side of the offensive line is a welcomed sight. “One thing as far as both of them are concerned is I’ve noticed that they’re not afraid to work,” Forney said on The Falcoholic Live. “They’re not afraid to ask question. Sometimes you get a lot of young guys who feel like they know it all. Sometimes with first-round picks you know, they come in with a lot of prestige and a lot more money, maybe they’re not willing to work as hard. With these two, no — that’s out the door. They don’t have to seek me out, they don’t have to get with me to take their game further. They don’t have to, but they are.” Two weeks ago, Forney went into detail about his private workouts with Chris Lindstrom, who he said is very humble, strong and solid in his technique. Since then, Kaleb McGary heard positive things about their workouts and on Tuesday began working out with 9-year NFL veteran. “I’m trying to help him to make his job easier, he’s already a big strong dude — he looks way better than he did last year,” Forney said. “He’s 330 lbs with some abs, maybe not bricked-up but his stuff isn’t looking like mine, he’s a good looking 330 lbs.” You can hear the rest of our conversation with Kynan Forney in the video above. The Falcoholic Live is streamed live on Youtube every week hosted by The Falcoholic staff writer Kevin Knight. Forney has already agreed to join us in the future to talk more about the team, so keep an eye out for that!

I will be forever not happy with the safety position when it’s just an oft-injured Keke and the midget duo of Kazee and Allen. That said, I’m liking the construction of the roster overall for a few reasons: 1) Interior DL: Grady, Kominsky, Marlin and Teyler..big, stout, mixed in with length and athleticism. Good mix 2) Edge: still not 100 percent, but Fowler is angry and mean, maybe Takk picks up his habits. I like adding Charles who was used badly In Miami. Can Cominsky be that Justin Smith type? That’s the wild card. I think we still need another edge. 3) LBs: Debo, Foye and the new add of Buchanan makes me smile. Lots of speed. I’m not sure @Knight of God and @vel agree with me, but I like Mychal Walker’s game. He’s got length and more nastiness than Campbell. 4) Safety is still not to my standard. That said, I did predict Hawkins getting drafted (got one lol) and I like him. Does Buchanan end up at SS if Keke gets hurt? 5) Cornerbacks. I’m in the minority here, but I love Terrell. He got blistered against LSU and hung tough. Guess what Isaiah Simmons got blistered too. Burrows was simply on fire. But Terrell is tough. I still like Oliver, love Sheffield and think Miller might surprise. Signing Dennard makes me fee much better. OVERALL B to B+ depending on how it shakes out. I do think we need another edge like griffin, or even a play for a one year prove it for Clowney. QB: Matt is still great. Call him a grinder, call him an awkward swan, but the dude hangs tough. He’s been through so many offensive systems, and in year 2 he always gets it. I still hate Koetter WR: what can you say? Ridley, Julio, and Gage make it pretty and great TE: I’m like @Vandy the trade for Hurst gave us. Joker that can line out wide, in-line nd even h-back. Keep your eyes on Pinkney, he was I drafted, but watch his junior year at Vanderbilt, not last year. I rarely tout an UDFA, but this 6’5 260 pound kid could surprise. I love Graham already. TE corps is long , athletic, tough and better. Screw Hoop and his fitness game OL: Bros’ I’m stoked. One we got Hennessy. Kid is mad athletic, whether at G or Center.even if he spot starts or is depth. We don’t go down like we did in SB if Mack gets hurt, or like last year with the G drama. Great pick. Mack still balls. Matthews gets stronger and nastier every year. Y’all know I love some Lindstrom and big Mac at RT, folks who played ball know that getting your asss whupped makes you better. Big Mac will be dominant. Bet. Lindstrom might be an all pro RB: give me 50 percent of Gurley over 100 percent of rbs not named Zeke or Saquan. Forget all the injury Bs out of Rams camp last year. Fact is McVey and his offense got exposed, Goff ain’t great and their OL couldn’t execute. Gurley still had 14 total TDs last year. Beast year coming. Bet and word to y’all’s mothers on him Beasting out. I’m Still not a hill guy, but as a number 2 or 3? Sure. Ito is a decent scat back and can be a utility guy. Ollison is the one I’m watching. @Knight of God and I will be doing backflips like mongloids with tourettes saying “Fuukk yeah” a 1000 times if Ollie emerged and we had a Gurley, Ollie tandem. im big on Ollie because he has a nose for the end zone and he’s 240. Overall offense: A- but it could go way lower if Koetter fuccks things up. Feed the beast of gUrley, use those TEs and open up the WRs. Old school smash them first, if you’re going to stay with vertical offense

2008: A team which was expected to go 0-16, 2-14 or at best 4-12 made playoffs. 2012; Lost and NFCG after leading 17-0. Won a play off game and made it to NFCG. 2016: Lost SB with 28-3. Won NFCG and made it to SB. 2020: Win SB... stars are aligned.

He needs to speak out and get proper help then. Nothing to be ashamed of.

https://theathletic.com/1978973/2020/08/06/schultz-why-grady-jarrett-is-the-way-he-is-and-why-falcons-need-more-like-him/ Before anybody knew really who Grady Jarrett was, before he helped elevate a floundering college football program to a national force and an NFL team to near Super Bowl champion, he was off the grid. Major college scouts never ventured out to Conyers because Rockdale County High School wasn’t a Georgia program known to produce high-level talent. The program had one winning season in Jarrett’s four years. Nobody was going to come to watch him. So he went to them. “We had a camp. I think it was before his senior year,” Dan Brooks said. An invitational camp? “No. It was open,” Brooks said. “If it was an invitation deal, we might not have invited him. We didn’t know a lot about him before he came in, other than he could run, and he was a great high school wrestler. People thought he was too short.” This was early in June of 2010, early in Dabo Swinney’s tenure at Clemson. Brooks was the Tigers’ defensive line coach. He watched Jarrett take on bigger linemen in drills and, “He ripped everybody there. I kept telling Coach Swinney, ‘Come here and watch push rush drills.’ We picked the best offensive linemen we had in camp to go against him, and I don’t think Grady lost one (drill) the whole time. I said, ‘We gotta take this guy.’ They said, ‘He’s too short.’ I said, ‘No, he’s not too short!’ I don’t care how tall they are if they play like that.” Brooks won the debate. Swinney made an offer. Jarrett committed to Clemson. Scouting services listed him as a “two-star” or a “three-star.” They also listed him at 6-foot-2, which stretched the truth, which is just what Jarrett wanted. Not that it mattered. He soon proved to everybody what he could do on a football field. I bring this story up now because the Falcons are coming off two miserable and underachieving seasons. Jarrett fits into the category of players who probably is taking this the hardest. He plays beyond what the measurables suggest he should, just as he played beyond what recruiting services thought and what NFL scouts projected, as evidenced by the fact he lasted until the fifth round in 2015. There were 136 players taken before him. The Falcons’ first two picks in that first draft with Dan Quinn as coach: Vic Beasley and Jalen Collins, two players whose physical talents proved to far outweigh their desire and determination. The Falcons always liked Jarrett, but even they never projected he would become a fixture in their starting lineup, a leader of their defense, a Pro Bowler and an “undersized” defensive tackle who sacked Tom Brady three times in the Super Bowl. Jarrett so far outplayed his modest rookie contract that general manager Thomas Dimitroff would not have been surprised if the player complained about his salary and nudged him for a new deal. It never happened. “I’ve never met a player who was more mature in the contract process than Grady Jarrett,” Dimitroff said. “I don’t think I’ll admire anybody more in that setting, He handled it, head-on, no moaning, no agitation. I don’t know how many people would’ve navigated that the way he did. All the times he and I spoke about the team and leadership, he never once pulled me aside to talk about his contract — not that he couldn’t have.” The Falcons rewarded Jarrett before the 2019 season with a four-year, $68 million contract. He was universally recognized as not only a player of NFL caliber but one you build a defense around. But there wasn’t joy in the season that followed. The only thing that frustrates Jarrett more than losing is seeing teammates underachieve. He never would publicly throw anybody under the bus. But the truth is the Falcons had too many players who went south after the 2016 Super Bowl season. They either were not as dedicated as him or were worried more about their paycheck than leading teammates and winning games. Look at some of the players who were let go after the past two seasons, including Beasley. Look at Devonta Freeman, whose then-agent spoke out about his contract during Super Bowl week and never consistently played at the same level after he got the big contract. The losing ate at Jarrett last season, just as it ate at him at Rockdale County. Having varied experiences, from high school to four double-digit-win seasons at Clemson to extreme highs and lows with the Falcons has helped him process things. But it’s not easy. “On a personal level, no matter how good or bad things are going, I’ll always try to be my best and prepare in a way to where I can put my best foot forward no matter how it is,” he said. “Whether things are going good or bad, you always have to try to lead your teammates and encourage them. You can always be better and things could always be worse. So you’ve got to be thankful for where you are. I just want to be that consistent player to try to help us reach the postseason every year and to never give up, no matter the circumstances.” As for the frustrations of consecutive 7-9 seasons, including last year’s 1-7 start against the backdrop of high expectations, Jarrett said, “As a competitor, you always want to play for the championship. You want to win a lot of games. But I wouldn’t compare past success and making it like a frustration point for me. It’s just a point of motivation to try to get better and to try to get back to where I know we can be.” It’s the week-to-week, year-to-year focus great athletes have. But last season’s losing and constantly being one of the few stand-up guys in the locker room after games weren’t easy. After a 37-10 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Julio Jones had a fiery postgame speech to teammates and said players were at fault for the 1-6 start, not Quinn. It was notable that Jones, Jarrett and Ricardo Allen, three team leaders, left the stadium without speaking to the media, effectively requiring other players to come out. It clearly bothers Jarrett when others don’t get the most out of their talent because that’s not the way he’s wired. “I don’t want to speak for him,” Dimitroff said. “But given his drive, his personality, his grit, his whole makeup, I’m sure people like that really struggle because they know how good this football team can be. It takes more than just pure talent. It takes being on the front foot and pushing through for everyone. That I’m sure would be agitating for someone like Grady, given his makeup.” Brooks is now retired. He last spoke to Jarrett at a Clemson football function in March, but the two frequently text each other, and Brooks said early on at Clemson he spoke to Jarrett about the frustrations of playing on a losing team. “He and I had a lot of long talks about him trying to motivate teammates to be better,” Brooks said. “Rockdale County didn’t have a run of great success. But he was successful in wrestling, an individual thing, which was something he could control. He was under-recruited because they didn’t have other players, they hadn’t had success, and he had to overcome those things.” Brooks also believes the past two seasons frustrated Jarrett. “He really tries to be a leader but it’s in a real positive way,” Brooks said. “I’ve never been in that locker room. But (at Clemson) he could challenge guys to be their best in my little segment group, in my room or on defense. If he’s talking to a linebacker, it’s, ‘I’ve got this gap, you’re supposed to have that one.’ He could challenge guys to be better. So I’m sure it’s worn on him.” The player nobody wanted, the player Georgia and Georgia Tech didn’t notice until it was too late, went on to become an All-ACC pick and team captain at Clemson. The Tigers, who went 6-7 in Swinney’s second full season as coach in 2010, had an aggregate record of 42-11 with two Orange Bowl appearances in Jarrett’s four seasons. His tenacity, his “motor,” reminded many of his father, Jessie Tuggle, the former Falcons’ linebacker who similarly played beyond his dimensions and expectations. Jarrett had “everything you were looking for,” in a defensive lineman, Brooks said. “Everything except the height,” Brooks said. “But he helped us get that program to where it is today.” In college, Jarrett told anybody who would listen that he was 6-2. Brooks told him he was 6-0. They would go back and forth. “I had a conversation with him once. I said, ‘Grady, when you go to the combine, and you back your butt up against the wall, and they make you take your socks and shoes and everything else off and put a clipboard on top of your head, they’re going to call out 72,” Brooks said. “Do you know what that is?’ He said, ‘Coach. I know what that is. But I’m 6-2.’” Jarrett went to the combine. He officially measured at 72.75 inches. So, 6-1-ish. “Being a quote/unquote undersized guy, I always kept a chip on my shoulder,” Jarrett said. “As I got better and better and started having success, (the chip) never left. So I never got complacent.” He was asked if he had any concerns about the NFL season unfolding despite COVID-19. His response was like a page torn out of his book of daily meditations. “‘I have confidence, and I have faith, not fear, in everything in my life,” he said. “So I’m going to prepare to have a full season. At the end of the day, what’s going to happen is going to happen. I’m going to focus on being in the league that I’m in and that we are going to have success.” The Falcons need more like him.

Needed a new table saw push stick so I decided to have some fun with it and took the old Falcons logo and turned it into one. Bottom board can be replaced as blade chews it up and held on with wooden dowels so no metal parts for the blade to hit. Magnets on the back to store it to the saw when not in use. Works great so far. What projects have you all made Falcons related throughout the years?

Prove us wrong Takk. From start to finish. Dont be like the other guy

Why are your eyes down there?

Lol. Is it even worth discussing? Davidson just needs to be active on game day to overshadow Senat... Senat will most likely take up knife training full time soon.

Gurlie to abstainie!

Well Monday I’m going to give my boss 2 weeks notice. I’m nervous about quitting my job to do school full time for about a year, then moving into a whole new career path, but I’m miserable in my current job and will never get to the level I want to be in terms of financial security or work-life balance. I have an opportunity that most people don’t have. Hopefully this thread is still here when I finish school and land that first job. I want to be able to come back and read this and say it was completely worth it. Also **** mayo and if you eat raw onions on a burger then **** you too.

That's that 'married with kids weight' kicking in.

Overdue...such an underrated player. Enjoy

My goodness shut up

I would bet on this potato being our HC in 2021 before Belllicheck

Will forever be my favorite falcons player period. Man wore my bday month and year 10/84.he didnt become a problem when we drafted julio..he payed it forward helping julio become the pro he is like how joe horn helped him.and the best part he HATED the saints.broke my heart when we released him.

Probably Cameron Jordan...

What has he done for anyone to believe in?

Who? - Dan Quinn

From the Falcoholic:

Gurley’s not saying he won’t play, he and a few other high profile players are sending a message to Goodell and owners. Which is smart. Still some more work for NFL to do, but they'll get there.

"Hey bro...you need to smother and cover your face with a mask"

Weeks 1-8 had nothing to do with Vic's lack of showing up

How does it go? *ahem* Troffed

I like Griffen, but he wasn't a first rounder. So Clowney. 🙂

Take the L and move on.

To secure the asset and not have to worry about being outbid. But you are exactly right, and why this was refreshing to see. You get the Troffed crowd who refuse to admit he makes any good moves or contracts and this is just another in a long line of solid decisions for him. He has given out some bad contracts for sure, but no GM is gonna be 100%. More importantly, he didn't take on that contract inherited from the Rams...

Next Gen has an interesting stat on Ridley. In 2019 he led the NFL in Average Cushion at the snap. He was given an eye popping 7.3 yards of cushion, on average, each snap. Would really love to see Koetter exploit this by getting Ridley some quick slants etc....seems like an easy way to get free yardage and force the DB’s closer to the LOS. Then hit em over the top

Don't think they even thought about it.... Just went after guys they liked in the draft once up on a time

Better runners? Yes. The issue is Koetter vs Kyle. Coleman is not that good of a RB. Terrible vision and play through contact. But he's a monster in space and Kyle got him in space as much as he could. Koetter is an idiot. Gurley and Co are going to have to overcome Koetter's stupidity every snap.

Lol what? First Chaisson isn't a Debo clone. That's the easy one. Second, Terrell is going to get a lot of run. It's a passing league. How many times have we lost a CB and been forced to play an iffy replacement? Every single year. So complaining about having a very deep CB room is stupid. Frankly. I like Oliver a lot, but he's no sure thing to replicate his second half. He had a good second half of his rookie year and it didn't carry over. I he struggles and Terrell struggles as a rookie, then what? With no Dennard, you're hoping Sheffield, Wreh-Wilson, and Miller can play. Complaining about adding proven vet CB depth is stupid. Again, frankly. Not mincing my words.

Davidson's ceiling is much higher. No need to bash Senat for this. I'm shocked Davidson was still there when we picked.

He played at 265 so 12 lbs is nothing on a man his size. Also I'm pulling for him. I get the disappointment with his results, but he has heart and a motor that doesn't stop unlike some other former pass rushers...

Because if you go year by year, through their first 12 years, the numbers say there is a comparison to be made. As a matter of fact, according to Pro Football Reference, through year 12 of Matt's career, this is the list of QBs, all-time, that are most similar: 12 Dan Marino*, Drew Brees, Brett Favre*, Fran Tarkenton*, Peyton Manning, Joe Montana*, Ken Anderson, Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Warren Moon* So, to whom should we compare him, if not the elite peer group to which he belongs? Add to that, he is statistically one of the very best playoff QBs ever. It's time to truly appreciate how great a quarterback we've had since 2008.

https://theathletic.com/1958630/2020/07/28/schultz-dan-quinn-needs-a-turnaround-but-its-a-tough-time-to-pull-it-off/ Dan Quinn is all about positivity. This might not seem possible for someone who works in the presumed most dangerous sport during a pandemic and for a team that has failed to make the playoffs the past two years and has had declining win totals in the past three and for an owner who came this close to firing him last season. But Quinn is different. The man could be standing alone on a dusty plain, in the path of stampeding rhinos, and scream to the beasts, “I love your passion! I love your brotherhood! What a great opportunity for me to …”* (* Lost transmission.) So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that as the Falcons trickle into Flowery Branch for testing and, eventually, training camp, and, hopefully, eventually, an NFL season, Quinn is oozing with confidence. He likes the NFL’s testing protocols. He likes his team. He likes what he thinks his players have accomplished in personal workouts and virtual meetings. At some point, if there’s a season, we’ll learn how much substance there is to this confidence, but in the past two seasons, against the backdrop of a similarly cheery outlook, the Falcons were playoff dead before the Thanksgiving turkey reached the table. I asked Quinn on Tuesday about being in the midst of so much uncertainty, from the pandemic to his own coaching tenure, as camp opened. His response was 100 percent pure DQ. “It’s a fair question, and I definitely get it,” he said. “Having two difficult years, it just crushes you emotionally. I just kind of make it, I’m going to have the best week here. I try to make the big things small. I’m definitely optimistic, but it’s not rose-colored glasses, either. I know where we’re at. I know what we’re doing. I know the difficult challenge ahead of us. But I guess my optimism also fires me up, thinking, I know this is something we can do after being here a while. That’s a good feeling. You’re excited because you want to prove it.” Where some see sunshine on the horizon, others see dust being kicked up by an approaching herd. It’s difficult not to like Quinn. He is as good and genuine a person as you’re going to find in professional sports, especially the NFL. It’s the reason players love him, even if last season affirmed there are limits to his personal connectivity with those players. That likability is, in part, what bought him an extra week or two with owner Arthur Blank last season. But Quinn has made mistakes, and he needs to do better or he’s going to lose his job. The Falcons started the 2018 season 1-4, then went 4-9. They started the 2019 season 1-7. There were late-season winning streaks, but, whatever. Players deserve some level of credit for not mailing it in when both seasons were lost, but there were no real stakes for the team in either second half. The victories carry little weight. All that mattered is they finished 7-9. All that mattered was how they started. That falls on Quinn. Regardless of whatever personnel shortcomings the team had — and, in the case of the 2018 season, some significant player injuries that occurred — nobody can deny that those on the field underachieved. There also were coaching mistakes, some stemming from Quinn’s staffing decisions. It’s important to bring this up now because after backsliding for the past three years — from 11 wins to 10 to 7 and 7 — Quinn and his players will face a difficult start in 2020. The first four opponents: Seattle, Dallas (road), Chicago, Green Bay (road). Quinn’s task: In the midst of COVID-19 protocols, without a normal training camp atmosphere, without an NFL preseason, without even scrimmages against other teams to use as a measuring stick, the coach needs to cultivate a strong bond with the players and correct team flaws to prevent the early-season faceplants of 2018 and 2019. How difficult will it be to build improvement in this environment? He said “a lot of” the success will stem from the individual offseason work by the players in their individualized programs, and there is some truth to that. But there were players last season who, despite their previous offseason’s work, despite singing Quinn’s praises, often came out absent in games. The Falcons are banking on the impact of second-half staff changes, including the shift of Raheem Morris to defensive coordinator, carrying over. But it’s never that simple. There’s also the pandemic factor. More than a dozen NFL players have opted out of the season, none from the Falcons, yet. Quinn’s interestingly worded statement on that: “I haven’t had those conversations (with any players) at this time.” The team is already down one player. One rookie, fourth-round pick and safety Jaylinn Hawkins, has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Teams aren’t permitted to disclose a player’s medical status, so the Falcons did not announce whether Hawkins tested positive or is merely in quarantine after being exposed to somebody with the virus. But it is known that Hawkins passed previous tests, so the exposure had to come in the previous one to two days. Either way, disruptions are possible in the coming weeks, and the core of last year’s team often did not play like a tight group. Many logically would look at the high-contact sport of football and in a non-bubble setup and think: The NFL can’t possibly get this done. But Quinn said, “I feel like their time here is the safest time in the day because they know the population here, and there’s lots of guidelines. I’m not saying it’s perfect by any means. But (the concern is more about) the time away from it.” These are not optimum conditions for a turnaround, but in Quinn’s world it just makes for a better comeback.

Very impressive offseason by TD/falcons.