Peyton

OTC has the Defensive Tackle cap going down with Aaron Donald signing the biggest defensive contract in history? Interesting. I don't think the DT cap number is going down. I think it's bad if the Falcons have to use it either way. No player likes to be franchised.

I've been here about that long. Actually probably 1998. My original user number was like 486 or something.

The tag was 13.9 mil last year and it's going to be quite a bit higher than that this year, but the tag is probably what is going to happen. That'll probably mean 2019 is Grady's last year in Atlanta.

Obviously if he believes in himself as a football player football is the right way to go. Just manage to be a solid starting QB by year 4, and his second contract is $100 million + easy. It's a long climb to that kind of contract in baseball.

I don't think there is any danger of anybody underestimating the Falcons next year. People recognize that those two injuries in the opener were devastating to the defense, and expectations are going to be high.

Right. But if the Falcons brought in Wade Phillips, our fans would call him an old retread.

The Falcons have 3 losing seasons in the last 11. They've gone to the playoffs 6 times, made two NFC Championship games, and a Super Bowl. Yeah it's a bummer that they still haven't won a Super Bowl, but they are hardly in "lose all the time" mode.

When the Falcons went to the Super Bowl in 2008, they had Rich Brooks as their DC, who had spent 30+ years coaching and been fired as Rams coach two years prior. He knew football. When the Falcons went to the NFC Championship game in 2004, Ed Donatell was the DC, he had been coaching for 25 years and in the NFL for 15 years. Greg Knapp was in his 10 season coaching in the NFL including several years coaching future HOF QB Steve Young. When the Falcons went to the NFC Championship game in 2012, Dirk Koetter was in his 30th year of coaching and 7th year as an NFL OC. Mike Nolan was in his 33rd year of coaching, including 13 as an OC and 4 as a HC. When the Falcons went to the Super Bowl in 2016, Kyle Shanahan was in his 13th season as an NFL coach and 8th as an OC. The DC was in his 27th year as a coach in the NFL. The Falcons tried going with the trendy young guys.....it didn't work. Experience isn't a bad thing. Sean McVay is the reason for this trend, but how much talent did the Rams add to that roster this past off season? Look at the other top three seeds. Andy Reid, Bill Bellichick, Sean Payton. Those are the three most experienced head coaches in the NFL, right?

I think the Falcons are tooling this coaching staff in a brilliant way, and it reminds me that the team has had it's best seasons when it had it's most experienced staffs. It's true that there can be too many Chiefs in a tribe, but everybody knows Quinn is boss. This level of experience on the staff can't be a bad thing.

I like Schultz but he seems a little bit like he got his feelings hurt by the Falcons not running all their decision making through him before hand. Toughen up Jeff.

Every team in the league runs bubble screens, not sure why people are critical of Koetter for running them. In fact, the year before he came in, everyone was saying about Mularkey "Why does the guy never run screen passes"? It was a legitimate question. Koetter runs screens, but he also builds in other plays off the same action. The guy knows what he is doing and it's not a bad decision to bring him back at all.

His second one too.

Compare this play call by Koetter on 1st and goal from the 1 yard line that iced a way a big road win to the play calls we've come to see from Sarkisian on the 1 yard line the last two years and then ask yourself if he was really that predictable. https://www.atlantafalcons.com/video/palmer-s-1st-score-9167946

I do think people are shortsighted when it comes to Bevell. That dude has been asked to make lemonade out of lemons for most of his career. Certainly wouldn't be asked to do that here. Kubiak is very accomplished but the dude has called plays in one season in the last 14? Football has changed a lot. Certainly not a bad choice though. I know Koetter is capable. I think all 3 are an upgrade clearly.

I loved Koetter as OC. He would put something on tape for opponents to see, then create another play on the same action and get a big play down the road. Example....in 2012 he WR screened teams to death early in the year. Starting in the Philly game, the Falcons broke out the fake WR screen deep ball to the slot guy, then in the playoffs they ran the fake WR screen fake bomb to the slot guy then throw the post to the opposite side. Roddy actually burned Sherman for a TD in the playoff game on that play. Yeah that guy could coach my offense any time.