Quinn’s time as Falcons’ coach is nearing its end

[Lowndesfalc]

Dan Quinn’s time as Falcons’ coach is nearing its end

Monday, September 30, 2019 @ 9:16 AM

By Mark Bradley - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

There’s not a lot to be gained by firing an NFL coach after four games. This isn’t baseball, where you can jettison a manager and hope for a new-voice-in-the-clubhouse bounce. Football isn’t just pitching and hitting. There are offensive and defensive schemes that need to be fitted to this week’s opponent. You can’t throw those out and install the option — unless you’re hiring Paul Johnson, which wouldn’t seem realistic but at least would be fun to watch.

Being pragmatic, an NFL owner must ask, “Can someone in-house get more from this team?” Even as we stipulate that it’d be hard to get less, I don’t see such a person working at 4400 Falcon Parkway. There’s no defensive coordinator, this head coach having heaped that assignment on himself. The new-but-old offensive coordinator has enough problems — a unit with Matt Ryan and Julio Jones is tied for 24th in points — and Dirk Koetter’s three years with Tampa Bay didn’t stamp him as the next Bill Walsh. 

 

 

There’s also reality involved. The Atlanta Falcons are only two games behind NFC South leader New Orleans. Three-fourths of their schedule remains. If you change coaches now, you’re essentially punting away 12 games. Lincoln Riley isn’t leaving Norman, Okla., to come coach the Falcons against Houston on Sunday. (He might come in January, though.)

As bad as the Falcons have been, the only real course now is, er, to stay the course and hope for the best — even as what we’re seeing is close to the worst. For optimism, that’s all I’ve got. I concede it’s not much.

Even for someone who bears the scars of having occasionally believed this franchise is on the right track, September 2019 stands among the most shocking months of Falcons-watching. I didn’t see 1-3 coming, not even after that Opening Day no-show in Minneapolis, not even after they lost to the promoted backup Jacoby Brissett in Indianapolis. I figured they’d beat Tennessee and be 2-2 with 12 to go, which wouldn’t have been great but wouldn’t have been the end of the world, either. Oops.

They lost at home by two touchdowns to a team that was close to benching its quarterback, who — but of course! — threw three touchdown passes in Sunday’s first half. Here’s one of those factoids that tell us nothing and everything: Through four games, Ryan is second to Patrick Mahomes in yards passing; Mahomes’ team is 4-0, Ryan’s 1-3. How does that happen? 

How has any of this happened? At some point since the Super Bowl, the Falcons have employed the league’s highest-paid quarterback, running back and wide receiver. And yet: Carolina and New Orleans have won twice as many games this season with their No. 2 quarterbacks as the Falcons have with their No. 1. Other teams figure stuff out. The Falcons … well, they’re not so good at figurin’.

At this moment, the only reason to keep Dan Quinn as head coach is that there’s no percentage in firing him now — although the temptation is indeed great to say, “That’s enough. Thanks for your efforts.” His Brotherhood has splintered, as you knew it would when the winning stopped. The Falcons have had a couple of injuries, but no injury save the loss of a starting quarterback could begin to explain 1-3. This organization has spent four-plus years giving this coach just what he wants, and it’s not working. It hasn’t worked for a while. 

The stats mightn’t look awful — the Falcons are 10th in the NFL in yards, ninth in yards allowed — but they mislead: Having outscored the Falcons 65-10 in the first halves of the three losses, the opposition hasn’t had to risk much. This club is 19-20 since winning the NFC title on Jan. 22, 2017. It’s 8-12 over the past two seasons. It’s alone in last place in the NFC South, which two weeks ago seemed there to be won. Beating Philadelphia seemed a big deal at the time, but the Falcons have since lost to two teams worse than Philly, rendering that rather fortunate victory null and void. 

Anything less than a playoff berth isn’t apt to satisfy Arthur M. Blank. As of Monday morning, FiveThirtyEight gives the Falcons an 11 percent chance of qualifying for postseason. It also projects them to finish 6-10. They’re not going to lose every game from here on — they’re too talented for that, but haven’t we been saying that all along? — but if they knew how to fix this, wouldn’t they have done it already?

One of the responsibilities of being the Falcons’ head coach is to brief the high-profile owner every Monday as to what just happened. It’s hard to imagine that there’s much to say. Quinn dumped his three coordinators on New Year’s Eve, leaving only one person, at least coaching-wise, left to fire. At the rate this is unraveling, that figures to happen soon. Not this soon, but soon enough.

[HASHBROWN3]

It’s also a matter of just how much embarrassment AB is willing to endure if the **** show continues I’m afraid 

 

[kiwifalcon]

No mention of TOers poor execution or procedural penalties all killers.

Honestly though he’s not far wrong.

If I’m Dan Quinn I’m taking ownership of every area of this team now.If I’m going down I’m going down under my own steam no one else’s.These offensive hires have been poor and they’ve bought nothing to the table this far bar inconsistency.

We’ve been built offensively so you best believe that’s the side of the ball that needs to be carrying the load.17.5 points per game isn’t going to cut it.To me it’s clear DK and MM don’t really have a creative bone in there bodies and here in lies a huge issue.

DQ take the team back and live or die under your own steam no one else’s.

[thanat0s]

We’re stuck with a lot of overpaid, under-motivated losers on this roster and in the staff. The house cleaning needs to come by season’s end, and it won’t be soon enough. 

[FentayeJones]

20 minutes ago, kiwifalcon said:

 

DQ take the team back and live or die under your own steam no one else’s.

By firing all of the coordinators and taking over the defense hes done that already. It hasnt worked.

The defense look just as bad as it always has with DQ in charge and Im shocked by that. At least MM kept teams out of the endzone in 17. 

[kiwifalcon]

Just now, FentayeJones said:

By firing all of the coordinators and taking over the defense hes done that already. 

By taking back power on the other side of the ball.

This is what this teams built on he’s made a mistake with his hires time to take that back also.

He doesn’t have to fire anyone what he can do is tell his coaches on that side what he wants likes and what not to do.Handcuff them of soughted but don’t continue to let them do what there doing If this works keep it If that doesn’t bin it.

He needs to have more input on n the other side of the ball if he doesn’t Knapp Mularkey and Koetter are going to lose him his job.

[revrndzombie]

God this team is so frustrating. 

I cant believe I somehow get excited for football every year. 

I am tired of the catch phrases and nonsense and just bafflingly poor performance. 

Im accepting the reality that the window has closed. Now we are apparently working on boarding it up 

 

[FentayeJones]

Just now, kiwifalcon said:

By taking back power on the other side of the ball.

This is what this teams built on he’s made a mistake with his hires time to take that back also.

He doesn’t have to fire anyone what he can do is tell his coaches on that side what he wants likes and what not to do.Handcuff them of soughted but don’t continue to let them do what there doing If this works keep it If that doesn’t bin it.

He needs to have more input on n the other side of the ball if he doesn’t Knapp Mularkey and Koetter are going to lose him his job.

I think hes fresh out of ideas bro. They just need to do their jobs plain and simple - players and coaches. 

[Godzilla1985]

I’ve been the biggest Quinn cheerleader but sadly from what I saw the past two weeks this team has given up.

 

[kiwifalcon]

2 minutes ago, FentayeJones said:

I think hes fresh out of ideas bro. They just need to do their jobs plain and simple - players and coaches. 

That OC and his helpers are out of ideas if your job was on the line I’m going down on my terms not someone else’s that’s my point really.

If my GM has just spent a boatload of resourcing the off season on my offense and the guys I’m responsible for hiring are screwing it up you best believe I’m taking back control.

[PokerSteve]

43 minutes ago, HASHBROWN3 said:

It’s also a matter of just how much embarrassment AB is willing to endure if the **** show continues I’m afraid 

 

Agree completely. The team is close to being a laughing stock right now with their won-loss record with the supposed talent on the roster. I think the timing comes down to the fans. When you see the big barn with the fancy anal opening sporting vast seas of empty seats, Blank will have no choice but to pull the plug on DQ. Lasting all the way till the end of the season looks to be Quinn's final challenge with the Falcons.

[FentayeJones]

2 hours ago, kiwifalcon said:

That OC and his helpers are out of ideas if your job was on the line I’m going down on my terms not someone else’s that’s my point really.

If my GM has just spent a boatload of resourcing the off season on my offense and the guys I’m responsible for hiring are screwing it up you best believe I’m taking back control.

I hear you about the offense but what about the defense? His defense look as bad and at times worse than the offense. His defense with his hand-picked players. They are getting lit up by mediocre QBs. 

[HASHBROWN3]

4 minutes ago, PokerSteve said:

Agree commpletely. The team is close to being a laughing right now with their won-loss record with the supposed talent on the roster. I think the timing comes down to the fans. When you see the big barn with the fancy anal opening sporting vast seas of empty seats, Blank will have no choice but to pull the plug on DQ. Lasting all the way till the end of the season looks to be Quinn's last, final challenge with the Falcons.

Good points. It’s both a business & personal investment.  These owners have pride in the product they field amongst their peers.  But they cannot tolerate empty seats & bags on heads for too long as you mention.

[BCEagleATLFalcon]

4 minutes ago, PokerSteve said:

Agree commpletely. The team is close to being a laughing right now with their won-loss record with the supposed talent on the roster. I think the timing comes down to the fans. When you see the big barn with the fancy anal opening sporting vast seas of empty seats, Blank will have no choice but to pull the plug on DQ. Lasting all the way till the end of the season looks to be Quinn's last, final challenge with the Falcons.

It's incredible to think that we closed the last Dome with an NFC Championship win only 2.5 years ago ... and now we're ... exactly where your post says we are. A ton of empty seats, a thoroughly frustrated and disheartened fanbase, and a team that looks to have zero clue. 

We could have - should have - opened the new Dome with a banner drop. And things would likely look a helluva lot different. If only.

[Dr Long Shot]

 

13 minutes ago, Godzilla1985 said:

I’ve been the biggest Quinn cheerleader but sadly from what I saw the past two weeks this team has given up.

 

This team looks like a team without a Head Coach. Dan Quinn filled the team with Head Coaches thinking it would make his life easier but the team still needs a leader to run the show and Quinn is just not up to it, never has been. 

[JBridgez]

Did Quinn take over as defensive coordinator so that we would be more inclined to ride the season out with him since there would have to be two midseason coaching changes instead of just one?? Hmmmm...stay woke

[*TMo*]

It's after five PM and no news yet. I figured it would be coming today.

[Lethal]

1 minute ago, *TMo* said:

It's after five PM and no news yet. I figured it would be coming today.

If it happens midseason, and I don't think it will, I'd expect it at the BYE.  Nothing is changing in the immediate future.

[Spts1]

I'm not a fan of bringing in a college coach without giving a NFL veteran a chance ( Someone like Eric Bieniemy etc.) but if the Falcons wanna dip into that again, I agree with Bradley,  I would go with Lincoln Riley.  I saw him scheme in that Rose Bowl against Georgia and he out coached the Dawgs coaching staff.  The Dawgs talent eventually won the game...

[40milesN]

2 hours ago, thanat0s said:

We’re stuck with a lot of overpaid, under-motivated losers on this roster and in the staff. The house cleaning needs to come by season’s end, and it won’t be soon enough. 

If you really want change? Buy a surgical mask that has no metal (or remove it), take a corporate bag (McDonalds,KFC,Burger King, Coke,whatever) cut the logo to fit the mask, stuff in your sock,pocket whatever, wear it during the game.

1 television appearance should do it.

Edited September 30, 2019 by 40milesN
words

[papachaz]

3 hours ago, thanat0s said:

We’re stuck with a lot of over confident, under-educated posters on this roster board and in the staff membership here. The house cleaning needs to come by day’s end, and it won’t be soon enough. 

fixed it for you

 

 

 

[papachaz]

1 hour ago, athell said:

If it happens midseason, and I don't think it will, I'd expect it at the BYE.  Nothing is changing in the immediate future.

it isn't going to happen DURING the season. Mike Smith coming home from London on the team plane a few years back should be proof enough.

 

so if something turns around and this team puts it together and goes on a run and makes the playoffs, I'm going to go ahead and give the mods a heads up that I WILL be breaking CoC and revisiting a lot of these threads............

[Lethal]

5 minutes ago, papachaz said:

it isn't going to happen DURING the season. Mike Smith coming home from London on the team plane a few years back should be proof enough.

 

so if something turns around and this team puts it together and goes on a run and makes the playoffs, I'm going to go ahead and give the mods a heads up that I WILL be breaking CoC and revisiting a lot of these threads............

Yea, I don't think so either

[Rise]

1 hour ago, slickgadawg said:

I'm not a fan of bringing in a college coach without giving a NFL veteran a chance ( Someone like Eric Bieniemy etc.) but if the Falcons wanna dip into that again, I agree with Bradley,  I would go with Lincoln Riley.  I saw him scheme in that Rose Bowl against Georgia and he out coached the Dawgs coaching staff.  The Dawgs talent eventually won the game...

If he his hired, Ryan has to go.. 

I do not believe A.B. will agree to move Ryan for a NCAA coach..

They will have a high pick to draft his style of QB though...

Only NCAA coach that could work with Ryan is Jeff Harbaugh..(Saban is not leaving Alabama)

[Dr Long Shot]

1 hour ago, athell said:

If it happens midseason, and I don't think it will, I'd expect it at the BYE.  Nothing is changing in the immediate future.

Pointless to pull the trigger until we are eliminated from playoff contention. That may very well be the case by week 9... sadly.