By John A. Tures, Professor of Political Science, LaGrange College
Since the Atlanta Falcons led the New England Patriots by a wide margin in Super Bowl LI in January of 2017, they’ve had one winning season and one playoff appearance. Since 2018, they’ve had a losing season, so things look pretty bleak, right? Actually, this team is poised for success, and simply needs only a few factors for success: a new coach, a new quarterback and a defense-heavy draft to not only retake the NFC South, but to also challenge for a Super Bowl.
I’ve been a regular post-Falcons game reader of Twitter, and to hear the angry fans, you’d think the entire team should be overhauled, from owner to each position. But thanks to years of high draft picks, there’s actually a fair amount of talent on the team. That’s why the team doesn’t need to change everything; the franchise just needs a few strategic moves.
First of all, you can’t necessarily fire the ownership. And the front office team has made mistakes, especially at quarterback, but has assembled the talent needed to take the team to the next level. You probably don’t want a GM learning on the job, or not being as familiar with the players stepping in.
Second, the coach needs to go. Update: The Coach did go. After three straight losing seasons, with the team scoring minimal points, and doggedly committing to a struggling QB, and questionable play-calling, the team fired Arthur Smith Jr. and must seek a new coach. Many coaches Atlanta has hired have had to learn on the job as head coaches; few had experience.
The team does not need a defensive coordinator, as Ryan Nielsen has the Falcons with the 11th best defense, ninth in scoring defense, eighth in pass defense, third in red zone defense and third in third down defense, according to Fox Sports. Only in rush defense (19th) does the team need improvement, and some run-stoppers on the line and among the linebackers will be needed for a little more pressure.
That means the next coach should have experience as an offensive coordinator. Should Dallas foolishly part with Mike McCarthy after a postseason stumble, he would be the ideal candidate, with experience and improvement for two franchises (Green Bay and Dallas) and a Super Bowl ring. Experience would be more valuable, as only four of the 13 Atlanta Falcons coaches had it when tapped to run the team. Three of them had at least one winning season and Dan Reeves got them in their other Super Bowl. If the Titans release Mike Vrabel, he might be a good fit. Jim Harbaugh was successful with the 49ers before going to Michigan. All three would be preferable to someone like Josh McDaniels, who had head coaching experience, but struggled both times.
Eric Bienemy of Kansas City and Washington, Ben Johnson of Detroit and Brian Johnson of Philadelphia would have the offensive experience the team might need, if an experienced coach is unavailable. The recent offensive struggles of each of these coordinators’ teams might open the door for Bobby Slowik of the Houston Texans to get the job. I know he’s young, but (a) he comes from the Kyle Shanahan “coaching tree” and Falcons fans know how Shanahan got the team to their last Super Bowl, and (b) Slowik got the Texans into the playoffs and with their division with a rookie QB, a decimated WR corps, and overlooked RBs. Please give him a call, Arthur Blank.
Third, the quarterback is the position on the field Atlanta needs the most, and Desmond Ridder has struggled badly. Given the youth of many of their other weapons, an experienced QB is the best solution to work with Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, Drake London and Kyle Pitts. Kirk Cousins would be a better fit than Justin Fields, but it depends on the coach’s style. Russell Wilson or Tyrod Taylor might have a good year or two left, to pave the way for the QB of the future. The University of Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. or Jayden Daniels of LSU might be a good draft pick, or Jordan Travis of FSU could be nabbed in the third round, to take over in the future.
Sure the Falcons looked bad in the last game against the Saints, but it’s a franchise with a lot more going for it than others who will miss the playoffs. The right coach, QB and draft, could prepare Atlanta for a bright future.
John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia. His views are his own. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu. His Twitter account is JohnTures2.
