Staff Writer: Kevin Mitchell
This NFL season has clearly been a struggle for many teams. One of those teams struggling is the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons are a team that’s stacked with potential. We’re talking players like Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Matt Ryan, and the most recent pick up Todd Gurley who they bought in from the LA Rams. This offensive combination should be unstoppable, but they are one of the worst teams in this 2020 season of the NFL.
Fans were saying it was Dan Quinn, the now former head coach, and some are saying it’s Ryan at quarterback, which lead to the question of how much longer Ryan will last as an Atlanta Falcon.
But if you want to bring players into the argument you must understand that the plays, every single call, are coming from the coaches. But did Dan Quinn have more in the “tank”? Was there more he could’ve shown as the season progressed? Was the firing of Dan Quinn the worst mistake the Falcons could’ve made? Who’s going to take over the Head Coach position next season? Will Raheem Morris do enough to keep the job?
Quinn had been the Head Coach of the Falcons for six seasons and one of those seasons was the year they went all the way. Although they lost to the Patriots and Tom Brady, it proved that Quinn had what it took to be a winning coach.
After the Super Bowl appearance, the Falcons played through the seasons not too bad but then again not too good and that leads us to this 2020 season. The hopes were high amongst fans that this year was the year. This year was going to be the Falcons year to shine. New uniforms, new players, basically a whole new front almost like a fresh start.
Atlanta Falcons vs. Seattle Seahawks in the opening season game for both. A battle of the birds that ended up with one bird’s wing being clipped and injured. After that game, the Falcons went on to start the season 0-5, which hasn’t been done since 1997 in the organization, and this ultimately led to the firing of Dan Quinn.
“Decisions like these are very difficult, but the previous two seasons and start to this one has been especially hard for me because of the deep love, admiration and respect I and my family have for Dan, Thomas and their families,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement. “For many years, they have represented me, our team, organization and Atlanta with class, commitment and all the passion you would want in the leaders of the team. “But as everyone knows, this is a results business and I owe it to our fans to put the best product we can on the field. We have poured every resource possible into winning and will continue to do so, but the results of late do not meet our standard or what I’ve promised our fans. Therefore, we will install new coaching and personnel leadership of the Atlanta Falcons at the appropriate time.”
Photo Credit: Thefalconswire.usatoday.com Caption: Raheem Morris (Interim Head Coach) standing on the sideline watching the events unfold in a week 7 game against the Lions.
When it was announced Dan Quinn was being “released” it didn’t come as a shock. Raheem Morris was moved quickly and is the current interim head coach, which he isn’t looking all too bad at (2-1 as of press time). He got the Falcons the first win of the season but that doesn’t stop the Falcons from looking.
Potential HC candidates as of now: Eric Bieniemy – Chiefs OC, Josh McDaniels – Patriots OC, Lincoln Riley – Oklahoma HC, Brian Daboll – Bills OC, and Byron Leftwich – Bucs OC.
“The theme has been frustratingly, maddeningly the same for the Atlanta Falcons. They don’t want it to be this way. They’ve tried to do what they can to avoid this,” says Michael Rothstein with ESPN.
The only way left to avoid a totally horrible next few seasons is a full-time coach and one that has the same potential Quinn had when the Atlanta Falcons went to the Super Bowl.
The Wolverine Times 
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