The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

COACHING CAROUSEL: WHO’S OUT FOR FALCONS

Coordinato­r Smith and line coach Cox are dismissed, but Falcons insist moves have nothing to do with team blowing 25-point lead in Super Bowl loss.

- By Michael Cunningham mcunningha­m@ajc.com

Falcons coach Dan Quinn dismissed defensive coordinato­r Richard Smith and defensive line coach Bryan Cox on Wednesday, moves the team said were not motivated by the collapse against the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

The Falcons are considerin­g three internal candidates to replace Smith: defensive passing game coordinato­r Jerome Henderson, secondary coach Marquand Manuel and linebacker­s coach Jeff Ulbrich. None of the three candidates has coordinate­d an NFL defense.

Quinn was not available to comment on the staff changes. Smith and Cox did not respond to messages.

Smith is considerin­g staying with the Falcons in an advisory role after guiding their defense the past two seasons. His departure should not have very much impact on the Falcons’ defensive philosophy and strategy.

Quinn, a defensive coordinato­r with the Seahawks before getting his first head coaching job, is the architect of the Falcons’ defense. He took on more game play-calling responsibi­li-

ties during the 2016 season and the defense showed significan­t improvemen­t after the team’s bye in Week 11.

After allowing 28.3 points per game and forcing 11 turnovers over the first 10 games, the Falcons gave up 19 points per game and forced 11 turnovers over the final six weeks of the regular season (not including nine points scored by Kansas City’s defense).

For the season, the Falcons finished 27th in the NFL in points allowed per game, 25th in yards allowed per game and 21st in yards allowed per play.

Their 22 turnovers forced ranked 16th among 32 teams.

The Falcons played effective defense in playoff victories against the Seahawks and Packers.

In the Super Bowl, they held the Patriots to three points in the first half and nine points deep into the third quarter.

But the Falcons lost 34-28 in overtime while surrenderi­ng 31 points and 336 yards on 51 plays (6.6 average) after halftime. They couldn’t sustain what had been a strong pass rush against quarterbac­k Tom Brady and their defensive backs were repeatedly beaten in man-to-man coverage.

Following the game and during a news conference two days later, Quinn said he believes the defense “ran out of gas” in the Super Bowl. The defense ended up on the field for 93 plays in part because the offense struggled to convert third downs, committed a turnover and continued to play at a quick tempo even after building a 25-point lead.

Smith, 61, has been an NFL assistant coach since 1988. He was defensive coordinato­r for the Dolphins in 2005 and the Texans from 2006-08.

Quinn retained Cox as a holdover from former coach Mike Smith’s staff. Cox, 48, played linebacker for 12 seasons in the NFL. Before joining the Falcons, he had been an assistant with the Jets, Browns, Dolphins and Buccaneers.

Smith and Cox join running backs coach Bobby Turner and offensive coordinato­r Kyle Shanahan as departures from Quinn’s staff. The 49ers hired Shanahan as their head coach this week and Turner is set to join Shanahan’s staff.

Falcons quarterbac­ks coach Matt LaFleur also is expected to be hired as Rams offensive coordinato­r.

Quinn hired Steve Sarkisian on Tuesday to replace Shanahan.

The team on Wednesday promoted Keith Carter to running backs coach to replace Turner. Carter was the team’s assistant offensive line coach for the past two seasons.

 ?? CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM ?? Richard Smith (right) had been the Falcons’ defensive coordinato­r for the past two seasons. Dan Quinn (left), who was Seattle’s defensive coordinato­r before becoming the Falcons coach, is regarded as the architect of Atlanta’s defense.
CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM Richard Smith (right) had been the Falcons’ defensive coordinato­r for the past two seasons. Dan Quinn (left), who was Seattle’s defensive coordinato­r before becoming the Falcons coach, is regarded as the architect of Atlanta’s defense.
 ?? CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@ AJC.COM ?? Falcons defensive line coach Bryan Cox, 48, was a holdover from former coach Mike Smith’s staff.
CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@ AJC.COM Falcons defensive line coach Bryan Cox, 48, was a holdover from former coach Mike Smith’s staff.
 ?? JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM ?? The Falcons’ defense did put some points on the board in Sunday’s Super Bowl when cornerback Robert Alford returned an intercepti­on for a TD.
JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM The Falcons’ defense did put some points on the board in Sunday’s Super Bowl when cornerback Robert Alford returned an intercepti­on for a TD.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States