Clock management, Michael Penix Jr. and more

We know from 2011 to 2023, 12 coaches have experienced the one and done. I personally think the staff did a decent job. Yeah, the clock mismanagement was a killer; losing a 3-game lead was not the greatest, but I saw the run D go from 17th to 2^nd, which turned the pass rush around to me — putting teams behind the chains was big. A lot of criticism for our OC, but I don’t think fans realize how limited his play calls were with Kirk. Do you believe this could be a one-year staff?

Hey Carl, I appreciate the measured way in which you’re looking at the entire season. You’re right, there were some key issues at the beginning of the season that improved significantly as the year rolled along. That is what coaching is all about.

The defensive turnaround after the bye week deserves a ton of credit, in particular. Heading into last weekend, the Falcons were indeed second in rush yards allowed per game (70.25) Now, Jayden Daniels’ incredible performance dropped them sixth, but it’s still a big improvement. The biggest improvement by far, though came in the pass rush, which fans were ripping this team for every week — and rightfully so. But there has not been that same amount of credit given for the turnaround, which I find interesting.

We all know the Falcons had just 10 sacks in their first 11 games, fewest in the league. From Week 13-17, a span of five games, the Falcons have 21 sacks, most in the league. They went from the worst group to the best group, and they did that with the same group of players.

As for the offense, this season just continued to hammer home the importance of the quarterback position. It’s almost unfair in this sport how much comes down to a single player, but the career-worst stretch from Kirk Cousins does tell the story of how this season has gone for Atlanta. You can criticize the staff for sticking with him too long, but I think they hung with him for exactly as long as they should have. The Chargers game was the first real eye-opener. The Vikings game had bad moments, but that was always going to be a challenge — they are 14-2 for a reason. It was the Raiders game where a serious red flag went up in my mind, and that’s when they made the move.

So, to answer your question, I would be shocked if this staff was not around next year. Not only because Arthur Blank is someone who practices patience and trusts in those he empowers but because this…