Mike Smith has coached only 43 games and he already ranks fourth on the Falcons' win list.
They are winning because the owner cares and spends money.
They are winning because the general manager has made moves that look smart today and project well for tomorrow.
They are winning because they have a quarterback who seems to have discovered the road map to Canton and a wide receiver who just busted through that door that reads: “Superstar.”
But mostly the Falcons are winning because of their coach. It doesn’t work without Mike Smith. The money, the structure, the decisions, the athletic wonder of Matt Ryan and Roddy White – none of that translates into a 9-2 record this season and 29-14 over two and a half years if everybody isn’t following the head coach.
“We can all have grandiose visions,” general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “But if the head coach is not carrying the torch, it’s all for naught.”
To this point, Smith is the NFL’s coach of the year. This week’s counterpart, Raheem Morris of Tampa Bay, is getting justifiable praise. So should Rex Ryan (New York Jets), Andy Reid (Michael Vick/Philadelphia) and maybe that guy in New England again (Bill Belichick).
But the Falcons have won a lot of games in a lot of different ways. They have beaten Baltimore and Green Bay and are tied with the Patriots and Jets for the NFL’s best record. They are getting better by the week.
In the 42 years before Smith’s arrival, this franchise had never managed consecutive winning seasons. They’re already assured of their third straight winning season under him. That’s not all talent and chemistry, it’s leadership. Smith ranks only ninth in Falcons games coached (43) but already fourth in wins (29). There’s a consistency in confidence and expectation level now that never has existed before.
Thomas Dimitroff (left) worked with one of the best in New England, Bill Belichick (right), and he believes Smith now ranks among the best.
Smith won big in his first season but so did Jim Mora. He differentiated himself in year two. Players played hard late in the season even when injuries contributed to a 6-7 start. They won their final three games. Then came this offseason’s self-analysis. Smith knew the potential perils of year three.
“Sometimes familiarity is not a good thing,” he said. “It’s natural for a staff and players to get into a routine and become comfortable with one another. It was important that we looked at all levels, starting with me, and we held ourselves to higher expectations.”
We’ve seen so many cartoons on the sideline here. From Marion Campbell to Jerry Glanville, from Mora to Bobby Petrino. How did the Falcons finally get it so right?
When Dimitroff was hired, he knew his coaching candidates were “accomplished” so he decided to focus less on Xs and Os than personality. He valued the coach-general manager relationship and wanted someone who shared the same vision on how to build a team. He had grown up in the NFL and saw how egos could fracture an organization.
“I wanted someone who would not only talk but listen,” Dimitroff said.
He interviewed Smith, Rex Ryan, Leslie Frazier, Jim Schwartz and Jason Garrett. Garrett had already decided to stay in Dallas. Dimitroff offered the job to Smith over the others.
When asked why Smith has been so successful, Dimitroff said: “He has a unique combination of levity and football street smarts. He has the ability to know when things need to be light and when to turn it on and off. He knows his players and is cognizant of the different personalities in the locker room.”
Notice how there’s nothing in there about plays or schemes?
Smith said he never wondered if he would be a good head coach. It follows that he never doubted himself.
Ask him who has had the greatest influence on him and he’ll name four coaches: Former Baltimore head coach Brian Billick “is the most organized guy I’ve ever been around.” Cincinnati coach and former Ravens’ defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis “had a knack for making everybody feel like they were a part of the game plan.” Another former Ravens assistant, Mike Nolan, had a defensive background but coached wide receivers one year in Baltimore. “We would talk in a defensive vernacular about what offensive guys were trying to do,” he said.
Finally there was Jack Del Rio, then a young Baltimore assistant and later Jacksonville’s head coach. Smith talked to him about the players’ mindset. Quoting: “I’d ask Jack, ‘What are they thinking at this time of the season? How about in March? Are they concerned about this?’”
And you wonder why Smith relates so well to players?
His keys to success are not great secrets: communication, character, team work. But getting players to buy in and watching them follow the coach — that’s a rare sight around here.
♦
Falcons head coaches ranked by wins Coach (seasons) Games W-L-T Dan Reeves (1997-03) 109 49-59-1 Leeman Bennett (1977-82) 87 46-41 Norm Van Brocklin (1968-74) 89 37-49-3 Mike Smith (2008-) 43 29-14 Jerry Glanville (1990-93) 64 27-37 Jim Mora (2004-06) 48 26-22 Dan Henning (1983-86) 64 22-41-1 June Jones (1994-96) 48 19-29 Marion Campbell (1974-76; 87-89) 68 17-51 Norb Hecker (1966-68) 31 4-26-1 Pat Peppler (1976) 9 3-6* Bobby Petrino (2007) 13 3-10 Wade Phillips (2003) 3 2-1* Emmitt Thomas (2007) 3 1-2* Jim Hanifan (1989) 4 0-4* (*Interim coach)♦
Recent episodes . . .
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♦ Alabama staffer fired for mocking Cam Newton with songs
♦
250 comments Add your comment
Sick & Tired Of Being Sick & Tiredi
November 30th, 2010
10:43 pm
I’ll tell you what I’m SICK & TIRED OF…..CHOKE (Michael Vick & Playoff wins) AND JOE FISH HOUSE (Players who are busts) ….making the same comments blog after blog. We get it…you don’t like the Falcons…but why spend so much time on the AJC Falcons blog being a hater….must be some existence if that is the highlight of your daily life.
PLEASE OH PLEASE…..come up with something new to say or let it go…..you’ve beat that dead horse to death….come up with something new and original and quit rehashing the same old S#&$
bcinbuford
November 30th, 2010
10:49 pm
Hey choke, remember that what Mora Jr did in his first year, was with a team Built by Dan Reeves. As for Vick’s accomplishments, how many were accomplished as an Eagle…Zero! They were all done while he was being babied by Mora. What is wrong with Ryan being a “game manager”. I always thought that was the job of a Quarterback. Manage the game and put your team in a position to win. It seems like Ryan is doing that very efficiently. Vick does seem to have his head on straight now, but that was all he was asked to do while in Atlanta. It took him having to go to prison and possibly losing the ability of playing to get that though his head. And for anyone who thinks Vick was “wronged” in Atlanta, remember the fact that he CHOSE to lie to the team and fans about the allegations all the way up to his plea bargain!
Eric
November 30th, 2010
11:03 pm
Don’t worry CHOKE, by the end of this season Smith will have a division title, playoff win and NFC Championship. What the hell are you going to say then??? Hmmmmm???
Florida Bird
November 30th, 2010
11:04 pm
“His keys to success are not great secrets: communication, character, team work. But getting players to buy in and watching them follow the coach — that’s a rare sight around here”
Rare sight indeed!! And, as in life, good, consistant comunication is THE key! Go get ‘em CMS!! You’ll be at the top of that list soon!
Choke This
November 30th, 2010
11:09 pm
Jim Mora was a complete jocksniffing bafoon. He proved his incompetence not only here but in Seattle too – I recall him coaching highschool football after getting s-canned by the Seahawks. Choke’s reference to this stiff as the Atlanta gold standard tells you all you need to know.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
November 30th, 2010
11:16 pm
2004 & COUNTING
2004 Last playoff win
2004 Last division title
2004 Last championship game
Come on CHOKE we are waiting
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
November 30th, 2010
11:19 pm
Here is another record CHOKE established:
Since the establishment of the NFL South, CHOKE and the Falcons is the only team in the NFC South that didn’t go “from worst to first”.
That beautiful accomplishment happened in 2008, which followed 2007 where the Falcons finished last.
Way to go Mr. 19-1
Florida Bird
November 30th, 2010
11:20 pm
Where’s my comment!!???
OK here it goes again (more or less)… “His keys to success are not great secrets: communication, character, team work. But getting players to buy in and watching them follow the coach — that’s a rare sight around here.”
Yes, rare sight indeed! And one reason why Coach Mike Smith will soon be at the top of “that” list above…honest, consistant, and continous communication with his players, and all others are the keys to success, in life and the NFL!
Thanks Jack and the Jags…great coach you had!
bgdawg
November 30th, 2010
11:32 pm
the only records that matters is 2010 record 9-2(T-1st)
HOME RECORD 2010 6-0(1st)
MATT ICE RYAN HOME RECORD 19-1 (tied for best home record before getting 2nd loss)
so basically, we win get home field, and we’ll be at the super bowl game in a hurry.
Florida Bird
November 30th, 2010
11:32 pm
“CHOKE” …Youre’ a hopless hater, and worse than that, the REAL hopless LOSER!
Matt "ICE' Ryan
November 30th, 2010
11:51 pm
ROOKIE YEAR: 1st year in the nfl 12 seconds left and matty ice bombs it down the field for MJ and gets us in position to win the game. ICE leads the falcons to the play-offs only to be downed by the eventual NFC CHAMPION CARDS. The loss wasn’t his fault in the first place. many crazy things happened in that game.
SOPHOMORE YEAR: the team gets infected with the injury bug. HD goes down, Brian Will goes down, Burner goes down, Jerry goes down Norwood goes down(again lol) Samantha Baker goes down.half of those guys were starters and all of them were very important to our success in 08′. and don’t forget Jason Elam. he lost us 3 or four games by himself. add to the fact we had one of the hardest schedules in the nfl with 4 teams that played us after byes at that year and 9-7 actually looks like it may have been a whole lot better with out the restrictions above.
3rd Year: RISE of ICE! starts out on a loss to one of the tougher D’s in the nation and holds the O to no TD’s Dominated arizona and came out and shocked the AINTS. converts 2 4th downs on one drive to lead to a TD and then drives down the field and get us a GW FG.
All of our “CHOKE names for ICE are not welcome nor do they even reflect on Matt Ryan as A player whoo Chokes in the final minutes of the game .
bgdawg
November 30th, 2010
11:58 pm
well in response to “choke’s” last comment what about the bucs? they finished last in the division last year! what does that mean about josh freeman? is he a choker as well? he will not get pass the durty birds thats for sure
Atlanta Peach
December 1st, 2010
12:57 am
Why do people on this blog respond to that Fool ?!? That’s all he wants you to do ! If you just don’t respond it will drive him crazy ! Try it next time, Would ya ?!?
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 1st, 2010
1:50 am
bgdawg
November 30th, 2010
11:32 pm
the only records that matters is 2010 record 9-2(T-1st)
HOME RECORD 2010 6-0(1st)
MATT ICE RYAN HOME RECORD 19-1 (tied for best home record before getting 2nd loss)
so basically, we win get home field, and we’ll be at the super bowl game in a hurry.
————————————————–
As long as you don’t play Philly
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 1st, 2010
1:52 am
Atlanta Peach I didn’t know it was payday
Atlanta Peach
December 1st, 2010
2:09 am
Here you go you guys. The Falcons getting nothing but luv, And I like it ! http://www.espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings/_/year/2010/week/13 AND http://www.msn.foxsports.com/nfl/powerRankings
Atlanta Peach
December 1st, 2010
2:13 am
sorry about one link. Here it is,again… http://www.msn.foxsports.com/nfl/powerrankings
Atlanta Peach
December 1st, 2010
2:21 am
I don’t know whats up with the link ! One more time.. http://www.msn.foxsports.com/nfl/powerRankings
tj
December 1st, 2010
2:27 am
Matt Choke, You really said it….If you don’t win enough regular season games….THERE IS NO PLAYOFF GAMES TO WIN….So don’t say anything about regular season games not mattering…If it had not been for NO being so good last year the Falcons would have been in the playoffs two years in a row. This three winning seasons in a row is amazing…Do not count out Smith until he Won enough regular season games to give them a chance to win a Playoff game….What are you thinking…or are you!!
Atlanta Peach
December 1st, 2010
2:28 am
Wow ! Jim Kelly said he wasn’t a Michael Vick fan live on the NFL Network, Wow, I wonder why ?!? Why Jim ?!?
RTW
December 1st, 2010
2:57 am
Couldn’t agree more. Look at any successful organization, they aspire to be the best from top to bottom. Falcons get it. Yes, they are fortunate with injuries. Most champions are. But look at the categories that they lead or are near the top in the division or league…Takeaways, Time of Possession, 3rd down conversion, lack of penalties, home dominance. Pretty damn impressive. There are no gaurantees, but I like their position now and into the future.
Atlanta Peach
December 1st, 2010
3:03 am
Here another ranking !….www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2010-power-rankings.htm Experts are saying the Falcons are for real !! Much luv !!
Atlanta Peach
December 1st, 2010
3:04 am
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2010-power-rankings.htm
YAD
December 1st, 2010
5:31 am
Hey CHOKE, I wonder if Matt Ryan will ever admit after the season that he quit on his team in a game against Carolina? You know, the way Mike Vick did back in ‘06.
E Dubb
December 1st, 2010
5:59 am
I’ve encountered people like this ‘CHOKE’ guy. They can’t let go of Vick. Truth be told his downfall was the best for both parties. It forced Falcons to build a REAL FOOTBALL TEAM! The team was designed around a selfish,immature,yet talented Michael Vick. Basically another Falcon gimmick offense. The team went as Vick went. factually all those things Vick did were in a single season. Once league figured out blitz this guy he can’t throw, no more of the spectacle. won’t even mention the fumbles. Ask Simeon Rice, his career was made on blitzing Vick. Congrats to him for steppin up after prison. But you see teams startin to dust off old game film and startin to blitz him again, and he still doesn’t audible worth a s@#t. Being lifelong Falcons fan, I’d rather have this TEAM than some other gimmick bs. Oh yeah ‘CHOKE’ you forgot he was first qb to beat pack at home in playoffs, done in same season you keep referring to. Let it go! PLEASE STOP CHOKE-ing ON MIKE VICK D#$K!!!!!!! GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!
F-105 Thunderchief
December 1st, 2010
6:20 am
Dan Henning was a cartoon, too. And, a jackhole.
Samuel
December 1st, 2010
6:46 am
Good coach = detailed players….
Falcon Hardy
December 1st, 2010
7:22 am
I was looking at the NFL sound bites last night. I heard John Aberhams speech. He said if the Coaches ask for 1 hour then give them 1 1/2 hours. That’s the type team work and leadership is on the field and on the sidelines!!!! GO Falcons
Matt “Choke” Ryan needs to go to Philly and be DRUG tested. GET a Life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Buckeye
December 1st, 2010
7:45 am
The Falcons exude class, competance and character……something another uGA program ( and their fans) could take a cue or two from.
dean
December 1st, 2010
7:54 am
Hey Buckeye. After your great leader at the state school bashed on Boise State playing sister of the poor schools, it turns out their strength of schedule was rated TOUGHER than your state school’s!
Ha ha. Love it.
Charles
December 1st, 2010
8:16 am
The Falcons are also winning because they’ve removed the “thugs” from their roster. This team has character and is worthy of fan support. I’ve lived here since 66′ and this was the first time I’ve ever attended a game. I would still attend more games if they were losing. It’s nice to hear stories about the team on the field rather than off the field.
Norb Heckler
December 1st, 2010
8:29 am
One post mentioned the similarity between Smitty and Bobby Cox.
I think the real heart of the matter is the parallel between Mr. Blank and Mr.Turner. In their novice years, these guys wanted to be hands on, putting on the cleats and pushing injured players in wheel chairs. It took several years of stepping on his own toes for Ted to earn a hard lesson and get out of the way of the guys that know what they are doing(Bobby and John). Arthur seemed headed down that same bumpy road, until Mike Vick threw up a big RoadBlock, forcing the owner to re-evalute his direction. Although it was an expensive lesson ( less so if MV pays bak some of his bonus bucks), it may have allowed Mr. Blank to avoid that long, painful journey down Jerry Jones BLVD.
robby
December 1st, 2010
8:42 am
excellent article. I was actually depressed when i got to the bottom because it was such a good read i wanted there to be more.
Falcon For Life
December 1st, 2010
8:46 am
The Falcons franchise is well balanced in both the front office and on the field. Everyone knows their role and everyone is on the same page.
From the owner, to the GM, to the HC, to the coaching staff, offense, defense and special teams everyone is pulling their weight and their egos are in check. Winning as a team is the most important thing, and it’s great to see the consistency on and off the field. Three winning seasons in a row is a huge step for this franchise and there will be many more to come!
dtanner
December 1st, 2010
9:09 am
remember what a joke jerry glanville was, mark bradley used to refer to him as the little man with the big belt buckle
Ted M
December 1st, 2010
9:19 am
Is there a chance that the Falcons could lose Mike Smith to another team, like perhaps the Cowboys?
Chop Buster
December 1st, 2010
9:33 am
Choke, I have never seen one fan in my life so FANATICAL over a guy who:
a. Put himself in the position to leave this team
b. Admitted he half-a$$ed everything while he was here
c. One games mostly off of his athlethic ability alone
d. Cannot be compared to a QB in his third year
You are the epitomy of someone with a man-crush on an NFL player. Sounds like you were missing a Daddy in your life and have found him in Vick. He’s your hero, he’s your everything. Do you know how pathetic you sound on this board? No grown man would ever act this way about another man…you MUST be a young child or teenager.
Enough! Now go play somewhere else. These Falcons are on a mission whether you like it or not! Vick made his bed…not Arthur Blank!!! Remember that before you cry how we let him go.
Chris
December 1st, 2010
9:38 am
I didn’t like the hire when it was first announced. After the whole Michael Vick saga and Bobby Petrino skipping town in the middle of the night, I thought a legit, big name coach that had been there before was the only answer. I thought the Falcons needed a Bill Cower individual that was hard nosed and had won a Super Bowl and knew how to get there. I knew Arthur Blank would pay whatever price to get the right guy so I was all for swinging for the fences. So when the name Mike Smith was announced I almost gave up on the Falcons.
I am glad to say I was wrong and hope Mike Smith stays for a very long time.
extremus
December 1st, 2010
9:38 am
I’m very glad we’ve been able to hear less and less from the individuals who trolled these boards to the point they had to repeatedly be shut last season. It’s not just because the Falcons and Matt Ryan are winning; it’s because there’s an air of unselfish professionalism and single-minded effort surrounding the entire organization.
When I see posters who just won’t let this go and who continue to bring up players no longer relevant to the Falcons organization or its goals, and incite nasty, mostly racially charged back-and-forths, it’s pretty easy to see that Atlanta (and our whole country; let’s just be honest here) is fragmented along racial and ethnic lines. Michael Vick would have already been largely forgotten here if he was a white person, even if he accomplished the exact same things as a Falcon.
They say you can’t attack a culture; fine. But I’ll state simple facts. You know the reason Michael Vick is such an idol to young black people regardless of what he did to dogs, regardless of his character? Athletic prowess and material riches. It’s a “bling bling”, hedonistic, “me”-centered culture, from rap stars to NFL wide receivers, and young African-American folks today are INUNDATED with that stuff. The adamant defense of the man and the idea that he was betrayed by the Falcons by posters here comes from the same sense of entitlement that lots of (but fortunately not all) black people have; that the white man is the devil and he owes them an apology for slavery with endless free passes on top of it.
Here’s a liitle helpful advice: GET OVER IT. Each man stands or falls on his own decisions; he can’t decide for another man and he can’t answer for another man’s sins, whether they’re his ancestors or not. You can live out your life filled with bitterness and hate, feeling you’re owed something, or you can admit that you and everyone else is human and need GRACE. You can then forgive, and you can move on and be a person who can look back and say they contributed something positive to this world. Michael Vick appears to have moved on, not only in his career in another city but hopefully with regard to his sense of accountability and his lifestyle. I realy hope so; if that’s the case then THAT is what these kids should be told to focus on about the man and his life.
I can’t stand political correctness because it forces people to TRY to hide their true feelings, right or wrong, and it’s NOT equal ground in America with regard to who can say what without it hurting their career, losing their job, or incurring other punishments. We need to be honest and let people speak their minds; we’re ALL segregated between our ears to some degree even if our conscience tells us not to be. I’ll take segregation WITH equality (which we NEVER had during the 1960s and before) over a skewed notion of “political correctness” where people who really can’t stand each other are forced to try to make nice to the detriment of freedom (or why then are airport inspectors having to pat down little old ladies?), because at least then each race/ethnic group/religion/whatever could go to their own area and put up a fence outside the influence of a Big Brother government and teach their kids what THEY believe, run their own schools, worship their God, and live as they wish to live (Hmm, I think that was originally the intent of the States before the federal government became so big). Let each group stand or fall on its own, without intervention or influence from the others. That’s the only America that will ever truly work now that so many factions have taken hold in our country. Otherwise we can just keep sitting here hating and seething in this “melting pot” until something lights the fuse that finishes all vestiges of what ever made America “America” off. Sad but true; I think Dr. King would say Atlanta might be a good place to start working on changing things.
Now let’s STOP THIS and get back to discussing the Atlanta Falcons (and ONLY the Atlanta Falcons) on this board!
johnboy
December 1st, 2010
9:52 am
Go Leemans deamons
Chop Buster
December 1st, 2010
9:52 am
Oops…meant “Won”
Chop Buster
December 1st, 2010
9:58 am
extremus…well said!!!
Joey
December 1st, 2010
10:05 am
Author Blank truely struck gold twice when he got Dimitroff, then Smith.
travelqueen
December 1st, 2010
10:22 am
Good to know they are winning but the superbowl is something that they got to try. It’s will be tough for them at the Superbowl level, just wait and see. They listen to coach isn’t not on my mind. That is a silly question!! They winning because they fight to do it.
Falcon For Life
December 1st, 2010
10:31 am
extremus,
Nice post. Very well said.
Now GO FALCONS !!!! All the way to the Super Bowl ! (first step: Home Field advantage in the playoffs)
MBRVERSION1
December 1st, 2010
10:34 am
Matty Choke Ryan: You asked someone to point out any statement that was incorrect so here it is: 1st Matt Ryans 19-1 record in the Ga Dome, his one loss was to the Bronco’s on 11-16-2008, you seem to imply it was to Mike Vick,(Eagles)it was’nt. Matt Ryan did’nt start that game(injured) and for that matter niether did Vick. The QB’S for that game were Redmon and Mcnabb.And yes the Eagles did win(handily @ that).Vick played in that game but did not start, for the record Matt Ryan and Michael Vick have never played against each other,(yet).The Eagles are 1 of the three teams that have defeated Mike Smith in the Ga Dome, the other’s being the Saint’s,and the aforementioned Bronco’s. 2.Could you please explain to me in an intelligent manner what the constant villification towards Arthur Blank and the Falcon’s organization about releasing Michael Vick? What choice did he leave them? Did’nt Arthur Blank make him the face of the franchise? Was’nt he given every opportunity to succeed?Was’nt he the highest payed player in the league under Arthur Blank? He openly admitted he did’nt even try. What were the Falcons supposed to do @ that point? You think they wanted Joey Harrington starting for them? Michael Vick chose his own way, and actions have consequences, nobody made him make such choices. He has no one to blame but himself in that ragaurd, certainly not Mr. Blank.(it’s called accountability) 3. What is it with fans of some teams, in this case the Eagles(apparently)that have not won anything themselves, constantly pointing other teams that have’nt either? Last time I checked the mighty Eagles have won the exact same amount of Super Bowls the Falcon’s have.The Eagles are certainly capable of coming in to Atl and winning the NFC, but so are the Falcons. Michael Vick is having a terrific year(so far) but he also has’nt won anything yet.Let’s not count our Chickens before they’re hatched huh?- your turn.
MBRVERSION1
December 1st, 2010
10:38 am
Exactly chop buster
GSU Eagle 91
December 1st, 2010
10:42 am
Been a Falcon fan since 1969…So many disappointments and failures, with a few great seasons thrown in..( 1980 and 1998)
I really like the Blank/Dimitroff/Smith chain of command, and I feel the ATL community starting to appreciate it as well…
Winning does that….
We still have the imbecile on this blog who throws MV at us like fodder because he wants to rile up the Falcon fans who like Matt Ryan…( Like ME!) It will not work as Philly will fade to a 9-7 or 10-6 mark, sending them to the wild card slot.
Falcons and Saints in the Dome on 12/27 is a huge game…Can’t wait!
FrontRow
December 1st, 2010
10:47 am
“Choke” is like that cuz he is sporting lesions (courtesy of Ron Mexico) that ajax won’t wipe off.
sAm
December 1st, 2010
10:50 am
Where is the great Rich Brooks? I believe he is undeafted as the Falcons head coach?