Falcons get it right hiring Mike Nolan to coach defense
Mike Nolan was given his first defensive coordinator's job by then-New York Giants coach Dan Reeves in 1993. (AP photo)
If Dirk Koetter was the Falcons’ offseason hire that raised eyebrows, Mike Nolan is the one that should allay fears.
The Falcons hired Nolan as their defensive coordinator on Tuesday. Rest easy. Nolan, whose Miami Dolphins allowed the sixth fewest points in the NFL this season, has been viewed as one of the game’s premier defensive coordinators, going back to when then-New York Giants coach Dan Reeves hired him in 1993 at the age of only 34.
If Nolan can’t fix some of the team’s problems, it will be because of the team’s personnel issues, not because of a poor scheme or a lack of direction.
Nolan is known for having strong third-down defenses — Miami ranked seventh this season at 34 percent, the Falcons only 29th at 44 percent — and for creativity in terms of how he uses players on the defensive line.
This season as Miami’s coordinator, the Dolphins’ finished 15th in total defense but sixth overall in points allowed (19.6 per game). In 2010, Nolan’s first season in Miami, the Dolphins ranked in the top 10 in overall, pass and run defense for only the eighth time in franchise history.
Steve Spagnuolo, the recent St. Louis Rams head coach and former New York Giants defensive coordinator, was probably the only hire that the Falcons could have made that would’ve been perceived as more of a grand slam. But Spagnuolo is weighing several offers and is known to be deliberate in his decision-making process. It would be understandable if the Falcons just wanted to put the matter to rest, rather than risk not getting either Nolan or Spagnuolo.
The Falcons needed a new result in the postseason. That meant they needed a new plan. Short of changing the head coach or the quarterback, they’ve changed as much as you could realistically expect. Gone are the offensive coordinator (Mike Mularkey), the defensive coordinator (Brian VanGorder), the quarterbacks coach (Bob Bratkowski) and the offensive line coach (Paul Boudreau, who was fired Tuesday).
Nolan’s first head coaching job with San Francisco did not go well (18-37). But he has never struggled to get a job on the defensive side of the ball. He has worked in in Denver, New York, Washington and Baltimore, where he overlapped with Falcons coach Mike Smith.
This decision, there’s no reason to question: The Falcons got it right.
By Jeff Schultz
Follow me on Twitter (@JeffSchultzAJC). Friend me on Facebook (Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC).
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
141 comments Add your comment
ole richie
January 17th, 2012
3:46 pm
first? awesome hire
pat
January 17th, 2012
3:49 pm
Great hire. Now draft well with what picks you DO have.
KCTheTruth
January 17th, 2012
3:49 pm
Big time here. Now, let’s get bigger on OL and the DL. Can’t wait to get some more NASTY on the line.
Wayne A
January 17th, 2012
3:50 pm
Good hire.
Will hate on Thomas Dimitroff on still
January 17th, 2012
3:51 pm
Minor worry that he’ll try to 3-4 our 4-3 talent, but on 3rd downs… it feels like any way is up
tgueboy
January 17th, 2012
3:51 pm
2nd?
ground_fog
January 17th, 2012
3:51 pm
Hello NT Paul Soliai from Miami. Run stopping beast .Bring him home TD
Kane337
January 17th, 2012
3:52 pm
Fantastic hire!
CT Falcons Fan
January 17th, 2012
3:53 pm
Jeff, if Falcons don’t make playoffs or go one-and-done again next season, is Smitty gone? What about TD?
The Real Falcon
January 17th, 2012
3:53 pm
Not a full slate of draft picks and not a lot of money left after our own FA’s
Marcus
January 17th, 2012
3:59 pm
Our season-long run D wasn’t “horrible”, statistically. We got gashed in the playoffs, but how much of that was a function of being on the field too long because the offense didn’t generate much possession time or points? Also, seemed like we had a long field (on offense) aaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllll day.
Herschel Talker
January 17th, 2012
3:59 pm
Schultzie:
You the man!
HT
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 17th, 2012
4:03 pm
No more defense EXCUSES
CHOKE no more EXCUSES
Doc
January 17th, 2012
4:03 pm
Gotta fish or cut bait with Peria Jerry and William Moore, two high profile “misses” for TD.
Former 49ers coach Mike Nolan heading to Atlanta as defensive coordinator … – Washington Post | myalicherif
January 17th, 2012
4:04 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 17th, 2012
4:07 pm
Smitty meet your replacement
HA HA HA
Hello?
January 17th, 2012
4:08 pm
Question, was he Miami’s Head Coach or Offensive Coordinator? Did he just get fired? I don’t typically keep up with the fishheads.
Dave
January 17th, 2012
4:10 pm
^you are dumb doc!!! William Moore is young, and showed Great potential this year… You watch he will become a great player for the falcons!!! TD is the man!!!
Hello?
January 17th, 2012
4:10 pm
I meant was he Miami’s HC or DC (not OC)?
Just get it done
January 17th, 2012
4:12 pm
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
TrishaDishaWarEagle
January 17th, 2012
4:13 pm
Great Hire!! Looking forward to seeing what Coach Smith, Kotter, and Nolan put together. I wish there was no off season in Football!!!
Go falcons!!!!
TrishaDishaWarEagle
January 17th, 2012
4:13 pm
Koetter(sp)
Lawnmower Man
January 17th, 2012
4:15 pm
The Falcons have unleashed an army of blog plants to convince us that this is a good hire, so we will renew our season tickets. Sad.
T
January 17th, 2012
4:15 pm
Like the Nolan pick. SOLID. Not excited about the OC. Wanted someone more explosive. I never thought to myself… Gee I wish we could have an offense like the Jags. I am sure Smitty knows more than I do. On a positive note the Jags did run a screen to MJD.
extremus
January 17th, 2012
4:17 pm
I feel much better about this hire than I do the one for Koetter, but I’m willing (for the time being) to wait and see how things pan out. Obviously this leaves a quarterbacks coach and offensive line coach, both of which will be very important in their own right to getting better consistency out of our offense.
But today, great news. Glad to have Nolan as DC.
Gerhart76
January 17th, 2012
4:20 pm
I don’t have a problem with this hire. My own preference is for the 4-3 defense. But we are undersized and under athletic (except for Abraham and maybe Bierman) and need an infusion of agressive pass rushers.
I don’t think we have anyone that would fit the mold of the NFL nose tackle needed for the 3-4 (where’s Grady Jackson?)
Let’s hope this coach’s son performs better than the last one we hired. (Mike’s father, Dick was a reasonably successful coach for the 49’s but not so successful for the Saints).
Both Dimitroff and Smith would appear to be on thin ice after this much change.
Can anyone recall another team being successful after such drastic changes? (Other than the Patriots who’s coaches left mainly to take better jobs)
more of the same?
January 17th, 2012
4:27 pm
Hellooo Missster Koetter…..How is Missus koetter?
JSS
January 17th, 2012
4:28 pm
Let’s see, in Atlanta you’ll have no Ray Lewis, no Patrick Willis, and no Karlos Dansby… OK, then you add that to a training staff that can’t keep players on the field, well it leads to more questions than answers… Nolan can coach defense, but the big shots lit them up… That 516 passing day by the Pats is a recurring nightmare…
tony
January 17th, 2012
4:28 pm
What’s so great about this hire?
Hummon
January 17th, 2012
4:28 pm
“This decision, there’s no reason to question: The Falcons got it right.”
Ummm . . . we’ll see. Same with Koetter.
Who's new QB coach?
January 17th, 2012
4:28 pm
Uncle Rico?
rivercard
January 17th, 2012
4:31 pm
This hire makes a lot more sense, which based on my recent prognostication skills probably means Dirk will be more successful. Can’t wait till next year to see how this all comes together.
M&M
January 17th, 2012
4:33 pm
Gerhart76
I don’t think Biermann or Abraham are returning. I know that on Atlanta Housewife is nervous !
M&M
January 17th, 2012
4:34 pm
one
Roark
January 17th, 2012
4:35 pm
so uh…when and where is the block party JS?
Larry
January 17th, 2012
4:36 pm
Pity poor the spouses or more likely former spouses who’ve had to endure the eternally negative “Eeyore’s” on this blog. Please spare us the doomsday comments and predictions and double up on your Prozac or Valium!
It’s a solid hire…give the man a freaking chance!
Vote for Pedro
January 17th, 2012
4:39 pm
hire M. Schlereth as O-Line coach.
Vote for Pedro
January 17th, 2012
4:40 pm
and Uncle Rico as QB coach
RK
January 17th, 2012
4:50 pm
@Doc, William Moore is “miss”? What are you smoking? He’s probably our best DB.
michael
January 17th, 2012
4:55 pm
Sorry Guys but I dont see the Falcons making playoffs next year.I think the Saints will win the division again next year and the Carolina Panthers are upcoming next year to edge out the Falcons.
JSS
January 17th, 2012
5:04 pm
Always with the pharmaceuticals to better happiness drugs and family swipes, come on… Nobody said the man could not coach, the personnel on the other hand, you’re fooling yourself… Without Grimes, teams went to work. I never count on Moore, Nicholas, or Weatherspoon(out of a possible 32 games, you’ve gotten 27 from him) because you’ve only gotten a one full season out the 3…
Stewie
January 17th, 2012
5:10 pm
michael, we won’t be sorry when you’re wrong.
Stewie
January 17th, 2012
5:14 pm
All the Yankee and Red Sox fans are gonna be ticked…..ESPN just changed from their network to the Tim Tebow network.
Big Lou
January 17th, 2012
5:16 pm
JSS
I don’t usually respond to crap trolls on the board, but you’re crazy if you think Sean W. and Curtis Lofton are not solid LB for Mike Nolan. Coaches around the league are giving props to our LB core and you never know, with the right coaching these guys could be the next Willis or Ray. Mike Nolan had the option to go to any team, yet he picked the Falcons. I wonder Why? Oh, that’s because we have great defensive potential. Our schemes and predictability was our failure.
Nate
January 17th, 2012
5:22 pm
why would he leave the dolphins for the falcons?
FalconJim
January 17th, 2012
5:23 pm
JS, just how do you know they got it right with Mike Nolan? Are you a “soothsayer”???
I’m taking a very cautious, wait and see attitude…
willie
January 17th, 2012
5:24 pm
Changing gears to offense….wonder if Falcons will make run at Matt Forte since Koetter likes versatile backs? He would be great in our offense.
JSS
January 17th, 2012
5:39 pm
Lou, Lofton is a free agent… Until he’s signed, I don’t count him… And Willis and Ray were game changers without ever having NFL coaching, they didn’t need to be coached up to reach their potential, self motivators from day one… People in Atlanta have the hardest time understanding that fact than any other fan base in the NFL… Most of your so-called “great defensive potential” are UFAs (Grimes, Lofton, Abe, Bierman) or people you generally can’t count on (DeCoud-somebody please make him a good offer)…
Mike Nolan was seeing jobs fall left and right and was in limbo in Miami… I don’t blame him for taking Atlanta’s offer…
Drew
January 17th, 2012
5:40 pm
im so glad the season ended up the way it did… now we have 2 new coordinators that i consider an upgrade to their predecessors.
JSS
January 17th, 2012
5:47 pm
And you need to be holding Smith’s head to grindstone about his Athletic Performance coach Jeff Fish instead calling people “trolls” for telling the truth… Your IR list is always full and you get pushed around all over the field… Troll that!
Supes
January 17th, 2012
5:50 pm
Excellent hire, dare say the Falcons needed a strong PR move like this after the questionable hire of Koetter.
Nolan will bring a better scheme, toughness and respect to our defensive unit.
For those fearing that we don’t have the personnel to run a 3-4 in place, They’ve announced that the team concept will remain a 4-3 defense.
Glad to welcome coach Nolan on board!
JB
January 17th, 2012
5:51 pm
HUM…..football teams don’t produce or live up to their potential……and they fire coach’s….What a novel idea………………………………………………………………………………..Mr McGarity.
Stinger2
January 17th, 2012
5:54 pm
Jeff: You are now one for vs. one against in the Falcons
DC vs. OC coordinators. Playing .500 is not bad, just medicore.
Steve-O
January 17th, 2012
6:08 pm
JSS – I Know It All And Want To Tell You About It
Well, I know you love hearing yourself talk/type, and look down you nose at the rest of us, but contrary to your opinion, the Falcons have NOT been as injured as you have made yourself believe. In 2008 they were 16th, 2009 15th, 2010 they were an incredible 3rd (32nd being the worst and 1st being the best) in the number of games lost by starters for the season. Fish has been here for 4 years now, so how exactly are injuries an epidemic under Fish?
freddy
January 17th, 2012
6:22 pm
Great hire. Was my 1st choice and Spago was 2nd. I also like the “cutter” hire..now get’er done.
M10
January 17th, 2012
6:43 pm
The Falcons should go get R.Mathis and C.Finnegan in FA.Cut Edwards and Dunta and resign Grimes,Abraham and Lofton if they can that would be a great start for the defense.
Lamar
January 17th, 2012
6:58 pm
IF he is a good DC, THEN YOU WANT SEE DUNTA ROBINSON AT CB!! THIS GUY IS TERRIBLE< NO< PATHETIC COVER GUY!! FIRE HIS BUTT!!
Mr. SaintsFan Jr.
January 17th, 2012
6:59 pm
Great hire Falcons, we will takeSpags.
JSS
January 17th, 2012
7:06 pm
2010 was a perfect storm excluding guess who (Moore and Weatherspoon)… Guess how many games they missed genius? Turner has been fighting groin injuries since 2009. Has the great Jeff Fish found a suitable therapy regime yet? I won’t get into the whole Ryan turf-toe fiasco that they scapegoated Rod Medlin on… Oh yeah, go back and see how many games Dahl missed in 09? Oh yeah, you were down to your 3rd string LBs, CBs, and 2nd string FS and SS… And Steve-O, next time when you look at games missed, work at looking at (and seeing) more than just the core numbers and look at games lost by starters. Not concussion protocol, not catastrophic injuries, but injuries that should been handled by a good therapy and prevention regime and a quality staff… Not the staff that was the core of the infamous Cleveland steph infection outbreak! And you still have not gotten any stronger in your lines since Fish has been here, spin-spin-spin (oh, that is just the Falcons lines getting pushed around)!
Steve-O
January 17th, 2012
7:16 pm
Well JSS, the stats I found WERE specifically games missed by starters. So glad your profession and education is clearly in sports medicine/therapy/conditioning. Why aren’t you working in the NFL somewhere, since CLEARLY Fish and about 16 other men in his same capacity with other teams just suck are their jobs and you can clearly do better. Last time I checked, groins and hammies are the most difficult injury to overcome in the NFL. So sorry the Falcons staff and players couldn’t meet YOUR expectations for healing and recovery times.
Jim
January 17th, 2012
7:16 pm
I’ve moved to the when “I see it, I’ll believe it ” crowd when it comes to the Falcons…they don’t deserve any praise until we see results. The right coach, the right player here and there…haven’t we been hearing this for a while now? The want us to watch them and buy tickets and will put the corporate “tomorrow will be great” spin on us every time.
Greg
January 17th, 2012
7:32 pm
Jeff, you write: “If Nolan can’t fix some of the team’s problems, it will be because of the team’s personnel issues….” Yes, it certainly will. And you have put your finger on the problem, which is not the coaching. I think BvG did an outstanding job with what he had to work with. Readers, ask yourself what YOU would do with a $56 million corner who couldn’t cover OR tackle. With stiff and relatively slow S’s. With a high-rent DE who didn’t give you the pass rush he was hired for. How about the partial bust of Peria Jerry? I love Biermann’s motor and Abraham’s motor (when he’s healthy), but did you see the good OTs handle them this year (just run the Green Bay tape)? They could do nothing. They, being light-weights, were batted aside like fleas. Christopher Owens? Need I say more? We need a huge personnel shift in favor of actual above-average NFL talent. Are we going to get it? I doubt it. We are soundly out-personnel-ed by the good teams. Repeat that three times. Arthur, are you listening????
ijonathan
January 17th, 2012
7:35 pm
JSS
January 17th, 2012
5:39 pm
Lou, Lofton is a free agent… Until he’s signed, I don’t count him… And Willis and Ray were game changers without ever having NFL coaching, they didn’t need to be coached up to reach their potential, self motivators from day one… People in Atlanta have the hardest time understanding that fact than any other fan base in the NFL… Most of your so-called “great defensive potential” are UFAs (Grimes, Lofton, Abe, Bierman) or people you generally can’t count on (DeCoud-somebody please make him a good offer)…
Mike Nolan was seeing jobs fall left and right and was in limbo in Miami… I don’t blame him for taking Atlanta’s offer…
===
According to JSS, the Falcons aren’t going to re-sign any of their free agents, and for those that they don’t re-sign, they won’t find any replacements. Apparently the Falcons will break camp with about 8 players on defense. Do I have that right JeniuSS?
JSS
January 17th, 2012
7:36 pm
Because Fish is neither an certified athletic trainer or certified in athletic rehabilitation… He’s a glorified weight lighting coach, and he’s not very good at that… CSCS and CSCCA certifications are a joke…
When you put so much pomp and circumstance about your injury screening process, but inevitability you keep getting the same results… You are doing something incredibly wrong… Fish and Lauzon are disasters…
ijonathan
January 17th, 2012
7:38 pm
JSS, can you please reference the peer-reviewed academic study that correlates trainer credentials with injuries (or lack thereof) in the NFL…or other sports for that matter. Should I wait now for the reference, or check back tomorrow? Thanks.
phil
January 17th, 2012
7:41 pm
Hummon
January 17th, 2012
4:28 pm
“This decision, there’s no reason to question: The Falcons got it right.”
Ummm . . . we’ll see. Same with Koetter.
******
amen. Nolan was a horrid head coach. I want results. Not talk.
phil
January 17th, 2012
7:49 pm
Jim
January 17th, 2012
7:16 pm
I’ve moved to the when “I see it, I’ll believe it ” crowd when it comes to the Falcons…they don’t deserve any praise until we see results. The right coach, the right player here and there…haven’t we been hearing this for a while now? The want us to watch them and buy tickets and will put the corporate “tomorrow will be great” spin on us every time.
******
AMEN! Exactly.
phil
January 17th, 2012
7:52 pm
Until we actually do something other than collapse against good teams, i’m all for some good, wholesome bashing!!
Fire Mike Smith for hiring an OC worse than what we just got rid of! What an idiot!
JSS
January 17th, 2012
7:54 pm
@ Clownish (Ijonathan)…
Grimes has a knee injury, are you going to invest in resigning him? And his salary will triple by the way… Abraham is old, and there are team with way more depth where he can be saved for the post-season like a Fred Dean or Charles Haley. If he is resigned, i expect no hometown discount. He should weigh his options! Lofton will have suitors, ask Arizona or Pittsburgh what happens when you wait to try to resign your own players on the open market? This is not the NBA where you get a bit of protection to retain UFAs. I’m no fan of DeCoud, he needs to be on a team with a strong safety who has great coverage skills so when he bites, the over-the-top throw is covered. The rest of team is about depth and they have never had quality depth except at outside linebacker. But even that is in question with the injury to Nicholas, and the fact that Peterson (another old UFA)… You have no draft picks to get high end quality, and must address your lines… Dude, there is only so much money under the cap… And make some more Robinson and Edwards like mistakes and see where that gets you!
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 17th, 2012
7:55 pm
Mike Vick won with both head coaches
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 17th, 2012
7:59 pm
I guess we can kill the defense excuses for CHOKE next failure
ijonathan
January 17th, 2012
8:10 pm
JSS
January 17th, 2012
7:54 pm
@ Clownish (Ijonathan)…
Grimes has a knee injury, are you going to invest in resigning him? And his salary will triple by the way… Abraham is old, and there are team with way more depth where he can be saved for the post-season like a Fred Dean or Charles Haley. If he is resigned, i expect no hometown discount. He should weigh his options! Lofton will have suitors, ask Arizona or Pittsburgh what happens when you wait to try to resign your own players on the open market? This is not the NBA where you get a bit of protection to retain UFAs. I’m no fan of DeCoud, he needs to be on a team with a strong safety who has great coverage skills so when he bites, the over-the-top throw is covered. The rest of team is about depth and they have never had quality depth except at outside linebacker. But even that is in question with the injury to Nicholas, and the fact that Peterson (another old UFA)… You have no draft picks to get high end quality, and must address your lines… Dude, there is only so much money under the cap… And make some more Robinson and Edwards like mistakes and see where that gets you!
===
Thanks for making my point, clown. You are so easy. The sky is falling. The Falcons won’t be able to field a defensive unit next year. They will lose all of their “good” defenders and only sign crappy ones/busts. We will be last in the league in yards and points against. Attendance will drop to 20,000 per game. All home games will be blacked out and Blank will sell the team…in bankruptcy court.
How am I doing so far?
DC Dirty Bird
January 17th, 2012
8:22 pm
Mike Nolan is a good DC. He will get the most out of our D next year. Not concerned with resigning Grimes or Abraham. They will come back. Hopefully Nolan can get us in some man coverage and get more out of Edwards.
John
January 17th, 2012
8:31 pm
Welcome Coach Nolan……..
William Andrews would've gotten the 1 yard
January 17th, 2012
8:36 pm
I felt good about the hire until I saw that Schultzie AND Bradley approve of it wholeheartedly…
now I figure the Birds must’ve blown it.
JSS
January 17th, 2012
8:37 pm
The NFL PFATS has specific group of requirements. Out of the 8 employees in the athletic performance section of the Falcons, 3 of them meet the requirements (Corey Gildea is in their 1st year), so before that they only had 2 certified trainers on staff…
Here’s the best sports medicine training program in America where my best friend Monroe Abram got his Masters in Training and Exercise Physiology (2 time Tennessee athletic trainer of the year and on the District 9 Oversight Committee for National Athletic Trainers Association)…
http://www.spfldcol.edu/homepage/dept.nsf/04e52ae2be212e4245256bd80029d783/cd641e778f4dcc1145256c5400130484
JSS
January 17th, 2012
8:40 pm
And read about a “real” person who has a medical and clinical background… And who is certified to rehab injuries, condition, and treat traumas not just “windbag about it like Fish does…
http://www.training-conditioning.com/2007/03/10/winner_monroe_abram/index.php
P B Orr
January 17th, 2012
8:43 pm
It’s clear the Falcons want to be a hard nosed football team, able to push people around and control the line of scrimmage. They are – rightly I think – eschewing the circus offenses of New Orleans and Green Bay for the steadiness and post-season possibilities offered by tough defense and ball control offense. I’m for it.
GTJeff
January 17th, 2012
8:53 pm
I can breath a sigh of relief. First was shocked with Koetter but am starting to warm up. VERY excited about Nolan!
Iowahorse
January 17th, 2012
8:58 pm
Gotta say I’m happy to have Nolan on board. Good Hire.
cmc
January 17th, 2012
9:42 pm
Get him the players Mr. Blank and Mr. Dimitroff and I have confidence that Jeff you and the Falcons got this right! Feel good about this and actually glad they fired the offensive line coach = the line was awful this year and he needed to go
panic fan
January 17th, 2012
9:42 pm
JSS JUST-SOME-SAINT : Glad to see falcons step up to take mike nolan,he will bring what we need here in ATL better overall defensive schemes.
We have a chance to take a good talented bunch of guys and make them GREAT.To think about next years team no one has any idea what smitty and nolan will run as a defense, thoughts of mixed 3-4 to 4-3 with blitz packages
and line stunts, mix and match to players strength.So no 1 knows who will be our starters and what that will bring, out with the old in with the new i am excited about this NEW DEFENSIVE CORDINATOR
Steve-O
January 17th, 2012
9:49 pm
Angry, angry JSS…never a kind word about this team, ever. This article is interesting:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/26/sports/football/falcons-have-winning-fitness-strategy.html
big t
January 17th, 2012
9:53 pm
hey you guys the differance in the teams in the play offs an the teams that are not is good coaching ……there were grumlings coming from flowery branch the coaches were to conserveative in big games i agree.anything is a up grade as far as im concerned
JSS
January 17th, 2012
10:00 pm
And the season tells us what? The “winning strategy” is not “winning games.” If he wants core strength, they could have full core strategies that most athletic based programs went to years ago… Th-at is not new or novel, by the way, they still have an injury issues… So empirically, it is “not working” on three levels. They are still losing the battle in the trenches, they still have a problem with a core group of injuries, and finally the Falcons are rarely t]he team dictating the pace of the game at the end… Just ask the NY Giants D and O-Lines, a little more MMA just didn’t get it done I guess?
JSS
January 17th, 2012
10:04 pm
@ Panic fan…
There are Saints fan all across the blog-o-sphere laughing at that caption…
Dude, get real!
JSS
January 17th, 2012
10:32 pm
I guess, the “unique” cross-training pulled Wire up to a whole new level, he’s unemployed again!!!
S Freud
January 17th, 2012
11:40 pm
Why do you bristle so much at being called a troll? Can you not understand why people would think that?
Post after bitter and angry post, you display utter hatred for every aspect of the Atlanta Falcons. Yet, you never mention the team you are a fan of…but I digress.
Such hostility. Were you bullied as a youth by someone wearing Jamal Anderson or Chris Chandler jersy? You know, the psychiatric profession now recognizes victims of bullying as having severe disabilities that prevent them from functioning normally in society. I think you have much pent-up anger, you should take up MMA. Perhaps having this outlet will let you overcome your bitterness and let you return to being a fan of whatever team it is you do support.
S Freud
January 17th, 2012
11:40 pm
oh! And congratulations on learning how to use Google.
JSS
January 17th, 2012
11:42 pm
“I digress!”
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!
S Freud
January 17th, 2012
11:47 pm
You know using more that one exclamation mark and repeated use of LOL and LMAO and
are another symptom of your anger management issues.
JSS
January 17th, 2012
11:57 pm
And LOL and LMAO appear where?
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!
You’re better than Sleepy Time Tea!!!
JSS
January 18th, 2012
12:03 am
Did you lack the ability to repress your desire to have an affair with your wife’s younger sister like Freud? Or are you so much of a false acolyte that you are hitting his sloppy seconds like Jung?
dawgforlife
January 18th, 2012
12:13 am
trying to figure out why JSS’ trainer friend hasn’t been scooped up by one of the 32 teams? not sure if your a Saint fan…but, you sure aren’t a Falcon fan…a plethera of posts and not one positive word…reminds me of the little guy riding down the road while its only raining on his car.
JSS
January 18th, 2012
12:31 am
Because he is tenured and has wife and 5 kids and has a great job that he loves… He’s not trying to be an NFL trainer… He’s mentoring, training the new generation, like one of his students who is the Head Athletic Trainer for the 76ers Kevin Jonson.
Funny that you mention it, but 20 NFL players sought him out over the lockout to get them ready for the season… And he’ll be headed to London this summer to get the Olympic training staff prepared for the games…
And Dawgforlife, he did his undergrad at UGA, too bad you only a second rate sports medicine program in those days… That is why he went to Springfield College and got his Masters… Most likely that kept him from being a another failed UGA grad!
JSS
January 18th, 2012
1:02 am
Oh yeah, sun+rain = rainbows!!! Double rainbows and none of them for them for Pollyanna version of Falcons fans!!!
Falcon fan in LA
January 18th, 2012
2:56 am
Why is William Moore a bust? He puts hard hits on everyone he can. Not a great coverage guy but with a DC who knows how to use him he could be deadly. P.Jerry has shown nothing worth keeping I will agree but how do you not like the Chuck Cecil like hits Willy Mo can put on people? Those are the things that make slot receivers drop balls.
clay
January 18th, 2012
4:16 am
The problem is, if he changes to a 3-4. We will not see any huge gain, because it takes time to get in the right personnel and to learn the system. This isn’t going to happen over night. Were going to have struggles with it next year. So no one needs to over react. Smith and TD will be here, but it’s going to probably be year 2 with all the new changes the falcons are about to make before we see progress.
dagnabit
January 18th, 2012
4:32 am
CTFalconfan: NO.
AllGood 4 Now
January 18th, 2012
6:10 am
it took me a month but i got an App to block all of chokes comments so i no longer have to see that idiot.. BTW Awesome hire
S Freud
January 18th, 2012
7:13 am
Well, maybe you didn’t use LMAO and
this time, but you did when you were posting as CGD. But ALL CAPS? Pretty angry.
AS for my sweet little sister-in-law if you ever saw her you would know the answer to that.
BTW, when you drink your Sleepy Time tea, do you stick your little pinky out just so? Do you have a dainty little china cups, too?
JSS
January 18th, 2012
7:37 am
You are either mentally ill, are just stuck on stupid… “Posting as CGD?” You must have the brain cells of 3rd generation Russian Serf who was born in a gulag!
What’s taste got to do with sticking it to the Sister-in-law? Your insinuation about “multiple-user personality disorder” already shows you have no sense of judgment!
And that no one ever taught the difference between how you serve “high tea” with men as guest and a tea party for a gathering of ladies, well too bad!!!
Good luck with those sloppy seconds!
Samuel
January 18th, 2012
8:01 am
All i know is the pressures on Mike Smith at minimum, to win his first post -season game.
Mike Nolan headed to the Atlanta Falcons | Sportsrageous
January 18th, 2012
8:07 am
[...] to ajc.com, if Mike Nolan cannot pinpoint the problems with the Atlanta Falcons defense, then they will need [...]
CGD
January 18th, 2012
8:22 am
@Freud
I’m definitly not that dumba$$ (JSS), tea? with men ? haha what a joke
TroutFalcon
January 18th, 2012
8:30 am
Great hire by the Falcons, Nolan brings that aggressiveness that this defense needs.
No Way Norway
January 18th, 2012
8:38 am
Great hire ! Now they need to rescend the Koetter hire and get a legit OC.
No Way Norway
January 18th, 2012
8:41 am
Schultz : Deion Sanders’ wife has accused him of “committing numerous acts of adultery.” I’ll translate: He was playing a zone.
We definitely know that no TACKLING was involved. But prolly a lot of hi-stepping !
ATL
January 18th, 2012
8:45 am
Don’t let CGD fool you, he’s not a saints fan….he’s a packer fan. 100% sure !!! while arguing with him about the Atl/Gb playoff game, he slipped up and through the word “we” in there. hahaha whoopsie. He’s just a stanky cheese head, who like the Falcons, got man handled by the G-men. ha ha ha
Fuhgetaboutit
January 18th, 2012
8:46 am
Unless you can get Julio to play on the O-line and the D-line as well as being a receiver we are still toast. All the coaches in the world cannot win if they do not have talent. We have 15 free agents and no draft choices. Why? Because Dimitroff mortgaged our future for one WR
biff pocaroba
January 18th, 2012
8:59 am
van gorders defense was 12th overall and nolan’s was 15th and you call this an upgrade?
Durt E Byrd
January 18th, 2012
9:07 am
If Mike Smith can keep his hands off the Defense and let Nolan do his job then things will be fine.
If Mike Smith can NOT keep his hands off the Defense then Mike Smith will be gone next year.
All in all I think this was, indeed, a great hire!
Fuhgetaboutit
January 18th, 2012
9:14 am
I like Smitty. He is a good man. This one is on Dummytroff. With an aging bunch of free agents, salary cap issues and no draft choices to replace them we will not make the playoffs at all next year. Smitty will get a one year reprieve due to the coaching changes and it being a “transition year” and he will come back to coach in 2013, but remember, we have no draft choices to speak of until 2014 or beyond. Smitty goes two and out, coaching in 2012/13, failing to make the playoffs either year. He will lose his job, the victim of poor decisions on the personnel front, but McKay and Dummytroff will still be roaming the halls of Suwanee. We mortgaged the future for Julio. Sad, but true.
Chi Town
January 18th, 2012
9:15 am
Time will tell, personally, I prefered Mike Singletary as DC. But hey, I don’t control the purse strings. Mr. Blank needs to win right now, that divorce settlement will be coming down soon, might be a little pricey…….$$$$$$$…….
BILLY BOB BIRDY
January 18th, 2012
9:22 am
WHY DID VAN GORDER GO TO AUBURN.?. DID HE SEE THE WRITTING ON THE WALL?
Chi Town
January 18th, 2012
9:26 am
If Deion’s wife would like to get back at him, she can start with me!!!!
Pit Bull
January 18th, 2012
9:31 am
“Patty Ice” three Arena Football teams are waiting to sign U ….Go NOW !!!!! so U we don’t have to hear your Lame excuses next season….. UUUUUUUUU “Lump Noodle Arm”
True Falcon Fan
January 18th, 2012
9:37 am
Most of you are “utterly irrational”!!!!!
JSS – When are you going to learn, I see you’re still trying to express u’r true knowledge of the game and you are right in most cases. Anyone ever tell you to be patient, humble and unassuming? “NOPE”
Re: the DC hire, i would have much rather seen Spaggs or even Mike Singletary – Nolan is just OK, i think better than BVG!! He will be loyal to Smitty – the bottm-line is players make coaches look like they make it all happen. That being said, we’ll see soon enough how good Nolan is on his choice of players he hand picks to bring in to change or put his print on this Falcon team. Remember, Nolan is a true NFL coach!
Go Falcons
True Falcon Fan
January 18th, 2012
9:43 am
U only wish you fit the title “Pit Bull” – Go figure
woeismesince66
January 18th, 2012
10:15 am
The Falcons will rise from the ashes and be a very good team.
Falcon fan
January 18th, 2012
10:40 am
IF I WERE FALCONS OWNER, I WOULD HIRE ALL THE KNOW-ALL BLOGGER ON HERE. THEY KNOW MORE THAN PRO COACHES. THAT WOULD BE A GREAT HIRE, FOR PEE-WEE FOOTBALL!
SawThat1nce
January 18th, 2012
10:46 am
JS states that the Falcons need a plan to progress.
I think that a good plan, would be for the GM to build a stronger, bigger, tougher OLine, that can protect the passer and that can open running lanes for the runners.
Get an additional back, to go with Turner(someone like the saints Sproiles).
Build a bigger, faster, tougher, defensive front, that can get to the oppposing QB, and not give him all day to look for recievers.
I don’t know how Dimitroff can do it, but imo, that is what the Falcons needed in 2011.
Chi Town
January 18th, 2012
10:49 am
PEE WEE football, how much does it pay??
Dee
January 18th, 2012
11:14 am
Finally. A real NFL head coach with years of proven experience as our DC. A college coach such as Brian Van Gorder never should have been hired. Smitty really took a chance on hiring an idiot that couldn’t adjust against good offenses or rookie QBs.
JSS
January 18th, 2012
11:14 am
True Falcon Fan
January 18th, 2012
9:43 am
“U only wish you fit the title “Pit Bull” – Go figure”
Are you still talking? Do you ever think before you hit the “Submit Comment” button? Your little dog comparison is as silly as your playoff prediction! Shoot, you ought to have the sense to take sabbatical until August after all day long whipping administered the day after Christmas alone…
Statick
January 18th, 2012
11:16 am
I just hope Smitty give Nolan carte blanche on all defensive calls. Even though I thought the BVG hire was a bad one, I also think BVG was getting his scheme planning input from Smitty. I hope Nolan has the balls to tell Smith to back the hell off.
splendid splinter
January 18th, 2012
11:22 am
Just remember guys – if coaching and running a professional football team was easy, we would all be doing it. TD, MS, BVG, MM, AB are just like the rest of us. They do the best they can, pick the best personnel that is available (in their judgement) and move forward to play the schedule they are given. If some of you are so smart about fixing the problem, fill out an application, jump in and fix it. I’m sure your qualifications will get you the job.
Noneya
January 18th, 2012
11:34 am
I agree. They got it right with this one.
Days In The Lives Of Falcons Fans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QKLJ4wY_yQ
Sid
January 18th, 2012
11:45 am
Notice how the Peeshwank trolls from the Bayou will barely come out………….and if they do it’s Falcon trash talk under a different handle. No mention of their team going down in flames and being snuffed out in a wispy cloud of smoke off of the Pacific.
The anticipation of eating crow tastes almost as bad as the crow itself. C’mon back, we only want to kick you while you are down.
What's the cap on new CBA?
January 18th, 2012
12:10 pm
…..can’t AB / TD just pay the lux tax to go over the limit?
iceBIRDcold12
January 18th, 2012
12:14 pm
We should see a ROI on this hire real quick. Great job Falcons! I am excited to see the defense take the lead and let the offense roll hard but steady. Keep improving each year and keep making the playoffs every year is the goal. You can’t win or lose it if you are not in it. A full training camp will help us also as we need the offense to become more autoMATTYic.
True Falcon Fan
January 18th, 2012
12:14 pm
JSS – like i said: Patience, humility & unassuming —- You still don’t get it!!!
Did you find that “pawn shop in Canton yet”? It surely is located close to you…..
By the way how is u’r undergrad studies going, i know u’r spot on “RIGHT” — Love to Mom — SF &/or LA, I know everyone misses U!
Sid
January 18th, 2012
12:18 pm
Will Colts hire Spagnuolo? Supposedly Spag spent Monday with the Colts and is with the Saints today.
True Falcon Fan
January 18th, 2012
12:20 pm
Unassuming —- did U even notice 9:31 post —- R U jus dumb or stupid?
RedandBlackPeachy
January 18th, 2012
12:57 pm
@ What’s the cap on new CBA?
January 18th, 2012
12:10 pm
…..can’t AB / TD just pay the lux tax to go over the limit?
NFL has a hard cap. There is no luxury tax like in the NBA. The league office advised the teams last month that the cap won’t change much from the 2011 amount of $120M, if it changes at all. Depending on what you read and believe the Falcons committed dollars ranges from $96M to $100M. The bottom requirement is $108M. Good news, however, is about 25% of the players will become free agents this offseason. With the large amount of free agents, and no increase in cap spending there will be some really good deals for less than players would have commanded in the past. The Falcons are the 6th lowest in committed money out of all of the teams. There are quite a few teams (including the Panthers) who have some real cap spending considerations to make because the are currently close to the cap or already over (some by as much as $10M). Considering how few picks in the draft we have, free agency will be our playground and we might just be all right. In the end, TD may come off looking like the mad (but brilliant) scientist. Time will tell.
Sports Buzz | Latest Sports News and Info Hub - PFT: Coughlin needs to shut Rolle up
January 18th, 2012
1:14 pm
[...] The hiring of Mike Nolan as defensive coordinator is getting good reviews in Atlanta. [...]
Larry
January 18th, 2012
8:02 pm
Mr. Schultz,
As specifically at trolls like “CHOKE,” perhaps you’ll consider this No Trolling Policy:
“No trolling. Posts intended solely to annoy and/or offend other posters by going against the clear nature of a board or topic are not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to: Provoking other users to respond with flames, Provoking fans of a particular team or group, Making misleading topic titles and asking obviously useless questions.”
Larry
January 18th, 2012
8:04 pm
Correction: “Aimed specifically at trolls like…
yo mama
January 18th, 2012
10:40 pm
folks, Nolan was out of a job. miami fired the entire staff, he was let go. it might be time to say goodbye to abe, unless he decides to retire here, and take a smaller contract. his productivity is down, and he misses qb’s too much. if he would contain the qb, more sack would come, but he dives in too early on qb’s, and they tip toe around him, when if he contained the qb, and trap him, others will collapse from the otherside. thats coaching, looking at tape, and making soild adjustments. friggin van gorder was working on his mustache, when he should have been coaching.
Nolan is a tough cookie, and he was the difference in mIami. there D stopped alot late in the season, and they beat alot of good teams at the end.
tyger
January 19th, 2012
7:45 am
Blah, Blah, Blah….
All the hiring/firing is a mirage –
Nolan or the other guy, won’t put points on the board…
And neither will Matt Ryan – never has, never will…
Until you honestly address that fundamental flaw….
This team is doomed to mediocrity….
Can’t get one play outta my mind…the Hail Mary b4 halftime…
With a 3 step windup, he couldnt get it into the endzone from the 45…
He cant throw the ball 55 yds!!!
High school QBs can throw 55 yds!!!
JSS
January 20th, 2012
4:28 am
True Falcon Fan
January 18th, 2012
12:14 pm
“You still don’t get it!!!”
Don’t let that pot whip your butt kettle…
And when you find Canton (because I don’t live there) find one for yourself like that child murderer did… The River Stixx has plenty of room for you…