Falcons Fire Mike Smith

[Demonjoe93]

Source

About time. If he had just run the damn ball on those final third down plays against Detroit and Cleveland, that game yesterday wouldn't have mattered because Atlanta would have had an eight win season.

 

[thedddd]

Amazed it took this long to fire him. Dimitroff can't be too far behind with all those horrible drafts and possibly building the worst defense in the NFL.

As a non-Falcon fan but see too much of them (due to being in ATL all the time) I wonder what do fans truly feel about Matt Ryan? Is it time to move on from him also?

 

[Balljim55]

Amazed it took this long to fire him. Dimitroff can't be too far behind with all those horrible drafts and possibly building the worst defense in the NFL.

As a non-Falcon fan but see too much of them (due to being in ATL all the time) I wonder what do fans truly feel about Matt Ryan? Is it time to move on from him also?

Ryan is a very good QB - he is going nowhere. The problem is they have no defense and no run game so he is forever heaving it up. I guarantee 2/3's of the teams in the league would take him over theirs.

 

[Demonjoe93]

Amazed it took this long to fire him. Dimitroff can't be too far behind with all those horrible drafts and possibly building the worst defense in the NFL.

As a non-Falcon fan but see too much of them (due to being in ATL all the time) I wonder what do fans truly feel about Matt Ryan? Is it time to move on from him also?

There's actually a thread on this in the Falcons forum here. Most Falcon fans believe Matt Ryan is a great quarterback. We like him. The problem with this offense is there's not much of an O-line (primarily due to injuries) and no running game. Not to mention Smith's play calling was never that good either.

 

[thedddd]

Oh yeah that O-line and defense were just awful and good to hear folks still like him since he is a good QB.

Just was thinking that so many teams would love to have him if the Falcons got a better GM I bet they could get a good haul for him to rebuild that team faster.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Amazed it took this long to fire him. Dimitroff can't be too far behind with all those horrible drafts and possibly building the worst defense in the NFL.

As a non-Falcon fan but see too much of them (due to being in ATL all the time) I wonder what do fans truly feel about Matt Ryan? Is it time to move on from him also?

Smitty...he was a good HC...best results in Falcon history actually...the team never quit on him, but when you're not on the field, you should never be directly the cause of a loss, and 3 games I can count Mike Smith was that guy.

Dimitroff...I'm a little surprised he wasn't let go today...he was at the presser and Blank said he was the GM, but all positions would be evaluated.

This one is pretty easy...if the sportstalk radio medium is the barometer...Seat PSL sales are going to suffer if Dimitroff is retained. The people that are at the games were really venting today.

If I can say one thing about the entire Dimitroff era...he was a glitz and glamour, cart before the horses GM imo...he never seem to believe in the trenches...he only drafted Matthews and brought in Soliai and Jackson after those positions showed obvious need.

While at the peak of their success they decided to go young and get rid of final pc to the best RG/RT (Dahl & Clabo) tandem in the history of the Falcons...the 2013 season PLAN was to start 3 players (C, RG, RT) on the OL that had never started a game at their respective positions before in the NFL...What GM puts his $100 mil QB behind a line like that?

That's the mindset of a GM that never really played the game if you ask me?

 

[RobToxin]

Be careful what you wish for.....

 

[GNG]

Ryan is a very good QB - he is going nowhere. The problem is they have no defense and no run game so he is forever heaving it up. I guarantee 2/3's of the teams in the league would take him over theirs.

The Bears would love to have him.

 

[Demonjoe93]

Be careful what you wish for.....

[MEDIA=twitter]549705682405318660[/MEDIA]

He any good?

 

[TheConfidante]

Horrible coach. My friend is a big Falcons fan and can't stand him.

 

[cdumler7]

He any good?

From a Bronco fan that had him as our coach for a couple of years he is about as bad as they come. He tries to be Bill Belichick Jr. and it just doesn't fly. From day 1 of walking into the Broncos organization he divided players, the FO, and the fans. By the end of his tenure there was actually a boycott by season ticket holders of even going to Bronco games to show the owner how badly they wanted him out of town. He is an arrogant jerk that thinks he is God's gift to man. Wouldn't surprise me if his first move would be to ship Julio Jones and Matt Ryan out of town like he did in Denver. If McDaniels goes to Atlanta my big bet of the year will be that Kyle Orton comes out of retirement and is the starting quarterback for the Falcons this next season.

 

[ugafan6612]

He's not terrible it's just not his time in atl anymore and this was his worst year. Ryan isn't going anywhere he's a good qb

 

[mcnabb7542]

I'm kinda shocked Blank didn't get rid of the GM as well, couple years back he gave up draft picks for Jones, and that was a huge risk knowing his defense was aging and his OL had issues....

 

[night]

The odd thing about Smith is that he is a defensive minded coach but never seemed to be able to get any sort of improvement in that department. Obviously we don't really have the personnel but you would think he could have put more insight into that.

Dimitroff should go too. He has basically tried to copy the Lion's strategy of racing to the bottom in each draft.

 

[Demonjoe93]

From a Bronco fan that had him as our coach for a couple of years he is about as bad as they come. He tries to be Bill Belichick Jr. and it just doesn't fly. From day 1 of walking into the Broncos organization he divided players, the FO, and the fans. By the end of his tenure there was actually a boycott by season ticket holders of even going to Bronco games to show the owner how badly they wanted him out of town. He is an arrogant jerk that thinks he is God's gift to man. Wouldn't surprise me if his first move would be to ship Julio Jones and Matt Ryan out of town like he did in Denver. If McDaniels goes to Atlanta my big bet of the year will be that Kyle Orton comes out of retirement and is the starting quarterback for the Falcons this next season.

Jesus, I hope this guy doesn't come to Atlanta then.

 

[TP76]

Be careful what you wish for.....

[MEDIA=twitter]549705682405318660[/MEDIA]

I'll throw in a case of Bud Light to sweeten the deal.

 

[ugafan6612]

Looking at it we went all out in 2012 and were 5 yards from a Super Bowl. The jones pick was worth it that year. It seems like mgmt was betting on a Super Bowl and didn't get one.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I'm kinda shocked Blank didn't get rid of the GM as well, couple years back he gave up draft picks for Jones, and that was a huge risk knowing his defense was aging and his OL had issues....

Jones trade...I'm with you on the GM needing to be gone, but the Julio deal was not his worst doing...JJ has been the difference maker they expected for the most part.

He killed the DEF with these moves...signing Ray Edwards, Dunta Robinson, and Osi...and letting these guys go...Brent Grimes, Abraham, Lofton...Spoon and Moore have been productive but oft-injured. The money he spent on Sjax could've gone to Cliff Avil to ADD to Osi, or ADD Osi to Abraham...1 proven pass rusher was silly.

I do agree the Julio deal hurt the depth...LB talent is suspect.

 

[Balljim55]

Is it telling that in a do or die game for the division championship AND the opportunity to send your coach out with a division title at the very least, the team seemed to mail it in? On the outside looking in you have to wonder if he had the players' respect

 

[mcnabb7542]

Jones trade...I'm with you on the GM needing to be gone, but the Julio deal was not his worst doing...JJ has been the difference maker they expected for the most part.

He killed the DEF with these moves...signing Ray Edwards, Dunta Robinson, and Osi...and letting these guys go...Brent Grimes, Abraham, Lofton...Spoon and Moore have been productive but oft-injured. The money he spent on Sjax could've gone to Cliff Avil to ADD to Osi, or ADD Osi to Abraham...1 proven pass rusher was silly.

I do agree the Julio deal hurt the depth...LB talent is suspect.

Well now your looking at two years of drafts and better FA signings to get this team back on top of the division, O line needs to be upgraded, then you mentioned LB's, age along the front defensive line, and then there is a secondary not as bad as my Eagles but still needs an upgrade....