Dirty Birds Dispatch: Candid predictions from Coach Mike Smith
Merry Christmas!
I must have been good because I didn’t get a lump of coal this year.
Hope you all didn’t either!
Mike Smith talks hard decisions for the Falcons
Our guy coach Mike Smith shared some insights on how the Falcons make difficult decisions in a recent interview on Betway.
Smith is the coach with the most wins in Falcons franchise history. He was in charge from 2008-14, had four playoff teams and reached the NFC championship game after the 2012 season.
🔘 On how the Falcons have performed under Raheem Morris:
“I really like some of the things the Falcons have managed to do this season so far. They’ve been in almost every game they’ve had. The problem is they are 3-5 in those one-score games this season. But they’re not getting blown out, and this is not a team that has given up.”
🔘 Some coaching concerns:
“There are some things that do give me concern, though, such as the number of penalties and turnovers they commit in big moments. You don’t win close games by making these mistakes.”
🔘 If the Falcons should keep coach Morris:
“When it comes to coach Morris, I believe that two years is not enough time to make a final decision. I think he’s done a great job of keeping his players playing hard despite the fact that they are out of the playoff race ... There’s only one person who will make that decision, and that will be Falcons owner, Arthur Blank. There’s going to be a lot of outside noise, but I’m impressed with the way the team has fought and played hard. I think they’ll continue to play hard for Raheem, too.”
🔘 On Michael Penix Jr.’s performance while he was healthy:
“I thought that Penix Jr. was playing like a second-year player who only had a few games worth of snaps in his rookie year. I still think he’s a talented player. He can continue to grow. He’s going to be a good football player. ... Penix Jr. still has what it takes to become a franchise quarterback.
🔘 How owner Arthur Blank will handle the process of evaluating coaching staff:
“He’ll go through the same process he does every year. There will be a deep dive into all 17 games during the season. Mr. Blank doesn’t really say a lot publicly, but he is involved when it comes to talking to coaches and players. In that facility, he has a very good grasp of what is happening. Just like any team, they would prefer not to make a change during the season.”
Falcons v. Rams preview: Who to know, what to know
The return of Matthew Stafford
The Rams have clinched a playoff berth, but are still playing for seeding in the NFC.
Stafford is having another great season as the Rams have the No. 1 ranked offense in the league. He has completed 341 of 519 passes (65.7%) for 4,179 yards, 40 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has a passer rating of 112.1.
How did ‘Nasty’ Nate Landman get away?
The Falcons made a decision not to give linebacker Nate Landman a restricted free-agent tender last season.
He signed a veteran minimum deal ($1.1 million) with the Rams. He was voted captain and leads the Rams in tackles with 123.
The former undrafted free agent was rewarded with a three-year, $22.5 million contract in November.
Ben Kotwica is back
The Falcons will see another familiar face on the Rams squad.
Former Falcons special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica was fired by Raheem Morris when he took over as the interim head coach in 2020. If you recall, Kotwica was in charge when the Falcons failed to recover the “mortar ball” onside kick against Dallas that season. The players stood and watch the spinning ball like it was a time bomb. Cowboys players swooped in and recovered the kick.
Kotwica is a brand-new addition to the Rams. After losing 38-37 to the Seahawks on Dec. 18, the Rams fired special-teams coordinator Chase Blackburn and brought in Kotwica.
WHERE TO WATCH (AND LISTEN)
This will be the 80th meeting between the teams. The Rams lead the series, 49-28-2.
The game will kickoff at 8:15 p.m. Monday.
On TV: ESPN
- Play by play: Joe Buck
- Analyst: Troy Aikman
- Sideline: Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge
On local radio: 92.9 FM The Game
- Play-by-play: Wes Durham
- Analyst: David Archer
FROM THE LOCKER ROOM
A quick look at what some Falcons players had to say this week.
💬 KADEN ELLISS, inside linebacker
On stopping Trey McBride: “It kinds of know where he’s at in the different formations. Know the ways they kind of get him the ball. So really honing in on those. When it was time to make those plays on him, make the play like 3 (Jessie Bates III) did at the end. He did a great job.”
On getting the wins after being eliminated from the playoffs: “It shows that we are doing things right. It feels good. We had a lot of those games early on and they went the wrong way. At the end, things didn’t go the way that you wanted. We didn’t make the plays at the end and we allowed them to make the plays that they needed. Against the Cardinals, it was the reversal of that. To go out and see our dudes make the plays that we needed, means a lot.”
On Raheem Morris’ role on keeping the team going: “That’s why he’s the head coach. He’s just an amazing man. I love playing for him. I get to go to work with him each and every day. The energy and the juice brings … that’s why he was hired. Obviously, he knows X’s and O’s, but a lot of people do. Who can keep the team always ready to go? He’s got that.”
💬 DIVINE DEABLO, inside linebacker
On getting back to back wins: “It felt great. Personally, I don’t think it was very pretty, but we pulled off the win, and that’s all that matters.”
On the key to slowing Trey McBride: “I think we did a good job of switching up the looks. We were bracketing him sometimes. But honestly, I think at the end of the day, it just came down the matchups. Jessie (Bates III) made two great plays at the end. We were very physical with him on the check downs.”
On playing hard while knowing that maybe some coaching jobs are on the line at the end of the year: “Honestly, I think at the end of the day, it’s a brotherhood here. I’ve been saying that pretty much every interview. I felt it in the locker room since the first day I got here. These boys just want to play for each other, and I want to play for them and give them my all. So, I respect that. Hopefully, we can bring this energy into next year.”
💬 KYLE PITTS, tight end
On beat the Cardinals: “It was great anytime Monday is tagged as a victory Monday, it’s great. So, that’s always good. It’s hard to get wins in this league.”
On the team still fighting after being eliminated from the playoffs: “It unfortunate we got eliminated. But you know, that doesn’t mean that we still can’t put good things on tape as a team, individually, on offense and on defense collectively. So, it’s just, we’re always keeping the main thing, the main thing, trying to get as many wins we can get wins.”
On his elevated level of play over the past few weeks: “I wouldn’t say I’ve changed anything in my process. Just trying to each week, during the week, making sure we strain and we focusing in on and off the field to be able to go out there and perform.”
On his contract situation and he’s made some money over the past few weeks: “It’s more of just trying to be the best teammate I can be on this offense, on this team, and insert myself whenever I get opportunities, make the most of them.”
On what’s next with his contract situation: “That’s an agent question. I won’t even call him and even ask about that. That will be something that … when the time is … he’ll call me on and then we’ll talk, but it’s not something I’m worried about or we’ll be reaching out to be inquiring about.”
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Your Falcons family is out helping the Atlanta community this season. Linebacker Jalon Walker does a lot of great work through his foundation, and recently packed and passed out meals for families at a Tucker church.
“It’s great to make those connections with those people who always see you on that big screen,” he said. “Being down to earth and making sure that they’ve been seen. Always reaching out and giving back is always part of my foundation, part of what I love and what I stand for.” Learn more about his work here.
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of the Dirty Bird Dispatch. Questions? Suggestions? Contact us at dledbetter@ajc.com. Follow @DorlandoAJC on X, too.
See you next week.
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
