Despite his team’s a 0-4 start, Falcons coach Dan Quinn’s job status has not been discussed within the upper reaches of the franchise, according to a person familiar with the situation.
“We haven’t talked about it yet,” that person said Wednesday. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen. I know we’re going to still support what’s going on, and hopefully (the team) can eventually turn the corner and bring it all together.”
The Falcons are off to their third consecutive slow start under Quinn, who’s only the second coach to guide the team to the Super Bowl.
In 2018, the team lost four of its first five games before finishing with a 7-9 record. That team was beset with injuries and never recovered. Last season, the Falcons were 1-7 in the first half of the season and 6-2 in the second half to again finish 7-9.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank elected to stick with Quinn after last season with the hopes that continuity was the best course for the franchise. He stated repeatedly that he expected the Falcons to be competitive in 2020 and earn a playoff berth. With the expanded playoffs, the Falcons need to get in gear.
After losing 30-16 to Packers this week on “Monday Night Football,” Quinn noted that the “nothing has been decided.”
Defensive end Dante Fowler noted that basically it’s a 12-game season remaining, with six games against teams in the NFC South.
But the Falcons have not played inspired football. They blew two double-digit fourth-quarter leads and were widely ridiculed when they didn’t fall on an onside kick at the end of the Dallas game. That miscue led to a 40-39 loss.
While promoting his new book “Good Company,” Blank spoke about that play. He said he thought the players didn’t know what to do, which went against statements made by Quinn and special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica.
The Falcons need to start putting together whole games, by playing one play at a time to have an opportunity, the person familiar with Quinn’s situation said.
Quinn, who guided the Falcons to Super Bowl LI, has built an incredible amount of goodwill with how he handled the team after the Super Bowl collapse and through the coronavirus pandemic. After the collapse from a 28-3 lead against the Patriots, the Falcons returned to the playoffs the following season, but lost to the Eagles in the divisional round when a potential game-winning drive stalled on the 1-yard line. The Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl.
Quinn is going to get an opportunity to dig out of this 0-4 hole.
The team needs to play better in close games and understand situational football. The players have to execute Quinn’s schemes.
“If you look at them, one minute it’s like, ‘Wow,’” the person familiar with Quinn’s status said. “Another minute, you can just see that there (were no exhibition games), but that’s something that all teams are dealing with, not just the Falcons. That can’t be the excuse. You have to still go out and execute.”
The players are playing themselves in game shape, and the Falcons have been hit with several soft-tissue injuries, including wide receiver Julio Jones' hamstring.
“We all have to have trust that they eventually turn the corner and execute,” the person said.
Falcons’ next four games
Panthers at Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11
Falcons at Vikings at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18
Lions at Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday Oct. 25
Falcons at Panthers at 8:20 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29
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