Falcons hire Mike Tice to add some balance to attack
In a move that signals a return to a more balanced offense, the Falcons agreed to terms with former NFL head coach Mike Tice to become their offensive line coach Wednesday.
Falcons coach Mike Smith declined to comment about the hire through a team spokesman.
Tice, 54, most recently was the offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears in 2012. He was out of football last season. Tice will replace offensive line coaches Pat Hill and Paul Dunn, who were fired after the disappointing 4-12 season was completed.
“He has great schemes,” former Falcons center Todd McClure said of Tice. “I think if you look at where ever he goes, (teams have) been probably top five in rushing. That’s what these guys are looking for, to get the rushing game back going. From everything that I hear, his schemes and everything are great.”
Last season, as the Falcons went from Super Bowl contenders to a last-place team, they were the most imbalanced offense in the NFL. The Falcons passed on 68.7 percent of their offensive snaps, and ran on 31.3 percent.
Like Smith’s other recent hires, Tice has worked with him in the past. They were together on Jack Del Rio’s Jacksonville staff for two seasons.
After the 2011 season when Smith was looking for new coordinators, he hired Mike Nolan, who he worked with him in Baltimore, and Dirk Koetter, who was on the staff in Jacksonville.
Over his 17-year NFL coaching career, Tice was the offensive line coach for seven seasons. He has put together some strong run-blocking units, but his lines have had trouble protecting the passer.
Over those seven seasons, Tice’s lines ranked in the top 10 in most sacks allowed three times. In 2010, his Chicago line led the league with 56 allowed. In 2011, his Chicago line gave up 49 sacks, fifth-most in the league. In 2001, his Minnesota line gave up 47 sacks, seventh-most.
In 1998, with the mobile Randall Cunningham, Tice had his best pass-protecting unit with Minnesota. They gave up 25 sacks and ranked 25th in the league before losing to the Falcons in the NFC Championship game.
Over that same period, he had three top-10 finishes in rushing. In 1997, the Vikings averaged 127.6 yards rushing per game to rank sixth. In 2000, the Vikings averaged 133.1 yards per game to rank sixth. In 2011, the Bears averaged 125.9 yards rushing per game to rank ninth.
Tice has a monumental task to re-shape the Falcons’ offensive line.
The unit allowed 44 sacks, 100 quarterback hits and allowed quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Dominique Davis to be hurried on 206 plays. On 38.4 percent of the pass attempts last season, the pocket was compromised.
The rushing attack was anemic, as it averaged only 77.9 yards per game, last in the NFL.
It’s hard to measure how much impact a position coach can have.
“I know that (former Falcons offensive line coach) Alex Gibbs kind of changed my career,” McClure said. “He kind of ran the show. If he told you something, it wasn’t going to change. That’s just how it was. A coach can make a big difference, but you have to have right guys to make the change also. You know, the right players.”
Falcons guard Justin Blalock’s career took off after a coaching change. He struggled under Mike Summers, who was a first-time NFL line coach in 2007 on Bobby Petrino’s staff. Blalock stabilized and took off when Paul Boudreau, a long-time NFL line coach, came in with Smith in 2008.
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.
