The Falcons need fixing. Some believe those fixes should include owner Arthur Blank firing general manager Thomas Dimitroff and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, but I don't agree — and everything happening in Flowery Branch (including the respective parties being involved in planning meetings for next season) indictates that both will be back next season.
So operating on that assumption, here are some things I believe coach Dan Quinn and Dimitroff need to fix moving forward:
• Try the Matt Ryan-Shanahan experiment another year: Ryan was correct when he said after Sunday's loss that offensive coordinators are like quarterbacks, getting too much blame and credit for things. The truth is, neither had a great season. The Falcons moved the ball fine (374.4 yards per game, seventh in the NFL) but they scored too few points (21.2, 21st) and touchdowns (34, also 21st). They ranked only 17th in red zone touchdown percentage at 54.7, too far for a team with Ryan, Julio Jones, Roddy White and Devonta Freeman. There were signs in the last few weeks that things were improving but not to the degree they need to.
Ryan defenders don’t want to acknowledge that he had a bad year. He did. He had the second-most interceptions (16), second-fewest touchdown passes (21) and second-lowest efficiency rating (89.0) of his career. He also ranked second in the NFL in total fumbles (12) and tied for third in fumbles lost (five). In his defense, it should some of those fumbles were the result of poor snaps from centers Michael Person and James Stone (see below). But that doesn’t excuse all of them.
Shanahan also erred. Like many offensive coordinators, he has a reputation for being obstinate and overly married to his scheme and his play-calling. He needs to accept more input from players, understand that White can still be a valuable receiver (see below) and improve the team’s red zone offense (which often struggled).
• Look to Seattle to fix the pass rush: The Falcons finished 16th in total defense and 14th in scoring defense — which isn't bad given the lack of talent and the league's worst pass rush. The Falcons finishing with 19 sacks, which is a franchise-low for a 16-game season, at least since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. That not only ranked last in the NFL, it was three fewer than the team had in 2014. There are two potential fixes in Seattle, Quinn's former home: Stone Mountain's Bruce Irvin is a solid all-around outside linebacker who has shown an ability to get to the quarterback, and defensive end Michael Bennett, who had 10 sacks this season and has 34½ over the last four. Bennett has two years left on his contract, but there were reports after last season that he was seeking a new deal and a trade to Atlanta. The Seahawks would've taken an enormous cap hit if they dealt Bennett last year but a deal would be slightly more palatable this offseason.
• Sign/draft a center: Given dire projections about the offensive line and how late it was slapped together, things could have been worse. Ryan was sacked 30 times (one less than 2014). The Falcons rushed for 1,611 yards (113 increase). But line play generally was average to bad and many of the problems stemmed from poor center play (usually Person). The Falcons haven't had a decent center since they pushed Todd McClure out the door. Peter Konz, the 2012 second-round pick, was a bust. There are some good ones in the draft (including Alabama's Ryan Kelly). But a veteran would be preferred.
• Keep White: If he has played his final game as a Falcon, he will have multiple offers to play elsewhere. But even at 34, White, who has two years left on his contract, can make big catches and he's as tough a player as the Falcons have. He should be brought back for another season. His $2.75 million base salary (and $1.5 million roster bonus) already is relatively low, so there's not much room for restructuring.
• Eric Berry any one? This might be a pipe dream but the former Creekside High School star is an unrestricted free agent. The strong safety, who made a comeback from leukemia, would be an upgrade at safety, where William Moore has slowed down and had injuries the last two seasons. But his last contract averaged $8.3 million per year and his offers might exceed what the Falcons can afford under the salary cap, given other holes.
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