Smith makes return to the Georgia Dome
Former Falcons head coach Mike Smith is set to make his return to the Georgia Dome.
Smith, the winningest coach in franchise history, sat out a season after being unceremoniously fired in 2014. He was named Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator earlier this year after coming close to landing the New York Giants head coaching job.
Smith’s defense is anchored by four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. The Bucs added defensive end Robert Ayers and cornerback Brent Grimes in free agency.
Also, linebacker Kwon Alexander is a rising star.
Smith will match wits against Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. The Bucs are expecting the Falcons to lean heavily on the running game.
“Kyle Shanahan does a great job of using (Devonta Freeman),” Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said. “The system on offense that they are running there in Atlanta is a little bit different than the system that we used when I was in Atlanta.”
It will be interesting to see if Smith brings his strong safety near the line of scrimmage to help in the run game. He knows that Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan thrives when throwing against single-high safety coverage.
While the coaching matchup is intriguing, Falcons coach Dan Quinn points out that the players will decide the outcome.
“In between the white lines, it’s all about the game and the players,” he said.
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.
