Atlanta Falcons: Three massive factors during the offseason

2. Getting Shanahan & the offense on one accord 

At times during the season, seeing OC Kyle Shanahan and QB Matt Ryan and the rest of the offensive personnel on one sheet of music was evident during the 5-0 start. As the wheels started to fall off over the course of the season, it was clear that both were not clicking and in some games, it really made the difference between a win and a loss.

However, I for one feel the blame isn’t entirely on the shoulders of Shanahan. The offense had their own issues in 2015 that didn’t require calling Shanahan the culprit. For example, in the Week 6 loss at New Orleans, two fumbles inside of the Saints 15-yard line stalled two separate and lengthy drives and a blocked punt return for a touchdown was a kick to the shin for the Falcons and ultimately cost the team a division win.

Of course, the pick-6 thrown by Matt Ryan against Indianapolis was not on Shanahan and that play was a punch to the gut for the Falcons.

The offense on its own had issues with turnovers and Shanahan himself displayed inconsistency with his play calling throughout the season. The two sides need to iron out the wrinkles as soon as  possible. The offense averaged 21 points a game and 374 yards a game which isn’t bad for an offense that sputtered enough to truly hinder the team at times.

Next: He Must Go Down