Falcons should make changes just not at head coach

Will Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank relieve Dan Quinn or Thomas Dimitroff of their jobs at the end of a second consecutive losing season or will he spare one or both of them? The answer seems anything but easy.

Atlanta Falcons fans seemingly want one thing after another terrible year, a fresh start; that’s putting it nicely. The majority of the fan base wants both Thomas Dimitroff and Dan Quinn fired. However, the answer may not be just that simple.

Yes, the website and many of its writers have written about the need to replace Dan Quinn and have even written several articles with suggestions. However, one of the greatest attributes in life in the willingness to change an opinion when you receive more information.

While Thomas Dimitroff should absolutely be let go, Dan Quinn should not; at least not yet. Thomas Dimitroff is the reason we are in this mess. His inability to identify talent along the offensive lines and his terrible contract extensions and free agent signings have more to do with the Atlanta Falcons record than injuries or Dan Quinn’s refusal to make changes early in the season.

The salary cap is so bad that Austin Hooper will more than likely walk and even if the Falcons wanted to bring back a guy like Vic Beasley, they could not do it at the moment. The salary cap was the one thing that Dimitroff was supposed to be good at and he has even screwed that up.

The players love Dan Quinn, they respect Dan Quinn and they go to battle for Dan Quinn. While there is something to be said about NOT listening to the players in regards to coaching decisions (hi Cleveland), this has a different feel to it. There is no fighting in the locker room, on the sideline, on social media or in the media.

As a first-time head coach, Dan Quinn has made some mistakes. Okay, a lot of mistakes. His clichés are ridiculous and we are all tired of hearing them. What he cannot be blamed for is the talent on the lines and the injuries that key guys have each of the last two seasons. However, he has gotten much better as a head coach and when he lets his coaches coach, they are clearly a better team.

Yes, talking heads all over Atlanta questioned anyone intelligence who dared disagree that Quinn should be fired. They are out for blood, not because they actually care about this team but because they need the ratings and changing head coaches gives them new material to talk about and nothing more.

There is something to be said about sticking with a guy through a couple bad seasons and allowing him an opportunity to finish what he started, by doing so maybe just maybe there is a chance that the Atlanta Falcons faithful will be rewarded with a Lombardi Trophy.