he side in an important season." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesThe Falcoholic homepageHorizontal - WhiteThe Falcoholican Atlanta Falcons communityFollow The Falcoholic online:Follow The Falcoholic on TwitterFollow The Falcoholic on FacebookLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchThe Falcoholic main menuFanpostsFanshotsLibraryFalconsOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Library FalcFans Podcast on The FalcoholicContact The FalcoholicFalcons StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Falcons NewsYahoo Falcons Team PageYahoo Falcons ReportYahoo Falcons Depth ChartYahoo Falcons TransactionsYahoo Falcons PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Dan Quinn taking matters in his own hands New Youth Jack Crawford Jersey ,56commentsThe Falcons’ head coach is shoving reliance to the side in an important season. EDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:Dan Quinn taking matters in his own hands TwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Julio Aguilar/Getty ImagesThe 37-yard field goal slid through the uprights to give the Falcons a 34-32 victory over division foe Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Just like that, the 2018 season came to a conclusion for the Atlanta Falcons. One that resulted in a 7-9 finish. It was one that also left a bitter taste in the mouth of players, coaches, fans, and anyone else associated with the Falcons organization. For fifth-year head coach Dan Quinn, it affected his taste buds a little more than others. Somehow, Quinn became a little hungrier. Instead of leaning on the element of complacency, Quinn decided to step to the plate and take a strong hold on what made him a head coach in the first place: guiding a defense. It’s called Black Monday around the NFL universe. The day after the regular season comes to an end usually begins a carousel of head coaching terminations. Quinn Stitched Duke Riley Jersey , however, moved on from young coordinators Steve Sarkisian and Marquand Manuel on that day. Even with the number of injuries that piled up to the point of no return, Quinn foresaw enough to feel that a change at those vital positions was needed. The offensive coordinating spot was eventually given to a familiar face around Flowery Branch in Dirk Koetter. In a move that is often not seen, Quinn named himself Atlanta’s defensive signal caller. For a moment, flash back to the 2013 season, and you will see Quinn in charge of one of the more dominating defenses the NFL has seen in the last 25 years. A unit of vicious defenders that was No. 1 in total defense, points allowed, and takeaways. They capped off the season with a whitewashing of a Peyton Manning-led offense. Quinn was at the helm of the defense the next season as the Seahawks made another Super Bowl appearance and were on the brink of back-to-back titles. Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty ImagesSo it’s no question that Quinn can hold his own on that side of the ball. Need more evidence? Hop back in my time machine as we go back to Week 13 of the 2016 season. A period of the season where Quinn took over defensive play calling duties from then-coordinator Richard Smith. We then saw an extremely young bunch of defenders force 17 turnovers over their final eight games of the season Youth Duke Riley Jersey , including the playoffs, after forcing only 12 in the previous 11 games. In four complete seasons, Quinn has a regular season record of 36-28 with two playoff appearances and an NFC Championship under his belt. Of course many will want to bring up that fourth quarter of Super Bowl 51, which does fall on the shoulders of the head coach. But for the sake of this column, I’ll bypass that. It has been beaten like a drum enough. Quinn has a lot of factors in his favor entering the 2019 season. For one, he has a very productive tandem in quarterback Matt Ryan and receiver Julio Jones — a tandem that can put up points in bunches. He also has a young thoroughbred in receiver Calvin Ridley, who scored 10 receiving touchdowns during his rookie 2018 season. The defense that Quinn is now coaching is healthy once again and is filled with young athletes in Deion Jones, Keanu Neal Stitched Ito Smith Jersey , Grady Jarrett, Takk McKinley, Desmond Trufant and Isaiah Oliver. Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesWhat’s also on his side is time. The record may not look greatly appealing to some, but to have the playoff success he has along with a very patient and reasonable owner gives Quinn some leeway. A playoff-less 2019 campaign may cast a different light on the 2020 season, but there is more than hope that Atlanta will be playoff bound this season. Another component is the strong staff that is now surrounding Quinn in Atlanta. There are three former NFL head coaches on the staff (OC Dirk Koetter, WR coach Raheem Morris, TE coach Mike Mularkey) and a special assistant (Bob Sutton) with over 40 years of coaching experience. It’s a group of coaching decision makers that provide arguably the best foundation during the Quinn era. Quinn continues to say all of the right things. If you have watched the NFL long enough, or football in general for that matter Youth Ito Smith Jersey , you will know that it’s routine for the head coach to speak the right words at the right times. He used this offseason to focus on the little intricacies that hurt the team last season: improving the offensive line, addressing the time management aspect within the game, and getting healthy as a team. Optimism is running rampant around the team, and the national media coverage as a whole is feeling the same way about this bunch of Falcons. For Quinn, four seasons of coming up short has sparked an even bigger flame within him. In the hands of Quinn lies what may be a very profitable future ... or one that is devoid of the desired goals. Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said on Wednesday morning that he expects to have running back Devonta Freeman in the lineup against the Steelers this Sunday.It would be Freeman’s first game since he injured his knee in the season-opening loss to the Eagles and he kicked off the practice week with a limited session on Wednesday. He declared himself “excited to be out here” and declared himself ready to get back to work.“I’m in-tune with my body and myself, so I know when I can be me,” Freeman said, via ESPN.com. “Just getting back out there when I’m comfortable enough. I think right now Stitched Deadrin Senat Jersey , I’m comfortable enough to get out there. I feel good. I feel explosive. I’m ready to run.”Getting Freeman back will be a plus to a running game that’s produced 140 yards over the last two weeks, but it still may be difficult for the Falcons offense to generate enough points to overcome a defense that’s been shredded repeatedly this season.