The Atlanta Falcons have become infamous for blowing huge leads and disappointing under head coach Dan Quinn. Coming off another humiliating loss, with an 0-3 record, could Quinn’s coaching tenure in Atlanta finally be coming to a close?
After witnessing the Falcons blow a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter for the second consecutive week, many fans called for Quinn to be fired. Heading into a Monday Night Football clash against the Green Bay Packers, while facing a potential 0-4 start, Quinn’s days with the Falcons would seemingly be numbered.
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Will the Atlanta Falcons fire Dan Quinn?
According to Pro Football Network’s Benjamin Allbright, Quinn is unlikely to be fired anytime soon. Team owner Arthur Blank reportedly set a mandate for Quinn to retain his job, the Falcons need to make the playoffs this season. So, until Atlanta is the playoff picture is figured out, Blank will likely stick by his coach.
The approach shouldn’t be too surprising. The Falcons entered their bye week in 2019 with a 1-7 record and many assumed Quinn would be fired. Instead, Blank stuck with him and the team went 6-2 the rest of the season. While it missed the playoffs, the rebound saved Quinn’s job.
There’s no escaping the embarrassing fashion of Atlanta’s most recent losses. The Falcons had a 99.9% win probability with under three minutes left in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, before giving the game away. Atlanta then had a 99.3% win probability with six minutes remaining in Week 3, before Nick Foles led the Chicago Bears to a thrilling comeback.
However, it’s worth noting that the Falcons have proven they can compete against quality opponents. While they were never particularly close to beating the Seattle Seahawks, in a 38-25 Week 1 loss, this team is just a few last-minute mistakes away from a 2-1 record.
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Even with an 0-3 record, the Falcons still might have a shot at making the playoffs. The NFC South isn’t particularly strong right now and the expansion of the NFL playoffs increases the chances of making it to January.
Ultimately, Quinn will likely be around until November. If Atlanta heads into its Week 10 bye out of the playoff picture, then we could see the organization move on from its head coach.