Atlanta Falcons fire Dan Reeves

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons fired Dan Reeves on Wednesday, dismissing the sixth-winningest coach in NFL history with three games left in a disappointing season.

Dan Reeves Broncos, Giants, Falcons 201 Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will take over as head coach for the rest of the season, according to the Falcons' team Web site.

The Falcons scheduled a morning news conference to announce the stunning move. Reeves had one year left on his contract.

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Reeves met with owner Arthur Blank on Tuesday night, and Blank informed Reeves that he intended to hire a new head coach before next season.

Reeves responded that if Blank was going to fire him, Blank should do it immediately.

Reeves' job security had been a subject of speculation as the Falcons fell from the playoffs a year ago to one of the worst teams in the league after quarterback Michael Vick was hurt in the preseason.

Still, the timing of the move was curious, coming only three days after the Falcons (3-10) defeated Carolina 20-14 in overtime in Vick's first start of the season.

Reeves began the season with his 199th career victory, the Falcons winning 27-13 in Dallas.

Atlanta then lost seven in a row before Reeves finally got his 200th win at New York against the Giants on Nov. 9. Afterward, he said, "It's great. But when you've lost seven in a row, it was all about trying to get them to win No. 2."

Vick broke his right leg in the preseason, exposing the Falcons as a one-man team. Initially expected to be out 6 to 10 weeks, the third-year quarterback's rehabilitation dragged on for 3½ months.

At one point, there appeared to be a rift between player and coach. Reeves said Vick needed to get back on the field; Vick responded that he wouldn't play until he was fully recovered.

Vick played the final two series in a Nov. 30 loss to Houston, then finally made his first start last weekend. He rushed for 141 yards -- the third-highest total by a quarterback in NFL history -- and finally brought a little hope to a dismal season.

But Reeves won't be around for the rest of it. He leaves with a career record of 201-174-2, including the playoffs.

Only Don Shula, George Halas, Tom Landry, Curly Lambeau and Chuck Noll won more NFL games.

"Very interesting stuff. I noticed a while ago Reeves was one of those coaches the media quite simply will not criticize, especially not since his heart problems."

Being a Georgia country boy like Reeves, I don't understand this. We ain't the type to go around whispering behind people's back. Personally, if I were in those shoes, I'd allow the media to say whatever they want, just don't get ugly about it, unless you're not going to cry when I get ugly back.

No Tiger slump questions allowed. ; P

There's a big difference between criticism and bashing, it's all in the context. I have tried to be fair to coach Reeves, And I have posted all this with the intention of defending these players that some local columnists are bashing, not in bashing Reeves.

On to bigger things.

SNIP......... Pasquarelli: Fast feet, fast talk

In an interview on ESPN, Michael Vick indicated that he will indeed play some role in deciding who should supplant the exiled Dan Reeves.

Say what? If that is the case -- and, hey, it could be just the latest example of Vick just allowing his mouth to override his brain -- any of the coaching candidates who heard that contention likely cringed.

There is a perception, accurate or not, that Vick helped grease the skids for Reeves' departure. The last thing that owner Arthur Blank and new general manager Rich McKay need is the specter of Vick thumbing through coaching résumés, figuring out who best fits his personal agenda, and who most dovetails with his sense of how the Falcons offense should be designed.

SNIP.........

Mr. Pasquarelli has covered the falcons for many years, and I respect his opinion, but I disagree with his above comment.

How the hell did Vick grease the skids for Reeves departure??? Did Vick take over the play calling this year? Did Vick try to make Doug Johnson into Dan Marino?

Oh, I know...he faked breaking his leg to get Reeves fired, and is only still limping to make it look authentic.

And Len, just because Vick "thinks"he has a say, maybe Blank just wanted his opinion, but used some "poker strategy" to lift the spirits of his star qb. It's called modern motivation techniques.

Besides, if I were on the sideline where Blank was against Carolina, when Vick threw a 15 yard out into a receiver double covered. One defender was five yards closer to Vick than the receiver, but they had the receiver bracketed.

The ball wizzed by both within a foot or so, one tried to touch it, and missed, moving his hand no more than a foot.

Reminds me of what Bobby Jones, another Georgia boy and creator of Augusta National, said about Jack Nicklaus,"He plays a game with which I'm not familiar."

For a qb like Kittner(Attention Mr. Mckay, pick up the blue phone)no input for coach.

For Vick, a once in a lifetime qb that hasn't yet played in an offense that maximizes his passing skills, and yes, anyway you add it up, {Throwing Smoltz like fastballs by NFL cornerbacks 15 yards downfield + throwing the ball 70 yards downfield with little arc+ pinpoint accuracy(which will improve with time and modern passing scheme)= passing skills like I ain't never seen. And I've seen them all since Bradshaw, Stabler, Staubach.

This ain't your 1970's NFL Mr. P, let the grown ups that have actually built multi billion dollar companies handle the team building and the superstar qb.

"In other news we have received confirmation that Christmas is coming, the annual Dolphin meltdown is well under way."

Funny that you mention, pre-season predictions.

Notice the Miami disclaimer, and note my pre-season falcon prediction, made after Vick went down.

Because I watched them play the falcons in pre-season, and the defense loving side of me saw Seau added to the already good (talent wise) defense, I overrode the gambling sense in me that knows the Dolphins fade late, and picked them over the pats.

I don't mind missing one or two, but that was plain dumb on my part. I love the Pats, and the style of team Bilicheck has built there.

Pompei has several excellent articles about the Pats here.

And a good one on the post Reeves falcons.

Three points Pompei makes about Pats that I love to see in playoff teams.

1. Preparing for worst.

2. Adaptabilty. Power run to empty backfield.

3. Unpredictability(Paging Mr. Reeves). Which can be taken to the extreme. Small changes can easily make one unpredictable enough.

I don't have a problem with Vick having a say in the new coach. He is the franchise player, if they're going to be successful in the next 8 years he's going to play a big part in it, why shouldn't he get a coach he's comfortable with. Not to kick Reeves when he's down but compare Elway's success under a coach he didn't really like to what he accomplished under a coach he loved. At my first company the QA manager left and once they whittled down the applicants to their favorite they let the whole department interview him to see if we like him, we did so I don't know just how much veto power we had but the point is letting the workers check out their new boss isn't an outrageous idea.

Seau has added a lot to the Phins this year, notice that while they're still losing in December they aren't getting killed like they usually do. I'm just not sure what it is in Miami that makes the team stink late in the year like that. Maybe they play for the pro-bowl, I used to say that about (jump sports to the NHL) the Phoenix Coyotes who would regularly finish December (when all-star voting is and when the coaches get picked) at the top of the heap but would start stumbling January and completely collapse after the all-star break. Something about the Phins has never adjusted to a 16 game season, they're only good for 12 games. Maybe that will change after Wanstadt gets fired (this has to be the year).

At this juncture the Pats have to be eveybody's favorite to come out of the AFC to the Superbowl, KC's lack of ability to stop the run will probably prove fatal in the playoffs (if they manage to get a big lead and force the other team to be one dimensional they could be OK, but if they fall behind forget about it). Time is starting to show that Bilicheck was the brains behind Parcells, he really is a very well prepared coach. Can't overstate his unpredictability, especially on defense, some coach earlier this year (whom I think actually beat the Pats) said he didn't even have his offense review the Pats formation and coverages because there's no point to it, Bilicheck builds his defense exclusive to attack the opposing offense and has no tendencies to prepare for. And the fact that Bilicheck can do that every week, and have his players prepared for a whole new defense every week, is a high compliment, I predict he goes into the Hall with a lot of jewelry.

In the NFC for me it all boils down to snow in Phily, if there's snow the Rams probably won't win, if there isn't they probably will. I'd kind of like a rematch between the Pats and Rams (even though I hate the Rams for being a finesse dome team), that was a great Superbowl the first time around and should rock the second.

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