Mike Nolan’s last stop as defensive coordinator

TheSkaven

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We all know what the definition of insanity is, and one of the worst problems that this defense has had over the last 4 years is the inability to stop the run. You’d have thought there would be major changes to address that after the Rams’ playoff loss. Nope. Same old thing.

So, I looked up Mike Nolan’s defenses and their success against the run. Surely, his focus on a big, run-stuffing nose tackle will be a better approach.

Well, I have to say, I’m horrified. Whatever happened in Atlanta from 2012-2014 was a complete train wreck.

2012 - 21st in the league in defense against the run, then 31st, then 21st. OK, I thought, maybe rushing yards isn’t a fair way to evaluate the guy, how about yards per carry? Oh no, it’s even worse, 29th, 31st then 15th.

I took a peak into what was being written in 2014 and it isn’t pretty. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2213776-atlanta-falcons-how-dc-mike-nolan-and-hc-mike-smith-can-fix-the-defense

What was written is that he had a terrible scheme that was inflexible and couldn’t adjust to the players’ strengths.

I don’t want to be pessimistic here from the beginning, but can someone explain to me why Mike Nolan is the answer to this team’s defensive woes?
 
DogFace

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I was very skeptical about the McCarthy hire at first. Then posters here persuaded me I was likely completely wrong and I think they were right.

Now I hope someone can make me feel better about Nolan. It sure seems like he’s never been that successful except for creating turnovers.

I wonder why McCarthy chose him.
 
Hadenough

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Its so hard to evaluate how a new coach to the organization is going to do. Time off gives these coaches a chance to look in the mirror and think about the way they do things and what happened. I was hoping they would hiring a defensive minded head coach but thanks to Dak the focus is always about helping him.
 
ElGatoGrande

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Of all the things this team needs to improve upon the defense should be the easiest, they clearly underperformed last year, and yet I'm not that optimistic that Nolan can do it,,,, his track record looks like Rob Ryan's.
 
TheSkaven

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fredp22

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I dont really like the McCarthy (his last 2 years and he was losing his players support), Nolan, or Moore (he was in over his head) picks but
1-they are still better than Garrett and his crew
2- am willing to give them a chance and excited to see what anyone else can do with our fairly talented team
 
xwalker

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TheSkaven said:
We all know what the definition of insanity is, and one of the worst problems that this defense has had over the last 4 years is the inability to stop the run. You’d have thought there would be major changes to address that after the Rams’ playoff loss. Nope. Same old thing.

So, I looked up Mike Nolan’s defenses and their success against the run. Surely, his focus on a big, run-stuffing nose tackle will be a better approach.

Well, I have to say, I’m horrified. Whatever happened in Atlanta from 2012-2014 was a complete train wreck.

2012 - 21st in the league in defense against the run, then 31st, then 21st. OK, I thought, maybe rushing yards isn’t a fair way to evaluate the guy, how about yards per carry? Oh no, it’s even worse, 29th, 31st then 15th.

I took a peak into what was being written in 2014 and it isn’t pretty. https://bleacherreport.com/articles...e-nolan-and-hc-mike-smith-can-fix-the-defense

What was written is that he had a terrible scheme that was inflexible and couldn’t adjust to the players’ strengths.

I don’t want to be pessimistic here from the beginning, but can someone explain to me why Mike Nolan is the answer to this team’s defensive woes?
Click to expand...

Players..Roster...
 
ItzKelz

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Kris Richard is gone......we will win.....IT IS WRITTEN!!!!
 
thunderpimp91

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I dont have a great answer for you, but quickly looking at the rosters from that period the falcons seemed to sink the majority of their resources into the offense. They were loaded as the skill positions with Roddy white, julio, tony Gonzalez, matt ryan, stephen jackson.

My guess is the philosophy of the front office was to sink assets into the offense, while you had a defensive minded HC who could get the most out of bargin bin and aging free agents. Kinda like the cowboys having way too much faith in marinelli to turn scrubs into starters on the dline thebpast 5 years.
 
DuncanIso

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TheSkaven said:
We all know what the definition of insanity is, and one of the worst problems that this defense has had over the last 4 years is the inability to stop the run. You’d have thought there would be major changes to address that after the Rams’ playoff loss. Nope. Same old thing.

So, I looked up Mike Nolan’s defenses and their success against the run. Surely, his focus on a big, run-stuffing nose tackle will be a better approach.

Well, I have to say, I’m horrified. Whatever happened in Atlanta from 2012-2014 was a complete train wreck.

2012 - 21st in the league in defense against the run, then 31st, then 21st. OK, I thought, maybe rushing yards isn’t a fair way to evaluate the guy, how about yards per carry? Oh no, it’s even worse, 29th, 31st then 15th.

I took a peak into what was being written in 2014 and it isn’t pretty. https://bleacherreport.com/articles...e-nolan-and-hc-mike-smith-can-fix-the-defense

What was written is that he had a terrible scheme that was inflexible and couldn’t adjust to the players’ strengths.

I don’t want to be pessimistic here from the beginning, but can someone explain to me why Mike Nolan is the answer to this team’s defensive woes?
Click to expand...

This post!

Finally someone else sees the obvious.

Who hired Nolan?!?!?!

his coaching history as DC stinks.
 
DuncanIso

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fredp22 said:
I dont really like the McCarthy (his last 2 years and he was losing his players support), Nolan, or Moore (he was in over his head) picks but
1-they are still better than Garrett and his crew
2- am willing to give them a chance and excited to see what anyone else can do with our fairly talented team
Click to expand...

Nolan is not better than Marinelli.

And thats sad.
 
DasSchnitzel

DasSchnitzel

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I'm really struggling to gauge the new hires.

Take Nolan for example. His last DC stint was years ago, in a different city, with different personnel and coaching staff. It's really hard to take all that unrelated data and project how he will do here. It's even harder with position coaches.

I'm just going to have to wait and see.

.
 
Hawkeye19

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McCarthy hired him because he knows him and trusts him and Nolan gave him a shot in SF when he was HC... MM is just returning the favor.

The NFL is a boys club... all about who you know. That said— Nolan got a shot at HC because of some of his work as a DC earlier in his career— so it is not a complete disaster.

His resume is very “meh”— but, sometimes things just come together and “click” on a coaching staff. I will reserve judgment and watch what we do in FA, the draft, and how the unit responds to his message.

IMO— his recent experience in NO with their LBs is the only thing that gets me excited as perhaps he can take Jaylon and LVE to the next level in terms of their development
 
DasSchnitzel

DasSchnitzel

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Hawkeye19 said:
McCarthy hired him because he knows him and trusts him and Nolan gave him a shot in SF when he was HC... MM is just returning the favor.

The NFL is a boys club... all about who you know. That said— Nolan got a shot at HC because of some of his work as a DC earlier in his career— so it is not a complete disaster.

His resume is very “meh”— but, sometimes things just come together and “click” on a coaching staff. I will reserve judgment and watch what we do in FA, the draft, and how the unit responds to his message.

IMO— his recent experience in NO with their LBs is the only thing that gets me excited as perhaps he can take Jaylon and LVE to the next level in terms of their development
Click to expand...

Yes. I'm very happy our new DC has a LB coach resume. The wheels came off a bit in 2019 but the talent is certainly there. I hope he can help it realize its potential because we can build a championship defense around LVE and Jaylon if they can just put it together.
 
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