PhotoDude.com

Mon. Jan 01, 2007

Falcons Coach No Mora

There was an appearance of doubt in some eyes. Maybe it made for better stories during the week leading up to their last game. But you didn’t have to be a psychic to see this one coming. Shortly after noon today, New Year’s Day or not, Arthur Blank fired Jim Mora as coach of the Falcons.

Even Mora had to see this coming. But he went down in a Rummy-like fashion. When asked last week about the Eagles game and how he thought his team would respond, he said, “These guys, they’re a resilient group, a mature group and they’ve accomplished a lot of good things over the last three years. If nothing else they want to make sure we get a win and get to .500. I think they will. I think they’ll come back very focused.”

Well, he had to think that. Others didn’t, like Chuck Hixson: “It’ll be interesting to see if the man who’s been perceived as a ‘player’s coach’ will get their full support and effort when the 7-8 Falcons finish the regular season — and maybe Mora’s reign — in Philadelphia on Sunday.”

Interesting. Indeed it was. Afterwards, what was Jeff Schultz’s judgement? “If the Falcons wanted to kill their coach, well, congrats, boys. You stomped that sucker flat. The performance against a Philadelphia team that had absolutely nothing to play for — and accordingly played backups for all but 4 1/2 minutes — spoke volumes.”

No need to rehash the last ugly game in Mora’s tenure. Suffice it to say the Falcons faced the Eagles second string team and third string quarterback, yet got beaten convincingly. That’s how this team pulled together for their “player’s coach.”

After the game, you’d think it would be a time for a player to stand up for Mora, or say nothing at all. Wrong:

Blank has the final say, but Mora should worry if Vick’s opinion is solicited. Vick said he liked Mora and worked well with him, but said if Blank asked him if his coach should return, Vick said he’d give the answer some serious thought.

“Honestly, I really couldn’t tell you what I’d say right now,” Vick said. “I’d have to give it some thought and really evaluate what went down and what happened.”

MSNBC.com: Vick hardly rushing to back Mora

Wow. I have heard DeAngelo Hall and Keith Brooking say that Mora should not be the fall guy for this season, that it was the players who did not produce. But Vick is the franchise player, the one with the ten year contract, and for him to say he’d have to think about it?

Do you think Arthur Blank went home Sunday night to think about it, sleep on it, and then suddenly woke up today in a firing mood? I don’t think so. As I suggested earlier, I think Mora broiled his own bird weeks ago with that radio interview where he claimed he wanted the coaching job at his alma mater. An article from last week indicated Blank got more pissed as time went by:

Mora apologized a day later and said he was joking. Blank didn’t buy it, several team officials said. Blank not only listened to the interview several times, but he spoke to several other people inside and outside of the organization who listened to the interview. The majority told Blank they felt Mora was sincere with his comments. Blank was insulted by Mora’s comments and is still angry, team officials said. To make matters worse, Atlanta has lost both its games since then.

Blank told the AJC in a November interview he was upset at midseason losses to woeful Detroit and Cleveland. Blank was even more displeased, three team officials said, at the feeble performance in last Sunday’s 10-3 to Carolina in Atlanta’s home finale.

Aware that his job is in jeopardy, Mora, who signed a contract extension last summer through the 2009 season, has openly stumped for his job, reeling off statistics that show improvements since he replaced Dan Reeves in 2004.

Blank has not appreciated Mora’s public defending of his coaching record, team officials said. Blank also isn’t putting much credence into Mora’s overall 26-21 because 11 of those wins came in his first season.

AJC: Major concerns about Mora

Mora’s spin conference last Monday was a bad move, in my opinion. Transparent. Defensive. Attempting to rest on laurels rather than produce on Sunday.

Because if you eliminate that first 11-5 season of his tenure, you’re looking at one of the highest payrolls in the NFL producing a 15-17 record over the past two years.

Furthermore, you’re looking at a quarterback went from a threat to score a touchdown at most any time, particularly in the 4th quarter when it counted, to a guy who didn’t throw a touchdown pass in the 4th quarter for 19 games straight. His team mates went from thinking he could win the game for them at any time, to wondering if they could even get a first down.

And that happened on Mora’s watch.

This team had tons of talent, and no identity. Other than they’d start fast and finish lousy. Last year’s 8-8 started as 6-2. This year’s 7-9 started as 5-2. While you can argue there were substantial injuries both years that had an impact, you can also argue it’s good coaching that overcomes injuries, which are a fact of life in the NFL. Need an example? Look at the team that beat the Falcons last Sunday with their third string quarterback. They’ve been riddled with injuries. Yet they won their division and are going to the playoffs.

As for what’s next, I have no doubt Mora will succeed elsewhere somewhere down the line. But if he does so, it may be because he learned you can’t be everybody’s friend and personal cheerleader. If you’re going to be a “player’s coach” and have your best buds as offensive and defensive coordinators, you’ve also got to have a streak of ruthlessness mixed with your loyalty. Otherwise you end up like the pairing of Bush and Rumsfeld.

Or Mora and Knapp.

As for what’s next for the Falcons, Lawd have mercy, have we been here before? It’s been a legitimate question in my mind: who are you going to get that is better? It’s always a gamble, and there are currently few realistic proven options out there. It will likely be another elevated assistant, which could leave you facing the same dilemma in three years.

Blank has obviously considered all this. And I think when it came down to it, he was willing to take that risk, because his current coach caused more trouble for him off the field than he solved on the field. In end, despite the fact Mora’s dad claimed Michael Vick deserved the title, I think the “coach killer” was the coach himself.