Kevin Stefanski’s case for another Coach of the Year award is starting to take shape in Atlanta.
The Falcons entered the offseason with plenty of talent, but the conversation around them never seemed to match the roster. The thought was simple: this team needed the right coach to unlock it and enough steadiness at quarterback to make it matter.
Stefanski has checked both boxes. Atlanta looks more threatening than it has in nearly a decade, and Michael Penix Jr. is playing at a level the Falcons had not previously seen from him.
That’s why Ben Solak of ESPN believes Stefanski should be the NFL’s Coach of the Year, which would be the third time he’s won it in his career.
"... That the Falcons have readily gotten Penix to think about football in a different fashion altogether is impressive.
Doubly impressive is how Stefanski has this passing game operating in the context of his rushing attack. The Falcons, with Stefanski's longtime partner-in-crime Bill Callahan coaching the offensive line, have one of the league's best rushing attacks (sixth in rushing yards per game, 139.9), and they lean on it like no other.
Since Penix returned to the starting lineup, no team has a higher called run rate than Atlanta (46.5%)..."
The running game has been the backbone, but this week also offered a clean example of Penix steering the offense to a win for the first time this season. Atlanta called 34 passes against 24 designed runs, and Penix handled it efficiently. He was accurate, avoided turnover-worthy throws, and only missed one obvious chance - a wide-open Drake London in the red zone - before finishing the drive anyway.
How much credit Stefanski deserves for the defense is tougher to pin down, since Jeff Ulbrich is still running that side of the ball. Even so, the Falcons have been performing well on defense, and well beyond what most would have expected entering the season given the missing pieces up front.
The record is still a concern. A 3-4 start won’t get Stefanski anywhere near the award by itself. But if Atlanta can push all the way to 10 wins or more, his name should be right in the middle of the Coach of the Year conversation when the season is done.
In Other News...
Maason Smith Is Making The Falcons Look Smart Fast
When Ian Cunningham made his first offseason move as Atlantas general manager, the swap sent Ruke Orhorhoro to Jacksonville and brought Maason Smith into the Falcons front. It was the kind of trade that needed time to sort itself out, but Smith has wasted little of it, giving Atlanta a noticeable boost inside as the season has unfolded.
His impact has been especially visible in pass rush, where he entered Week 7 leading all defensive tackles in win rate and then backed it up in the Falcons win over the 49ers. After the game, head coach Kevin Stefanski singled out Smiths work, another sign that the Falcons may have found more value in that deal than anyone could have expected this quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Penix Just Gave Falcons Fans A Reason To Believe
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Jessie Bates III was quick to point to Penixs performance as a reason for optimism, even with the record still leaving plenty of work ahead. The Falcons now turn to their next test against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 1, and for a team still searching for consistency, the bigger question is whether this kind of showing can become the norm rather than the exception. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Have A Trade Rumor Fans Can't Ignore
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From Atlantas perspective, the chatter lands because the Falcons are among the clubs that could use a player with Thomas upside if Jacksonville ever decides the timing and price are right. For now, it remains more speculation than a real market, but the fact that Atlanta is already being mentioned tells you how quickly a situation like this can gain traction. [Read more 🡒]