September 28, 2024

ESPN Report: Falcons Key Man That Laft “Ryan Nielse” Set To Return

ATLANTA — Less than a week after hiring their head coach, the Atlanta Falcons finalized their coordinators — with a heavy Los Angeles Rams flair.

The Falcons announced former Rams assistant head coach Jimmy Lake as their defensive coordinator Monday, joining new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who also came over from the Rams, where he was quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator.

They’ll reunite with new Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, who was hired from the Rams last week after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator since 2021.

Lake was the head coach at the University of Washington from 2020 to ’21 after being in various assistant roles for six seasons prior to that, including as defensive coordinator for two seasons in 2018-19.

Lake has prior NFL experience with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions, coaching the defensive backs. Lake and Morris worked together in Tampa Bay.

The Falcons also officially announced the retention of special teams coordinator Marquice Williams on Monday.

Sources told ESPN the team also plans on retaining running backs coach Michael Pitre and offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford from the previous staff.

 

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2024 NFL Pro Bowl Games — NFC edges AFC with defensive stand

ORLANDO, Fla. — The AFC’s effort at a game-winning drive ended unsuccessfully when the NFC defense made a stop at the 3-yard line.

The NFC wins the Pro Bowl Games with an overall score of 64-59.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud’s throw to Los Angeles Chargers receiver Keenan Allen was defended by Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson, creating a turnover on downs with four seconds remaining.

Stroud led all quarterbacks with 173 yards on 18-of-22 passing. The rookie fit in nicely among his star teammates. Seattle Seahawks’ Geno Smith led the NFC in passing with 154 yards on 15-of-21 passing.

Allen was among the standouts, with 90 receiving yards on nine catches, including three touchdowns receiving and one passing.

Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb had three touchdown catches and Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown had 10 catches for 117 yards and a TD for the NFC.

ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders moved quickly to fill their offensive coordinator position, hiring former Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury, multiple sources told ESPN on Sunday night.

But the Commanders weren’t finished, adding Joe Whitt Jr. as their defensive coordinator, according to sources.

They’re the first big moves by new coach Dan Quinn, who has coached defense throughout his career. Kingsbury had been close to joining the Las Vegas Raiders as their offensive coordinator until contract talks broke down on Saturday. Washington talked to Kingsbury that day, and the deal was completed Sunday.

Shortly after news broke about Kingsbury joining the staff, Whitt’s hiring was reported. From the time Quinn took the Commanders job on Thursday, Whitt was considered the top candidate to become his defensive coordinator.

Whitt, 45, has coached in the NFL since 2007 but has never been a coordinator. He coached one season in Atlanta (2020) with Quinn and joined him again in Dallas in 2021 as the Cowboys’ secondary coach and pass game coordinator. Whitt has served as a pass game coordinator since 2018 for three different teams.

During his three seasons in that role with Dallas, and with Quinn as coordinator, the Cowboys ranked eighth in passing yards allowed, third in completion percentage and third in quarterback rating.

Kingsbury, 44, coached the Cardinals for four years until he was fired after the 2022 season. He competed in the same division as Washington’s new general manager, Adam Peters, who had worked with the San Francisco 49ers until being hired by the Commanders last month.

Eric Bieniemy, who has one year left on his contract, served as the Commanders’ offensive coordinator this past season.

In Kingsbury’s first season in Arizona — when quarterback Kyler Murray was a rookie — the Cardinals’ offense ranked 16th in points and 21st in yards. But in Year 2, it jumped to 13th in points and sixth in yards.

Arizona ranked 11th in points and eighth in yards in Kingsbury’s third season before falling to 21st in points and 22nd in yards in his fourth campaign, when Murray suffered a torn ACL in Week 13.

Washington’s offense has not ranked above 16th in either category since 2016. It has ranked in the top 10 in either points or yards only five times since 2000.

But the Commanders, who own the second pick in April’s draft and will strongly consider selecting a quarterback, now have a coach experienced at working with young QBs. Kingsbury spent the past fall as USC’s quarterbacks coach and senior offensive analyst, working directly with Trojans signal-caller Caleb Williams, the projected No. 1 draft pick.

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