Falcons hearth defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake and line of defense coach Jay Rodgers

Jimmy Lake was employed to construct on an unexpectedly sturdy 12 months from the Atlanta Falcons protection in 2023, enabled by important investments and coordinator Ryan Nielsen. Lake is a well-known face for Raheem Morris and somebody he clearly trusted after the 2 have been each on the Rams teaching employees a 12 months in the past, however the threat was at all times {that a} coach who hadn’t had a lot success at his cease in Washington in school and had no NFL expertise as a coordinator may flame out.

He did. The Falcons went from 18th in factors allowed and eleventh in yardage final 12 months to twenty third in each metrics this 12 months, shedding 11 sacks (42 to 31) alongside the best way and doubling the variety of video games the place the protection allowed 30 factors (3 to six). Most strikingly, the staff went from one of many high three defenses within the league by way of third down conversions allowed to the second-worst, a failure that stored far too many drives alive in 2024. Lake’s protection had its moments—the sport in opposition to the Chargers was an all-timer—however with Lake himself crediting Raheem Morris for getting extra hands-on popping out of the bye and that coinciding with the staff’s enchancment, there didn’t look like loads to suggest the coordinator’s work throughout the 2024 season.

Now the staff has fired him and line of defense coach Jay Rodgers, ending a mercifully brief tenure, and can begin over with Raheem Morris more likely to discover a extra skilled candidate. There are many names on the market—Steve Wilks was across the staff at instances this 12 months, Jeff Ulbrich may re-unite with former Falcons accomplice Morris with the Jets employees in flux, Lou Anarumo was simply fired by the Bengals, Ryan Nielsen might be on the market once more—nevertheless it’ll be necessary for Morris to get the rent proper to elevate this protection and restrict the duty he must tackle for that aspect of the ball.

The issues for Lake and Rodgers have been myriad. The protection didn’t routinely seem to know what it was doing, with communication errors plaguing them in a number of video games (Minnesota, Denver, Carolina the second time), missed tackles being an ever-present drawback, and groups discovering it straightforward to use matchups they needed, like Miles Sanders in opposition to Matthew Judon in that embarrassing Week 18 effort. Whereas the Falcons protection routinely obtained higher within the second half early within the 12 months, the cross rush was a complete zero till Raheem Morris dipped in and the staff began getting Kaden Elliss extra concerned. Lake preached endurance and work in his press conferences, however the lack of progress made it notably tough to be ok with both.

The staff’s investments in and training up entrance didn’t bear a lot in the best way of fruit, with the staff set to enter subsequent 12 months needing to depend on Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus and never having a ton of tape to point out whether or not they can step into these main roles. With the line of defense’s regression and a scarcity of apparent progress for a few of their most necessary younger gamers, it’s no nice shock that Rodgers can be his method out. Lake in the end oversaw a protection that merely wasn’t adequate, and in press conferences and in video games, hardly ever appeared to have solutions for why. Rodgers, in the meantime, merely had a place that he wasn’t capable of elevate in any significant method, and the Falcons know they want a coach who can get essentially the most out of Orhorhoro, Dorlus, and others heading into 2025.

Lake got here to Atlanta after spending a 12 months because the assistant head coach with the Rams, which got here after a 12 months off from soccer following a tough stretch as the pinnacle coach of the Washington Huskies from 2021 to 2022. Rodgers, in the meantime, hopped over from a place because the line of defense coach and run recreation coordinator for the Chargers in 2022 and 2023; that was a stint that didn’t go notably effectively underneath Brandon Staley.

Lake will possible be searching for a school place or a place coach position within the NFL, whereas Rodgers will look to land a line of defense coach place elsewhere. We’ll want Lake and Rodgers effectively wherever they land, however the nature of the regression from this protection in 2025 means it’s laborious to argue with the staff’s determination right here. It would all be for naught if the Falcons can’t discover hires that may do extra to elevate the line of defense and the protection extra typically, and it’s one other early knock on Morris and firm that they employed two coaches for vital roles who’re out a 12 months later.