The Falcons lost their sixth straight game on Sunday and they put up very little fight against a Panthers team that was happy to score the only 38 points of the game to continue their push toward an undefeated season.
Flaws are easy to find in all phases of the game and it’s almost impossible to remember that the Falcons actually started this year with a five-game winning streak that made Dan Quinn look like the coaching hire of the year. Now there are people wondering whether flatter than flat performances like Sunday’s mean that he’s lost the team before his first season is over.
Only the players can answer that question, but owner Arthur Blank said after Sunday’s loss that Quinn won’t be losing his job.
“I’ve got complete confidence in Dan,” Blank said, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “He’s going to be a great head coach for us for many years.”
While it would be a surprise to see the Falcons cut ties with Quinn after one year, votes of confidence are never a good sign for coaches and three more weeks like this one could change Blank’s opinion about what’s best for his franchise.
Changes seem inevitable in Atlanta after this season even if Quinn is safe and sound. General Manager Thomas Dimitroff had his role shifted in the offseason and could be at risk as could offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan or others on Quinn’s staff.