Falcons Hire Joe Danna As Defensive Backs Coach

by Dave Choate on Jan 26, 2012 10:01 AM EST in Falcons News

This news is unlikely to rage through your life like a tornado of...news...but Joe Danna is the new defensive backs coach.

You had to expect Mike Nolan to assemble a staff to his liking, and Danna is one of the early pieces of that. The defensive backs coach in Miami the last two years under Nolan, Danna brings experience and familiarity with the Nolan way to the franchise.

The good news? While the secondary in Miami wasn't the greatest thing since sliced bread, Danna worked directly with a talented group of young cornerbacks and safeties. He'll be asked to do something similar in Atlanta, where Chris Owens, Dominique Franks, Darrin Walls and William Moore are still developing.

I'm sure we'll have more coaching news in the weeks ahead. For now, talk secondary.

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It's a familiar signing.

Not only for Nolan but for the Atlanta Falcons as well. He was The Defensive QC (quality control) Coach back in 2008 and 2009. He already has a relationship with Thomas DeCoud, Brent Grimes, William Moore and Chris Owens back who where all drafted by the time he was in office in 2009.

Ron Artest = Ron (sm)Artest - He Is The Most Interesting Man In The World

by JoshChildressAfroIsCure4Cancer on Jan 26, 2012 10:18 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

I would be lying if I said I had a clue about this move. So… fantastic.

by Caviarhound on Jan 26, 2012 10:26 AM EST reply actions

Wait, Miami's secondary wasn't that great.

But whatevs.

Rule #1: Double tap.

by Ball Hawk on Jan 26, 2012 10:29 AM EST via mobile reply actions

I think it was in 2010

it was hard to pass against them then.

by brotherbrown on Jan 26, 2012 9:37 PM EST up reply actions

hope he fixes some of the issues.

Working with Nolan and some of the secondary in the past can’t hurt. Revamp some of the positions, get a pass rush, and play good solid D, with man to man and who knows. Being in the top 10 in total D would make a lot of fans happy.

by mice2 on Jan 26, 2012 10:38 AM EST reply actions

All I need to know about this hire is that Nolan got the guy he wanted.

by jcaustic on Jan 26, 2012 10:47 AM EST reply actions

Miami's passing D was 8th overall in 2010

by Mattyice318 on Jan 26, 2012 10:51 AM EST reply actions

In the style of Monty Python...

…and there was much rejoicing…yeaaaaaaahhhhhhhh…

"I'd run over my own mother to win the Super Bowl." - Joe Jacoby, formerly of the Redskins
"To win, I'd run over Joe's mom too." - Matt Millen, formerly of the Raiders

"We now have exactly the same situation as we had at the start of the race, only exactly the opposite" - Murray Walker, Sportscaster

by Blood_Talon on Jan 26, 2012 12:21 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Miami improved on D the last third of the season.`

Early in the year,the Dolphins offense didn’t give the Defense a fighting chance.Suddenly in week 9 something began to click.Time of possession began to swing.The D wasn’t on the field for 40 minutes a game and the D stepped up.They gave up only 16 points per game in the final 9 games.

Adjusted for special teams and turnover scores,the D probably gave up less than 16/game.I don’t recall any specifics about their secondary,but the D gave up only 14 touchdowns in the final 9 games.They only gave up 27 @ New England in week 16 and lost by 3.

The arrow for that defense was definitely pointing up.

by dawg1060 on Jan 26, 2012 12:43 PM EST reply actions 5 recs

Very good points my man!!

"I'd run over my own mother to win the Super Bowl." - Joe Jacoby, formerly of the Redskins
"To win, I'd run over Joe's mom too." - Matt Millen, formerly of the Raiders

"We now have exactly the same situation as we had at the start of the race, only exactly the opposite" - Murray Walker, Sportscaster

by Blood_Talon on Jan 26, 2012 12:52 PM EST up reply actions

I like the sound of that.

by LuvGems on Jan 26, 2012 12:54 PM EST up reply actions

it was actually good all season

In a losing effort starting with the Tebow game the really didn’t give up more than 26/27 points for the rest of the year (Phi getting hot and New England with brady)
At one point in midseason they didn’t give up double digit points in three straight games.

by brotherbrown on Jan 26, 2012 9:45 PM EST up reply actions

Dolphins DBs

Their starting secondary consisted two 3rd year CBs,an 8th year SS and a 2nd year FS.

The only one I am familiar with is the FS Reshad Jones out of UGA.Freakish stud athlete but a head case,under performer in college.It would be no surprise if a team were to straighten out his head and turn him into a superstar SS.

by dawg1060 on Jan 26, 2012 12:54 PM EST reply actions

The two 3rd year DBs are pretty good, if I recall correctly

Vontae Davis is the better of the two but he either had issues or injuries, don’t remember which.

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by Caleb Rutherford on Jan 26, 2012 7:11 PM EST up reply actions

I think it was both.

Fun fact: Vontae Davis and Vernon Davis are brothers. Freakishly athletic runs in their family

by FLA_Falcon on Jan 26, 2012 7:30 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

and lack of brain matter, too!

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by Caleb Rutherford on Jan 26, 2012 10:47 PM EST up reply actions

Dolphins Week 16 @ New England`

Tom Brady 27 of 46 for 281 yds and 1 TD.Only 6.1 yds per pass attempt.

Very good D on the road against the Pats.

by dawg1060 on Jan 26, 2012 1:15 PM EST reply actions

Also in that game``

Brady was sacked 4 times and hit 8 other times.

by dawg1060 on Jan 26, 2012 1:18 PM EST reply actions

Glad to know that Nolan got the guy he wanted.

Coupled with what dawg1060 said above about the defense really picking it up over the last third of the season hopefully the secondary will take a big leap forward next year. Let’s just fix up that pass rush.

I'm just saying...

by Novation on Jan 26, 2012 1:27 PM EST reply actions

Hope he does better.

It's all about Process...

by Vishnu_falcon on Jan 26, 2012 1:32 PM EST reply actions

I guess the question

is now:

Can the Jaguars offense and the Miami defense win a Super Bowl?

by Whopper Dawg on Jan 26, 2012 8:08 PM EST reply actions

at the very least have to have the 2007 jaguars offense.

But remember on paper the Falcons have more weapons than the jags did then.

by brotherbrown on Jan 26, 2012 9:48 PM EST up reply actions

It may work

but the hill is much steeper than most on this board realize, IF the SB is the goal.

The 2012 schedule (teams only not dates) is out. We play the AFC west (not too bad) and the NFC east (not too good), with the following thrown in AZ, Detroit (away). Should be interesting.

http://www.nflschedulesupersite.com/atlanta-falcons-2012-nfl-schedule/

by Whopper Dawg on Jan 26, 2012 10:58 PM EST up reply actions

problem is that was last year (2011)

what does 2012 have in store?

After the 2007 season could you say that all four teams in the NFC south would be 8-8 or better in 2008?
And the team in Last place (The Saints, ends up winning the superbowl the following season)
The Cheifs are a mediocre offense away from being 13-3, and may get there with Kyle Orton.
Maybe the Chargers will be somewhat more consistent and the Raiders could easily be the surprise team with a new disciplined team.
The tebow effect could still be active.

In the NFC, never count out the Giants and Eagles.
Cowboys always best the Falcons somehow.
The Redskins are about the only team the Falcons can beat.
Now of course Mike Nolan defense might neutralize Romo, Vick, and Eli, but he won’t have much to work with versus 2013 and beyond, so it’s up for grab.

by brotherbrown on Jan 27, 2012 10:51 PM EST up reply actions

I'll take anything over the 2011 postseason Falcons offense.

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by Caleb Rutherford on Jan 26, 2012 10:47 PM EST up reply actions

Mind numbing wasn't it

Much of my angst comes from this -

After year one of TD/MS, I was ecstatic, man, I thought we would be in the Bowl by now. And then, essentially flat. I am not sure we are closer to the Bowl now then we were when the lights went out after AZ whipped us. I know I felt a helluva lot better after the AZ game then the NY game, admittedly expectations have changed, but really all I was looking for, once we made the playoffs, was just one win. Just one. And we couldn’t score a point. Pretty deflating.

by Whopper Dawg on Jan 26, 2012 11:06 PM EST up reply actions

Ok, Really

I recall the total postseason points for the offence being zero, but maybe I missed something? Good news is if we’d scored more, then the coaching problem we’ve discussed ad nauseoum here would not have been addressed. Hope a slow expected start can be overcome by a stronger finish next year.

by Craig Guinn on Jan 26, 2012 11:43 PM EST up reply actions

You mean will the new ATL win a SB

I think our schemes will be entirely different. I like how Smitty is letting Nolan and Dirk do what they want with their respective staff.

by pierre02 on Jan 27, 2012 2:26 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

we'll I am very interesting to see how

Dirk Kotter will run the offense and something fresh like man defense of a proven and conventional coach like Mike Nolan.
It can’t come soon enough.

by brotherbrown on Jan 27, 2012 10:55 PM EST up reply actions

I wonder if...

Let me predicate this with this…I have been a fan of this team for the better part of my life. I recall sitting on the edge of my seat watching Bart hurl that “Big Ben” hail mary pass to beat the Aints 20 – 17. I also recall crying myself to sleep after we gave up a 21 point lead against Dallas.
I have eaten much crow from my friends who are fans of those New York Giants. Looking back at it, I had to ask myself if the expectations I had for that game were too high.
I thought the we had a legitimate shot at pulling off a run to the Big Show.
Hind sight 20-20. Looking back on the season, we struggled mightily against above average teams. Did we really deserve our spot there in the wildcard round? Looking back now I don’t believe we belonged there. Not after the showings against Green Bay, Chicago, and NO.
Saying all that, I remain cautiously optimistic about the new coaches and our potential. The weapons are there, no doubt about it. Is Smitty the guy to take us there? Right now, I say YES.
Only time will tell. I will remain a fan of this team for life BUT I say this….I am SICK of mediocrity. I WANT A CHAMPIONSHIP!

by bdub712 on Jan 27, 2012 1:59 AM EST via mobile reply actions