The previous Atlanta Falcons coach discusses Sunday night time’s massive sport, the NFL head teaching carousel and which playoff groups have impressed him essentially the most.
Mike Smith believes the Seattle Seahawks’ defence might trigger New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye issues in Tremendous Bowl LX on Sunday.
The Seahawks are the favourites within the Tremendous Bowl betting, and whereas Smith believes it is going to be an in depth sport, he’s backing Mike Macdonald’s group to return out on prime.
In our unique interview, the previous Atlanta Falcons head coach additionally discusses the latest teaching hires across the league and which NFL playoff groups impressed him essentially the most.
Mike Macdonald has led the Seattle Seahawks to the Tremendous Bowl in simply his second season. How impressed have you ever been with Macdonald in his tenure to this point?
It’s been implausible soccer and it’s been nice teaching. For those who’re a pupil of the sport and a proponent of excellent defensive soccer, you then’ve bought to be an enormous fan of Macdonald and what he’s put collectively in Seattle.
This defence is nice on all three ranges. They fly round. They don’t hand over many massive performs, and I like the system that they run. It’s bought a lot flexibility, and so they make it look actually easy as a result of they hardly make any errors.
They like to put guys in several positions. Once you put these guys in several positions, all it does is confuse the quarterbacks. You make them overthink and it results in dangerous outcomes for the offence, and good outcomes for the defence.
They’re so essentially sound. They perceive the scheme so nicely and pressure errors as a result of they don’t ship any textual content messages or cellphone calls to the quarterback pre-snap.
I like the way in which Macdonald places collectively his gameplan. I’ve had a possibility to listen to him communicate and his strategies are actually spectacular. The way in which he strikes folks round. You’ll see guys which might be lining up at nickel, however they’re actually enjoying the dime place. They’ll have exterior linebackers that may line up and rush over the guards. They’ve an ideal mug bundle.
He does a implausible job and it’s exhausting to unwind as a quarterback. They’ll do some walkaround stuff, then they’ll mug up inside. It’s very efficient. It comes from three or 4 completely different methods which were run within the NFL during the last 15 to twenty years.
I’ve to provide kudos to the final supervisor, John Schneider as nicely. They’ve bought nice gamers on all three ranges. They appear like males towards boys on the market.
You’ve got Leonard Williams who’s unblockable inside. Alongside guys like Byron Murphy, Ernest Jones IV, Devon Witherspoon, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Julian Love.
Then, you’ve gotten the rookie, Nick Emmanwori. I don’t even know what place he performs, and that’s what I’m speaking about with regards to how exhausting it’s for opposing quarterbacks to attempt to break down this defence.
91% of the time, the Seahawks had been in six or seven defensive again units. They’d the fourth highest fee of blitz towards drop again passes, however their general blitz fee was twenty fourth within the league. That’s so spectacular as a result of it tells me Macdonald is aware of when to stress. He’s not an enormous blitzer, however he’s bought an ideal really feel for when it’s going to be a drop again cross. And that’s the time you wish to blitz.
He places versatility over strict schemes, and he builds across the gamers and their talent units. He doesn’t wish to pigeonhole guys into enjoying one place or a technique. He desires them to have the ability to line up in a number of positions.
He’s mentioned he desires to be aggressive and adaptive. That adaptability in as we speak’s sport is so essential. When you’ve gotten that capability, you trigger doubt within the offence’s minds. That’s when massive performs occur for the defence.
I can’t say sufficient concerning the system Macdonald has put collectively and the way he works it.
Kudos to the gamers, too. If I had been nonetheless teaching, I might’ve beloved to have coached a defence like them. They’re massive inside up entrance. They will cease the run with a lightweight field, and I like the pliability.
They’ve finished a implausible job with that setup.
I might not be a bit stunned if Baltimore appears to be like similar to this subsequent season beneath Jesse Minter. Once you mix how Minter can name the defence, with Lamar Jackson and what he’s able to on offence, you’re going to see an actual fast turnaround for the Baltimore Ravens.
In the meantime, Mike Vrabel has led the New England Patriots to the Tremendous Bowl in his first season as head coach of the group. Why do you suppose Vrabel has had an instantaneous impression in New England?
Once you have a look at the way in which Mike Vrabel has finished issues, as a participant and a coach, I’m not shocked by his success one bit.
He was a part of the Patriots’ system from 2001-2008. He’s been a part of three Tremendous Bowl successful groups, and he’s made it into the Patriots’ All-Dynasty, All-2000s, and fiftieth anniversary groups. He’s already within the Patriots Corridor of Fame, too.
He’s an ideal playcaller, however I believe the largest factor about Vrabel is that he’s genuine, and he’s one of many NFL’s finest communicators. When you’ve gotten that authenticity as a coach and you’ll talk rapidly and precisely to your group, you’ll all the time be forward of the curve.
That’s what stands out most with Coach Vrabel, and it explains why he was capable of flip this Patriots group round so rapidly.
Individuals all the time ask me for my recommendation on how to achieve success and I’ll all the time say, “Don’t attempt to be Invoice Belichick, don’t attempt to be someone you’re not. Be completely happy and be content material within the pores and skin you’re in. For those who attempt to be someone else and also you’re not genuine, your gamers will see straight by means of it.”
That’s why Vrabel is so profitable.
He understands the sport and he can communicate from the expertise of a man that’s put his hand within the grime. That makes it imply a complete lot greater than listening to it from somebody who has by no means finished it.
He did this in Tennessee as nicely. I do know he didn’t go away the Titans on his personal accord, however they made an enormous mistake. Mike Vrabel is a hell of a soccer coach.
He additionally understands having good folks round you. What’s one of many first issues he did as head coach of the Patriots? He went and employed Josh McDaniels, who is among the most sensible offensive minds.
When it’s all mentioned and finished, they’ll be speaking about McDaniels’ profession and what he’s finished on the offensive aspect for a protracted, very long time. He is among the finest within the historical past of the sport.
Once you have a look at the matchups between the gamers and the coaches, what do you suppose the keys are to Tremendous Bowl LX? The place will this sport be determined?
I believe it’s going to be a extremely shut sport. These are two well-coached groups in all three phases.
So, it is going to come right down to a play right here or there. It could be a tipped cross, or a blocked punt. With these two returners in Rashid Shaheed and Marcus Jones, it’d even be a kick return that swings the sport.
This can be an ideal soccer sport to look at. Each of those groups are constructed on physicality. They’re about working the soccer and creating mismatches. At occasions it is going to appear like an old school soccer sport which can be about who controls the road of scrimmage. Each groups will really feel extra snug working the ball.
I like Seattle. I believe that their defence goes to provide Drake Maye some points resulting from his inexperience. They’re going to have one thing of their toolbox which they haven’t proven in a very long time, or in any respect, and it’ll create one or two damaging performs, which may be the distinction.
What was your response to the Atlanta Falcons hiring Kevin Stefanski as their new head coach?
The factor that stands out essentially the most about this rent is that Coach Stefanski goes to stress physicality on this soccer group, which is a good factor. Soccer is a bodily sport the place you win within the trenches, so I believe he’ll concentrate on that.
For my part, he was the no. 2 man on this hiring cycle that everyone was making an attempt to get a possibility to sit down down and speak with, behind solely Coach John Harbaugh.
By Cleveland requirements, he had an excellent time on the Browns. Once more, it’s by Cleveland requirements, however he did an ideal job. In 2020, he introduced the Browns their first playoff look since 2002, and he’s a two-time NFL Coach of the 12 months. That’s fairly an honour.
All that claims he did an excellent job together with his soccer group. With this Cleveland Browns organisation, it’s exhausting to have extra success than that.
So, I believe the Falcons have landed a coach who could be very gifted, but in addition very hungry for achievement. He’s extremely motivated.
He’ll have a variety of toys to play with in Atlanta too, particularly on the offensive aspect of the soccer. Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts (if he’s re-signed) are all very gifted gamers.
His greatest query mark is the quarterback place. Michael Penix Jr. has suffered a number of season-ending knee accidents and is rehabbing following reconstructive surgical procedure. The success of any NFL organisation comes down to 2 folks, the pinnacle coach and quarterback. So, we have to discover out rapidly whether or not Penix Jr. can actually be the reply on the quarterback place.
It’s been a busy interval for the Falcons. Not solely did they’ve to rent a coach, however additionally they needed to rent a common supervisor. They simply introduced Ian Cunningham, and I believe that’s an ideal alternative. He spent the final 4 years with the Chicago Bears as assistant GM.
I like Cunningham’s résumé. He labored with the Baltimore Ravens after they gained a Tremendous Bowl and he labored on the Philadelphia Eagles, the place he helped construct one other championship-winning group. He’s nicely considered within the NFL. I believe he’ll slide proper into the facility construction the Falcons are putting in.
They’re prepared to show the web page and compete for Tremendous Bowls as rapidly as they presumably can.
The Falcons have introduced Matt Ryan in as President of Soccer. How do you suppose he’ll fare on this function? Might you inform Ryan was destined for a entrance workplace function if you had been teaching him?
Relating to Matt Ryan, I’m very biased, and I’ll all the time be very excessive on him.
We’ve got a long-standing relationship, going again to after we picked him third general within the 2008 NFL Draft.
We realized a variety of issues about Matt, and so they had been confirmed all through his profession. In truth, they had been in all probability confirmed in his rookie season.
We realized about Matt’s toughness, but in addition how sensible he’s. His soccer acumen is off the charts, and he’s a tireless employee. His work ethic can’t be questioned, however he instructions the room, and he makes the folks round him higher.
That’s what you need out of your quarterback and that’s additionally what you need from the chief of your soccer group, both on the sector or within the entrance workplace. He’s additionally, in my thoughts, undoubtedly going to be a Corridor of Fame quarterback. His statistics alone ought to put him within the dialog, and I’d be stunned if he didn’t get in.
In his new function as president of soccer, I’ve little doubt in my thoughts that Matt’s going to take pleasure in the identical kind of success that he had as a participant.
Something Matt does is simply full steam forward. So, he’ll lead the Falcons to a fast turnaround.
The Falcons aren’t a three- or four-win group both. They’ve been higher than that and been shut in a variety of video games. They simply have to recover from the hump. And I believe the way in which they’ve restructured the entrance workplace will make for a really fascinating watch over the offseason as they attempt to enhance, whereas additionally holding the blokes they should maintain.
However they’re not far-off. I give Mr. [Arthur] Clean credit score for making these adjustments as a result of he is aware of they’re shut and he thinks these strikes can get them over the hump.
I believe lots of people within the organisation are so enthusiastic about having Matt Ryan again within the constructing too.
Invoice Belichick didn’t obtain the votes wanted to be a first-ballot Corridor of Famer. What are your ideas on this?
My response was just like all people else’s. Whether or not you’re a fan of the New England Patriots or not, it makes no distinction.
I do know they modified the voting course of just lately, so I’m questioning if one thing bought miscommunicated as a result of there isn’t a method that Invoice Belichick isn’t a first-ballot Corridor of Famer.
This can be a black spot on the Corridor of Fame. They want to take a look at this instantly and overview the voting state of affairs. I used to be shocked.
Some are considering they should revamp the entire course of due to the damaging publicity this has created, not just for the Corridor of Fame, however for the NFL itself. It’s a large number proper now.
Coach Belichick has six Tremendous Bowl wins as head coach, 333 profession NFL victories, which is second to Don Shula, and an extra two championship wins as a coordinator. That’s eight complete Tremendous Bowl rings. Based mostly on these info, you can not argue that he’s not the best NFL head coach of all time.
Sure, when you’re teaching so long as Belichick coached, you’re going to have some issues which might be controversial. Everyone knows about them, however each long-standing teaching regime has these.
For those who requested 100 folks to call an NFL head coach who’s an absolute lock to be a first-ballot Corridor of Famer, at the very least 99 would say Invoice Belichick. His report speaks for itself.
What can the New York Giants followers anticipate from John Harbaugh? How can he assist that younger Giants core?
I might inform Giants followers that they’re getting a coach who’s detailed, organised, and a confirmed winner who’s a pacesetter of males. That’s why he was the primary out there coach on this hiring cycle.
He was one of the well-lauded particular groups coordinators for a protracted, very long time in Philadelphia, and has additionally coached on the defensive aspect of the ball. He managed 193 wins as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens and that features a Tremendous Bowl victory.
So, he’s bought the pelts on the wall to assist the Giants turn out to be a group to be reckoned with. And I believe that can occur in a short time.
John and his workers are going to work tirelessly with the entrance workplace to guage the roster now and determine components they should add in free company and the draft.
What can new head coach Jesse Minter carry to the Baltimore Ravens?
I believe that was an ideal rent. Jesse Minter is so nicely considered within the league, and he’s a soccer lifer too. He’s the son of Rick Minter, who coached in each faculty and the NFL.
Jesse is out of the Harbaugh teaching tree, having coached with each Jim and John. He’s charged with turning the Ravens round, and that is an organisation which isn’t far-off. They’ve bought nice items and an elite quarterback in Lamar Jackson.
There’s a shift within the NFL occurring proper now and the Jesse Minter rent is one other instance. We’re transferring in the direction of hiring extra defensive head coaches. At present we’ve got guys within the league like Mike Macdonald, DeMeco Ryans, Todd Bowles, Robert Saleh, and Mike Vrabel, and what they’re doing is just a little bit completely different.
They’re all true playcallers who name the defences. That’s one thing that has not been the development just lately, however these guys are doing an exquisite job.
What these guys and Minter are doing is fairly cutting-edge and unbelievable, by way of how they construction sport plans. It’s spectacular how they inform the offences lies and time it completely with the snap, in order that quarterbacks can’t get a pre-snap learn. They’ve finished an ideal job.
Minter has rapidly risen all through the NFL by way of his acumen as a defensive playcaller. I believe that’s going to hold over to his time as head coach of the Ravens.
He additionally has familiarity, as this can be his second time in Baltimore. So, town and organisation gained’t be unknown to him. He’s been there. He is aware of Eric DeCosta, Steve Bisciotti and Ozzie Newsome, so I believe it’s an ideal alternative to herald somebody who already understands how these guys work.
It was reported that Buffalo Payments quarterback Josh Allen was sitting in head teaching interviews. The place do you stand on this?
This has in all probability occurred many occasions earlier than, but it surely’s simply by no means been publicised this a lot.
Increasingly house owners are diversifying the way in which that they undergo the hiring course of. This yr, there have been 10 head teaching adjustments with every group interviewing round six or seven candidates. That’s a variety of interviews. So, groups may simply wish to change up how they’re assessing candidates and that is simply one other methodology.
When you’ve gotten a quarterback like Josh Allen who has pelts on the wall, why not let him sit in? He’s in all probability the primary or second most essential individual in that constructing, and he touches the ball greater than anybody else on sport day.
It additionally doesn’t imply Allen was a part of the decision-making group. However you need the candidate to really feel snug speaking about and to the franchise quarterback, and vice versa too. You need the quarterback to be snug with the potential new coach.
Ultimately, the Payments determined to advertise offensive coordinator Joe Brady. What was your response to this?
Effectively, the Payments have finished an ideal job offensively. I believe the rationale that they’ve had the success that they’ve had has quite a bit to do with Joe Brady.
He’s the one which’s calling the performs and has labored very carefully with Allen. They’ve an ideal relationship as nicely, so I don’t suppose they’ll miss a step on the offensive aspect of the ball.
It’s actually essential that the pinnacle coach and quarterback are aligned. With Allen and Brady’s current relationship, this needs to be a straightforward transition. In truth, it’ll be the simplest transition out of the entire 10 teaching adjustments which occurred this season. It’s not an entire redo.
I additionally wish to give credit score to Sean McDermott. He was nice and did a implausible job. Nevertheless it’s the NFL which stands for not for lengthy. He was there for a reasonably very long time and did an excellent job, however in some unspecified time in the future in time, your time will come. You’re going to be relieved of your duties. You don’t see many guys stroll off into the sundown, like Invoice Cowher did.
The Denver Broncos fired their offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi after reaching the AFC Championship Recreation. Does that appear harsh?
That’s a tricky query if you’re not within the constructing or aware about how issues go in that particular organisation.
Relating to the NFL, nothing surprises me anymore with regards to turnover in coaches. This yr, we had 10 completely different head coaches lose their job and that simply appears to be the trendy NFL, proper now. It’s simply a part of the machine.
I don’t suppose you’ll ever know the rationale for the change there in Denver. They had been 60 minutes away from the Tremendous Bowl, and so they needed to play with the backup quarterback, in a near-blizzard.
It was a tricky strategy to finish, however I’ll say this, Sean Payton and Lombardi have an exquisite relationship. They’ve labored collectively for a protracted, very long time, and who is aware of? It could have even been a mutual choice. That’s one thing we might by no means know.
However that’s the NFL. Subsequent man up.
The Pittsburgh Steelers employed Mike McCarthy after longtime coach Mike Tomlin stepped down. Many followers appear divided on the rent. What was your response to this?
Effectively, he’s going dwelling. That may both be a extremely good factor, or it may be a extremely dangerous factor, as we all know.
Coach McCarthy is a good offensive thoughts, however he’s in uncommon air. Not many guys get three alternatives to be an NFL head coach. He had an ideal, profitable profession on the Inexperienced Bay Packers the place he gained a Tremendous Bowl.
On the Dallas Cowboys, he had just a little success however not as a lot as he did on the Packers. Now, he’s come full circle. He’s getting the chance to be the pinnacle coach of his hometown Steelers.
Individuals neglect how good McCarthy’s résumé is. He has 185 wins throughout 18 seasons as an NFL head coach. Solely 5 coaches have led one franchise to eight straight playoff appearances, Tom Landry, Chuck Noll, Andy Reid, Invoice Belichick, and McCarthy. So, he’s in elite firm.
You’ll all the time have individuals who like a rent, and you’ll all the time have individuals who don’t like a rent. That’s the NFL. Will probably be the identical in free company and the draft, some folks will like a signing or decide, others gained’t. That’s what makes this league so nice, and it’ll by no means change.
Whereas Aaron Rodgers’ future continues to be up within the air, would it not be becoming for him to reunite with McCarthy and win one other Tremendous Bowl within the twilight of their careers?
Completely. That will be a storybook ending. Particularly for Mike, if he will get to win a Tremendous Bowl for his hometown group, with the quarterback he gained the primary one with. That will be an ideal story.
And who is aware of how lengthy Mike goes to proceed teaching. This can be a new method the Steelers have gone concerning the hiring course of. They haven’t needed to do it a complete lot in latest a long time, however they used to let a younger man take over and let him keep for a protracted, very long time.
McCarthy can be a really previous man if he stays the identical time Mike Tomlin did. We’re in all probability not going to see him coach for one more 15 years plus.
However on the identical time, if he has success in Pittsburgh, he’ll be capable of keep so long as he desires.
I additionally suppose the Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the well-run organisations in all {of professional} sports activities, not simply soccer. That’s a testomony to the Rooney household and the success they’ve had. That fan base is unbelievable too. So, McCarthy can be arrange for achievement.
Exterior of the Tremendous Bowl groups, which NFL playoff group impressed you essentially the most and why?
For those who make the playoffs, in my thoughts, you’ve already had a profitable season, which is fairly spectacular. There’s a variety of followers that consider if their group doesn’t win a Tremendous Bowl then it’s been an unsuccessful season, and I believe that’s fallacious.
So, first, I’ll say kudos to each group that made it to the postseason.
If I needed to say, I’d say I used to be very impressed with what the Chicago Bears did in yr one in all Ben Johnson’s tenure.
I believe they’re going to have a implausible offseason too. They haven’t all the time been a group that’s actually widespread at no cost brokers, however I believe that may change with Johnson and Caleb Williams being there. They’re shut and so they have a really, excellent group.
The Denver Broncos and Sean Payton additionally actually impressed me. Sadly, they misplaced their quarterback in Bo Nix earlier than the AFC Championship Recreation. However Sean has simply finished a implausible job, identical to he did in New Orleans. He’s bought them rolling. He all the time works with the quarterbacks, and he’s finished an ideal job with Bo Nix. I believe they’ve an ideal relationship and could have a lot success sooner or later.
So, these are the 2 groups I used to be most impressed with, and they’re each extraordinarily shut.