Any Chance Dan Quinn Survives This Season?

Since the 1-7 start to the season, Dan Quinn has had one foot out the door. While things have gotten slightly better, with the Atlanta Falcons winning three of their last five, is there any chance Dan Quinn survives beyond this season?

Since taking over the Atlanta Falcons, Dan Quinn has had a very up and down tenure. The highs are about as high as a team can get, winning the NFC and playing in the Super Bowl. The lows, missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, is pretty low for a franchise with elite players and high expectations when it comes to success. After the 1-7 start, it felt like a forgone conclusion that Dan Quinn would be fired before the season concluded. Now, after winning a few games, the attitude around this situation feels like Quinn could survive this season from hell.

With three games remaining, San Francisco, Jacksonville, and Tampa Bay, the Falcons could pull to 7-9 if they can manage to win their last three games, similar to what happened last season. Now, it’s unlikely that will be the case with the 49ers still pushing for the NFC West and top overall seed in the NFC. Jacksonville feels like a winnable game and Tampa Bay just got done embarrassing the Falcons at home. While it’s unlikely the Falcons will run the table in their last three games, it’s possible. So, would that be enough to save Quinn’s job?

One of the biggest advantages Quinn has going into the offseason is Arthur Blank. Blank has been patient with coaches in the best, almost to the point of detriment for his franchise. I’ve written about how Blank was unlikely to oust Quinn midseason, preferring to let his coach finish out the season. If the Falcons continue to look like a more impressive team in the last three games, does Blank reconsider keeping Quinn?

Even if Quinn was to go 3-0 in these last three games, I don’t feel like his job would be safe. It’s now back-to-back disappointing seasons that were wasted by poor starts to the season. The Falcons and Blank can’t risk wasting another season with Quinn at head coach. Coming into this season, Quinn placed all of his eggs in one basket, that basket being the defense. When Quinn took over the defense, with results getting worse this season, that should have been the final nail in Dan Quinn’s coffin. Dan Quinn, a defensive mastermind, has been nothing but a failure since taking over as the Atlanta Falcons head coach. It doesn’t matter what occurs in these final three games. Dan Quinn should be out as soon as the season ends.