Falcons

Offense

Dallas, meanwhile, has to be the healthiest team during training camp so far.

Things are already looking up in Atlanta. The Raiders will get the fourth pick, and the Chiefs the fifth. The Falcons have been rumored to be high on Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan.

Owner Arthur Blank had Smith shipped home on his personal jet at 3:30AM. The Falcons are calling Smith’s chest pains a “non-emergency matter,” and it is not considered serious. It sounds like he’ll be able to coach in Week 15.

That record falls to 1-7 if Sunday’s Wild Card loss is included. It says as much about Michael Turner as Matt Ryan, as Turner averaged just 3.8 yards per carry in those eight games, compared to 4.5 on the entire year. Currently without a first-round pick, the Falcons could be in the market for a day-two running back to help spell the soon to be 30-year-old Turner after taking Jacquizz Rodgers in the fifth round last spring.

Jacksonville eventually hired Jerry Sullivan as WRs coach, but former Falcons OC and new Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey apparently wasn’t shy about attempting to raid his former staff. He was allowed to hire former Falcons QBs coach Bob Bratkowski as offensive coordinator.

He replaces Mike Mularkey, who was named Jacksonville’s head coach on Tuesday. That’s where Koetter spent the past five seasons, coordinating an offense that finished better than 18th in points scored just once. Koetter worked alongside new boss Mike Smith in 2007, and runs a very similar system to Mularkey. It’s vertically-based in nature with a power run game. Before a disastrous 2011 season with a potentially hopeless Blaine Gabbert at quarterback, Koetter coaxed career seasons from average to below-average talents David Garrard, Reggie Williams, and Mike Sims-Walker. In Julio Jones and Roddy White, Koetter is going to have some real weapons now.

In addition to Billick, the Falcons are reportedly interested in former Jets OC Brian Schottenheimer, Jaguars OC Dirk Koetter, and Packers QBs coach Tom Clements. Schottenheimer and Koetter are also interviewing for the Alabama coordinator opening. Former Jaguars interim coach Mel Tucker is believed to be among the candidates at defensive coordinator.

Mularkey’s 2011 offense broke the franchise record for yards per game, but the AJC believes he “wasn’t going to be retained” because the play-calling lacked creativity and the coaching staff had grown “stale.” The Falcons will fill both coordinator positions this offseason.

Robiskie is one of the most respected receivers coaches in the league, and he’s been in the coaching business for 31 seasons. The 58-year-old has been in Atlanta since 2008, and he’ll still handle his positional coaching duties. Robiskie has been credited with keeping Roddy White on top of his game as a 31-year-old, and also with the quick development of Julio Jones.

Scratch one of the hottest coordinator candidates off the board. Koetter met with the Chiefs on Tuesday and was also scheduled for interviews with the Browns and Eagles. But he’s decided to stay in Atlanta, a coup for a Falcons offense that ranked seventh in points per game and sixth in passing yards. Continuity in a creative and effective scheme can only be a good thing for the likes of Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Roddy White.