Falcons finally find Petrino’s replacement—in Jacksonville

By Chris Cluff  |   Wednesday, January 23, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

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The Atlanta Falcons hired Jacksonville defensive coordinator Mike Smith to take over as the the team's new coach Wednesday. Smith replaces Bobby Petrino, who quit with three games left in his first year.

Smith, 48, has been an assistant in the NFL for nine years, the past five as Jacksonville's defensive coordinator. He was one of seven candidates interviewed by the Falcons.

Commentary: Smith certainly knows defense. His Jaguar units have been among the league's best nearly every year, and he was the D-line coach in Baltimore from 1999 to 2001. The Falcons' defense, which ranked 29th this season, should be in good hands. It will be interesting to see whom he finds to be his offensive coordinator.

Fantasy Football Impact: The guess here is that Smith will want to run the ball like the Jags have done, but until he picks an OC it will be tough to tell which players might have a chance to stand out (Jerious Norwood?).

Coaching 'em up year round at RealFootball365.com.
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About Chris Cluff

Chris Cluff spent 10 years as an editor and sportswriter for The Seattle Times. He was a key figure in the newspaper's coverage of the Seahawks, particularly during their Super Bowl run in 2005. He also has written two books on the Seahawks: "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Heart-Pounding,...
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