Falcons Land New Defensive Coordinator

The Atlanta Falcons announced this evening that they have hired interim  NY Jets Coach Jeff Ulbrich to fill the defensive coordinator position.

The Falcons are hoping this hire will be the answer to seven straight disappointing seasons with a defense that can’t stop the run or sack quarterbacks as consistently as required in today’s offense-heavy NFL. Ulbrich has been coaching for the sickly NY Jets for four years. That could give Falcon fans pause that a coach from a team that finished third in the AFC East with a 5-12 win-loss record is now taking over a key position with the 8-9 Falcons. Could this change do both Ulbrich and the Falcons some good?

Ulbrich, according to NFL.com, worked with the Falcons from 2015 to 2020. He was DC in Flowery Branch in 2020 when current head coach Raheem Morris was interim coach. He was preening for a fulltime head coaching job with the Jets, but he will instead help the Falcons improve their defensive issues.

He takes over for Jimmy Lake, who was fired from the Falcons last week. Under Lake, the Dirty Birds allowed 24.9 points per game, 345.2 yards per tilt, and finished 23rd in the NFL in both categories.

Can Ulbrich improve on these dismal numbers next season?

by Brian Allen, SITATL