The Atlanta Falcons spent the summer espousing increased physicality as a means to bounce back from last year's 4-12 debacle.
Six games into the 2014 season, it's evident that coach Mike Smith's troops are not measurably tougher than they were a year ago.
Whereas one NFL head coach has already hit the chopping block, owner Arthur Blank isn't prepared to put Smith or general manager Thomas Dimitroff on notice.
"I would say to you, and I mean it sincerely: I have confidence in the coaching staff and the GM and the players," Blank told Jeff Schultz of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I'm not speculating during the season about what might happen after the season. That's not compatible with doing what I should be expected to do."
The Around The League Podcast recently expressed faith in the ability of Dimitroff, a two-time Executive of the Year, to turn the roster around. At the same time, it's fair to point out the dearth of red-chip players behind blue-chippers Matt Ryan and Julio Jones.
It's worth noting, however, that Blank doesn't view his personnel through that same lens.
"We've got tremendous talent, really, on both sides of the ball, coaching-wise and player-wise," Blank told ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure this week, "and to be sitting at 2-4 after six games is very disappointing."
Blank pointed specifically to the "bigger and stronger" offensive and defensive lines.
If he expects that influx of line talent to keep Ryan clean in the pocket on offense and rush the passer on defense, then Smith's coaching staff will come under increased scrutiny in the end-of-season evaluation period.
We recap all the Week 6 action on a jaunty edition of the "Around The NFL Podcast." Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
