- 6 minutes ago
The Atlanta Falcons sit at 3-6, and Matt Ryan is quietly evaluating the entire organization alongside Ian Cunningham and head coach Kevin Stefanski. On The Steakhouse, Steak Shapiro and Rusty Mansell break down why Ryan is staying out of the media spotlight while building a long-term plan for the franchise, why Kyle Pitts is failing to make an impact compared to elite tight ends like Brock Bowers, and what to expect when Patrick Mahomes, Kenneth Walker, and a massive wave of Kansas City Chiefs fans invade Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday.
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00:00I've heard a lot said lately about Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Reese
00:05and the coaching staff and how are they different from the others.
00:10There's no way to grade this group.
00:15Not when Michael Penix can't play the first two games.
00:18When two are tongue of a lower, you open up camp.
00:20You and I were there, I think it was.
00:22I was like, well, that's a hell of a start.
00:24Stefanski just announced that Penix ain't ready.
00:27And it broke like when y'all were on air.
00:29Well, no, I was at the press conference right before.
00:31And he said, Michael's not ready.
00:34Tua's got an injury.
00:35Cooper Rush and Jack Strand will be running number ones.
00:38And Abe Gordon's running fours.
00:40That's when you hear Debbie Downer.
00:44That was a wild day on the radio.
00:47I mean, it was like, did he just say the Kevin Stefanski era began
00:52with Jack Strand and Cooper Rush as our quarterbacks?
00:55And the point being, listen, you know, Matt Ryan is doing one thing,
00:59I think, that is very smart, right?
01:02And that is not saying anything.
01:05He's sitting up there and he's watching the process.
01:08With a notepad and paper.
01:09Watch him every time.
01:10Ask a CEO that enters a company that has had four consecutive losing quarters
01:15or is on a four-year slide with their stock price.
01:18And they bring him from some other area and they bring him in.
01:21And what he doesn't do is fire the C-suite in the first three months.
01:25You're gone and you're – nope.
01:27What he doesn't do is have Brent Key histrionics
01:31and start pounding the table at, you know, executive leadership meetings
01:35and say, oh, y'all are in trouble.
01:37Yeah, yeah.
01:37He watches what has been going on here.
01:41He asks questions.
01:42He figures out who's his guys,
01:44who's going to do things the way he believes they should be done,
01:47who are the keepers,
01:48and who's the guy over there in a county that's been here 12 years
01:51that doesn't want to listen to any change.
01:53Larry ain't changing for nothing.
01:55And look at his salary.
01:56Boy, he's got a pretty big salary for somebody who's not –
01:57Larry's the guy who's pissed off when they changed the coffee,
01:59the free coffee.
02:00He is irate.
02:02And thinks he's above whatever.
02:03Yes.
02:03And my point is Matt Ryan is assessing this organization.
02:07He has not spoken, hasn't done an interview.
02:10We have a great relationship.
02:12We've got no chance of getting him right now.
02:14Nobody is.
02:15Because the Jerry Jones walking down, he's the GM, Jerry, and the owner,
02:22and he's doing an interview when they lose that game to Arizona,
02:26the Cardinals, the blow 14 points.
02:28Like, he does one after every game.
02:30I mean, it's just – there's nothing to be gained by Matt Ryan saying
02:34after we get smoked by Tampa and shut out,
02:38after getting blown out by the Bears and then blown out of –
02:42what's he going to gain by saying, this is unacceptable,
02:45this isn't Falcons football.
02:46It actually is Falcons football.
02:48But what it's not is the new era of Matt Ryan, Ian Cunningham,
02:54and Kevin Stefanski.
02:56Kevin Stefanski is in zero trouble with Matt Ryan or anybody.
03:00They are figuring out how they want to look as an organization.
03:04So to start talking about how Tommy's calling plays,
03:08he's not going nowhere.
03:09Ulbricht's not going nowhere.
03:10They are trying to figure it out.
03:12Yeah, figure it out.
03:13And, again, I want to be very clear on what I think.
03:17People say punting.
03:19They're moving forward with thought process on next year.
03:22These players aren't.
03:23They're battling their ass off every week because they're professionals.
03:26But the front office has flipped this switch to where they're looking
03:30and making moves based off what can we do to have a better product next year.
03:34Period.
03:35Matt Ryan's a young guy.
03:36You see his kids?
03:37What are they, like eight years old?
03:38He's going to be here a long time.
03:40Oh, he's firmly here.
03:41He's going to be working for Josh Blank.
03:43This is his home.
03:44Yeah.
03:44There's no question now.
03:46So, like, he can't be – he's not responsible for this 60 years of pain.
03:51He's not responsible for eight years out of the playoffs.
03:53Matt Ryan's job is to figure out how to actually put a plan in place
03:57so when my kids are in junior high school,
03:59we're one of the better organizations in football.
04:02It's not easy to hear, but he is not in the hurry that Falcon fans are
04:06to find their way to the playoffs.
04:07Here's Stefanski talking about Jesse Bates and Nick Folk.
04:11They're both captains.
04:12Yeah, we'll replace those guys as captains just –
04:15and I'll make that announcement to the team later in the week.
04:18Just go to the next vote – highest vote getter when we did that back –
04:22way back when.
04:22But, yeah, you know, the truth is in football,
04:25you lose guys due to injury.
04:27You can lose them due to a trade or due to guys getting cut.
04:30That's just the reality of football.
04:31So, it's our job and coaches' jobs, players' jobs.
04:35We've got to step up.
04:38The move for Ryan Neusel, I thought that Carl and Mike did a good job
04:41in the afternoon trying to explain – on their side,
04:44there's nothing to be gained really by getting a sixth rounder for him because –
04:50I don't think he's playing well per Mike Johnson, who I kind of trust.
04:53And I think that's what the point was.
04:54That made it easier.
04:54Because I agree when they explained it that if somebody signs Neusel,
04:59we would have gotten a compensatory pick regardless.
05:02So, what you did is take away your starting center,
05:04and you probably would have got the same value when the season was over.
05:08I think what you just said, and Mike, he's not the kind of player
05:13that fits what we're trying to do.
05:15It is what it is.
05:16It's a business.
05:17Here's Kevin explaining it.
05:19Yeah, obviously, love news.
05:21Great person.
05:22Just felt like this was an opportunity for our football team
05:25and comfortable and feel good about Corey Levin stepping in.
05:29What else are you going to say, right?
05:32Here is something I've been beating the drum.
05:35He's not a bad football player.
05:38He's not a guy that can't give you some big days.
05:43But Kyle Pitts is just – he is just not a factor.
05:49So, you can blame his quarterback.
05:50You can blame his coordinator.
05:52You can – he is not a factor.
05:55And Kyle Pitts has rarely been a factor.
05:57Even in games when he's had seven catches and 98 yards,
06:00those seasons are not factors.
06:02So, Stefanski was asked, are you comfortable with the role Kyle Pitts has?
06:08Yeah, I think when you talk about any player and role and those production,
06:12those type of things, I immediately just go back to us as an offense
06:16or us as a defense or us as a team.
06:18So, I don't think anybody can say, hey, we're doing what we want to do.
06:23So, there's more to be done, certainly.
06:27Kyle's doing everything that we're asking him to do
06:29and there are plays that are coming.
06:30But I just think it's not fair to really single anybody out right this minute
06:37as we're not where we want to be.
06:39A very, very well-trained coach speak.
06:45Very well-trained.
06:46Yeah, of course he's not happy with Kyle Pitts.
06:48And the whole offense.
06:50You immediately – if somebody's question comes up and you go,
06:53yes, we love Kyle, we've got to give him more opportunities.
06:57He goes into –
06:58He didn't say that, you're right.
06:59I don't know the offense.
07:00I agree with you.
07:01That's how you show it.
07:02He did not –
07:03I live in this world every day.
07:04I know that answer.
07:06He made a decision to not be overly glowing,
07:09that he does everything, that Kyle Pitts is the least of our problems.
07:14This guy comes to work every day with a lunch pail and he's a leader.
07:17We've got to get him involved more.
07:19Yeah.
07:19None of that.
07:20He didn't say it.
07:20None of that.
07:20He didn't call him a leader.
07:21No.
07:22He didn't say he's a guy.
07:24Listen, I know Matt Ryan well enough.
07:26I'm not telling you what best friends are.
07:28We hang out in Buckhead at the Chastain there and take a little walk around.
07:30He does like your food, Rex.
07:31Yeah.
07:32I approve of that.
07:33He did give me the shout-out.
07:34But if you think Matt Ryan, who had Julio Jones and Roddy and Tony Gonzalez
07:41and Devontae and even Austin Hooper and was – I'm thinking Michael Jenkins.
07:50Crumpler.
07:50Was he there?
07:51So I think the end of algae.
07:53End of algae.
07:53But whatever it is, if you think Matt Ryan is not watching Kyle Pitts
07:58and thinking with Ian, like, what are we going to do here?
08:01We re-signed him.
08:03So we either got to –
08:04Just for a fifth year, though, right?
08:06So, no, Kyle is up for what?
08:09Option?
08:10I don't know.
08:11No, multiple years, right?
08:12Bo, Kyle Pitts up for multiple years.
08:15But, again, at a very team-friendly number, right?
08:19So if somebody was excited about it, that's certainly a possibility.
08:22But there's nothing to be excited about Kyle Pitts.
08:26And to keep trying to argue that, you know, he doesn't have the right guy.
08:34And I hate to keep bringing up Brock Bowers or –
08:37You have to because of where he was drafted.
08:40But also because who Brock Bowers' quarterbacks is.
08:44Yeah.
08:44Nobody ever says that Brock Bowers would have better numbers if his quarter –
08:49His quarterbacks stink for the last few years.
08:52Mm-hmm.
08:53But somehow he's out there getting 100 yards and 10 catches on a regular basis.
08:58Is that a dynamic offense in Vegas?
09:02Kyle Pitts ain't open.
09:04Kyle Pitts doesn't have the fast twitch to, you know, get guys and be –
09:08He's not Brock Bowers.
09:08He doesn't box.
09:10He's not Brock Bowers.
09:11He's not – dude, he's not even –
09:12My point is the argument, if he was getting open, he'd get the football.
09:17Drake London gets the ball almost every time.
09:19Drake London needs the ball more.
09:21More targets for him.
09:23Please.
09:24Listen, he's the one guy that they're literally sending two bodies at
09:27because they know, listen, the rest of these little fellas out there
09:30aren't going to do anything.
09:31So, you know, can the Atlanta –
09:33You know, I felt really good about the San Francisco game.
09:36And I felt like it was a trap game.
09:37I don't feel that way this week.
09:39Spreads are the same.
09:41Why is the Kansas City Chiefs only three-point favorites?
09:44Why are the 49ers a three-point favorite?
09:47We're a three-and-six football team.
09:49Well, because San Francisco was in a trap game
09:51and the Falcons hadn't won at home yet
09:53and they weren't going to be 0-4 at home possibly.
09:55But I think this week Kansas City is like,
09:57we've got to get ourselves right.
10:00Now, Mahomes obviously has an issue, I guess, with –
10:03He played, though.
10:03He had a good game.
10:04He threw for 200 yards afterwards.
10:05Right.
10:06But –
10:07You're talking about another fan invasion?
10:08What is he –
10:08It's the elbow.
10:09Elbow.
10:10You're talking about another fan invasion.
10:11If –
10:12Yeah.
10:13Oof.
10:13What is that going to look like?
10:15Dude, Chiefs fans in here?
10:17Oof.
10:18There is –
10:19Oof.
10:20Zero argument.
10:21Oof.
10:22In the world for a PSL season ticket holder
10:26to not try to get what they want.
10:28Listen.
10:28They will work on silent count this week
10:30the same way they did for home game.
10:33You have to have silent count
10:35because the Chiefs fans will be loud as hell in their Sunday.
10:39So you think they circled Atlanta
10:40just the same way Baltimore fans –
10:42Zero question.
10:43Easy flight.
10:44And Mizzou's –
10:45Easy flight.
10:45And Mizzou's playing up the road on Saturday.
10:47Yeah, but the Chiefs are –
10:49They'll watch Saturday from somewhere.
10:51Right.
10:52They're rolling in here.
10:53They'll be at stats and say this is adorable.
10:56That's our state school.
10:57I told you all on that text thread,
10:59my buddy was at the airport that night,
11:00and he goes,
11:01oh, my God, the entire airport are Bears fans.
11:03I said, well, they're coming.
11:05That was Friday.
11:05Yeah.
11:06And by God, the Chiefs fans will start rolling in here tonight
11:10or tomorrow night and all day Saturday.
11:13Yeah, I mean, listen, you go four games under .500,
11:16this season is spiraling out of control.
11:18And by the way, you got the bye week
11:20and I think Kirk Cousins after that, right?
11:22After Thanksgiving, yep.
11:23So, Mike, I mean, if you think Minnesota's –
11:28Minnesota's not playing patty cake.
11:30Minnesota's got a defense under Brian Flores.
11:33They will come.
11:34Did you see them before Josh Allen finally put him to bed the other night?
11:38Did you see Pete Golden talking about Georgia using some of that Minnesota stuff?
11:44Yeah.
11:44Flores?
11:45Yeah, Georgia's using that.
11:46Yeah.
11:46So, let's just say that there's no –
11:49there's no, you know –
11:51listen, Falcons can lose to anybody.
11:53They can lose to some of the worst teams in the NFL by three touchdowns.
11:56I mean, let's be honest.
11:58But you go to three and seven, you're having the worst year you've had
12:03probably for the entire eight-year stretch.
12:05That's the reality.
12:06Because then you're going to Minnesota to play Kirk Cousins,
12:09who they just said, we have a chance to go to a Super Bowl.
12:11So, we've got to get this guy comfortable with the guys he's familiar with.
12:16And this is a different built chief.
12:18This is Kenneth Walker now.
12:20And then the pieces around him.
12:21This ain't all on my homes anymore.
12:23They're going to come in here and run the football.
12:25They're going to come in here and test you.
12:27It's here, Kevin, then we'll go to break.
12:29He talked about probably the most dynamic player on that team right now,
12:33and that's their running back.
12:34It's a great offense, period.
12:37They can throw it.
12:38They can run it.
12:40I don't think you go into playing this game and saying you're going to
12:43shut anyone out and shut them down.
12:45I think you have to do your job and slow down their run game,
12:50slow down their pass game, make enough plays over the course of 60 minutes.
12:53But going up against a good team, they're going to make their plays,
12:58tip your cap, and move on to the next one.
13:00But it's going to be about playing a complete 60-minute football game.
13:03Without Jesse Bates back there, right?
13:05So DeMarco Hellman, you know, Xavier Watts, and let's see what happens.
13:11I don't want to get into it.
13:12I don't want to get into it.
13:13But what Jamar Chase did to us, oh, my goodness.
13:17Oh, my goodness.
13:17What about our Pro Bowl corner back there?
13:21Listen.
13:22I mean.
13:22He don't want to.
13:23What about his brother?
13:24Bo talked about it.
13:25That's a championship game.
13:27Ooh.
13:28Jamar Chase and that matchup.
13:30That's been a thing since 2019.
13:31And Jamar was right.
13:34They licked their lips.
13:35Go ahead and mention what you're saying.
13:37National Championship game 2019.
13:39Yes.
13:40Or no, it was a semifinal game.
13:41That was the team.
13:42Jamar Chase ate him up.
13:43Clemson LSU.
13:45Ate Terrell up.
13:46Yeah.
13:47That happened.
13:47And it did again.
13:48A lot.
13:49Yes.
13:50But let me tell you something.
13:53JSN and Jamar Chase, two dudes you do not want to mess with.
13:57They will carve your ass up.
13:58I'm going to tell you, JSN's about the best receiver I've ever seen.
14:01He has.
14:01He is one of the.
14:02Let me tell you what he has.
14:03He has the quickest start-stop acceleration I've ever seen.
14:07It's unbelievable how fast he gets in that.
14:10JSN could have Ronald McDonald at quarterback and have six catches in 88 yards.
14:15I mean, literally, it doesn't matter who they bring out there.
14:18He's so good.
14:18He runs routes without slowing down.
14:20It's unbelievable.
14:21He makes pinpoint.
14:22It's unbelievable.
14:22You have no chance on a straight coverage.
14:24Them two?
14:25Them two?
14:25No way.