The Atlanta Falcons had some huge expectations on defense after the offseason acquisitions of Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons, expectations that ultimately were not met. On Saturday afternoon the Falcons decided to part ways after one season with defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake, but one major question remains, was it really his fault?
Despite the early excitement regarding the defense, it became clear after 12 weeks of having the worst pass-rush in the NFL, that there was a real issue. Head coach Raheem Morris reportedly became more and more involved in the defense as the season went on. The pass-rush improved, but there was a bad taste left in everyone's mouth after allowing 44 points to Carolina in a season-ending loss.
While the defense didn't live up to expectations, you can simultaneous ask about the job done by Lake and ask if anyone could have had success with the defensive roster. Year after year of using your first-round pick on offense has left the Falcons without true alphas on defense. And while you can change out the coordinator, if the quality of player doesn't improve, will the results? That's a question that falls at the feet of Terry Fontenot, and if changes and production don't change, it will be the Falcons GM that becomes the next scapegoat for letdowns and failures.