Who, in your opinion, is the best-ever Atlanta Falcons HC?

[74_75_78_79_]

Yes, the two Dans are each the ones who actually led Atl to their only two Super Bowls. However, Reeves mustered just two 'island' seasons in his 7-year run. First was his second season, 1998, which of course was the Super Bowl year, but no playoff season again until 2002 (9-6-1) highlighted by Michael Vick upsetting 12-4 Pack at Lambeau in the 1st Round. The five other seasons were losing ones. Quinn...he also led Atl to the SB in Year Two of his campaign, did lead them yet again to the playoffs the following year (almost bringing them back to the NFCCG), but over a season-and-a-half later all's looking like the 'hot seat' for him.

Leeman Bennett, on the strength of that 1980 season (love that team), may very well be the popular choice in this. Two years earlier, albeit a 9-7 finish and barely getting by also-9-7 Philly in the 1st Rd, did give SBXIII-participant-to-be quite a scare in Big D the following week. And then there was the 5-4 'tournament' qualifier in '82. What "coulda been" had he not actually been fired?

And then there's...Mike Smith! Yes a very plain name and a modest unassuming personality, but his first five seasons were all winning ones (four of them making the playoffs)! Just one playoff win total but two top-seed finishes at 14-2 and 13-3 apiece nothing to sneeze at. Only Chuck Knox and George Seifert made it to 50 wins quicker since the '70 merger. And, mind you, Smith inherited the Bobby Petrino fiasco which was, in turn, preceded by back-to-back losing seasons and an 8-8 before that. Just two losing seasons in a row after that beginning run. Shouldn't he have been allowed to hang around as well?

[JWL]

I will go with Mike Smith.