LA Rams News: DC search may reportedly end with hire of Raheem Morris

McVay loves him, others do too

First and foremost, Sean McVay loves the guy. Okay, so what if McVay loves or hates the guy? Well, McVay and Morris have been friends over the long term. In fact, McVay has likely followed Morris’s career since they coached together in Tampa Bay.

Let’s be clear. Morris does not pussyfoot around, as evidenced by the way he publicly roasted outside linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. for his lack of production for the Falcons this season. And it’s that hard-nosed brutally honest approach that quickly turns defenses around. He took over for the unit a the midpoint of the 2019 season and turned it completely around.  And it was that experience that gave the Falcons hope for a positive defense in 2020.

That was not the case for 2020 and may disappoint so many fans who will point to the Falcons defense as proof of a bad coach and system.  Well, system perhaps. The Falcons created a dual-share of defensive play-calling duties split between defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich.  Of course, nobody talks much about the injuries that decimated the Falcons’ defense. But that was the difference between positive progress and regression. You can guess what side of the fence the Falcons defense fell on.

But there is overwhelming evidence that Morris was part of the solution, not part of the problem. He has the strong backing of former coach Tony Dungy. He was promoted to interim head coach after the Falcons fell to 0-5, and salvaged a 4-12 season. And he was endorsed by linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich to be hired on as the Falcons full-time head coach.  He has solid defensive knowledge, an encyclopedia of defensive strategies. And he embraces that buzzword that we have all come to know and cherish: Deception.