FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- While a six-game losing streak is leaving is no shortage of theorists suggesting that changes could be coming to the Atlanta Falcons, coach Dan Quinn and quarterback Matt Ryan say the NFL’s rumor mill isn't a distraction.
The Falcons (6-7) are preparing for Jacksonville (5-8) on Sunday, where they hope to put the brakes on the skid and jump-start playoff hopes. But the rumors are out there, impossible to miss.
The names of general manager Thomas Dimitroff and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan are coming up in less-than-flattering chatter on talk radio and in national media, as personnel decisions and a sputtering offense -- highlighted by the most erratic season of Ryan’s eight-year career -- are called into question.