Dan Reeves is the only head coach to lead the Falcons to a Super Bowl appearance. That could soon change, however. With a first-round bye, one of the best offenses in NFL history and a skilled, up-and-coming defense, Atlanta is widely viewed as a legitimate contender.
Reeves, who was in town Sunday for the final regular-season game at the Georgia Dome, is impressed with how well the Falcons have been playing of late. So impressed that he believes Dan Quinn can take them to the Super Bowl and bring the Lombardi Trophy to Atlanta.
"There's no question they can do it," Reeves told AtlantaFalcons.com. "If their defense can get some turnovers – and that's what they've been doing – the offense puts an awful lot of pressure on the other team. Their pass rush has gotten better. Everybody was giving (Vic) Beasley such a hard time, and the kid has really come alive. If he could be a great defensive player in the playoffs, you've got enough talent – without question."
Reeves, 72, led the Falcons to Super Bowl XXXIII in February, 1999. He appeared in nine Super Bowls over the course of nearly four decades – two as a player, three as an assistant, four as a head coach – and won two.
Suffice it to say, he knows what it takes to succeed in the NFL.
Reeves is confident Atlanta's will score at a high rate in the postseason. And he believes Quinn is the right man for the job. The key, in his mind, is to keep improving on D.
"Their offense has been unbelievable, and they've done it against some good teams. I think everyone can see that. The thing that I like is the defense is getting better," Reeves said. "They've been playing well. If it can keep getting better, and you have an offense that's scoring in the 30s, you've got a good chance to play well and beat anyone."
