By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

For the past two years Steve Sarkisian must have felt as though he had “kick me” tattooed across his forehead; no one thought he deserved to be in the position he was in.

Two years removed from a Super Bowl appearance, with a quarterback that has a few years left before the inevitable decline begins and one of the league’s best wideouts in his prime, the Atlanta Falcons decided that everything old is new again.

Out went Sarkisian and in comes former offensive coordinator, Dirk Koetter.

Normally when it comes to a coaching hire, there isn’t much middle ground with me. Either I love the hire and begin an unhealthy infatuation with whomever made the decision, or I hate it and start actively petitioning them to become the next athletic director at UNC.

In the case of Koetter, I’m just kind of “Yeah, ok.”

I get why Atlanta decided to bring him back, especially if Matt Ryan signed off on the move, it’s just hard to get too excited about the move.

It’s easy to knock Sarkisian when you compare him to his predecessor, Kyle Shanahan, but statistically speaking, Atlanta’s offense was actually more productive with Sarkisian than it was with Koetter.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying Sarkisian is better or that statistics are the end all, be all, I just thought it was interesting.

Now, in Koetter’s defense the Falcons do have a little more talent on that side of the ball than they did during his initial run with the team.

The weapons at his disposal from the receiver position don’t really need much of an introduction and are an improvement from what he had.

The primary back during his time from 2012-2014 was an aging Stephen Jackson, so there wasn’t much of a rushing attack. It explains why Ryan threw more passes over that three year span than any other in his career.

With two capable backs in Freeman and Coleman, I’d expect the offense to be a little more balanced this time around.

The big question is can Koetter be creative with all that talent?

I don’t want to linger too much on his time in Tampa, but he had an abundance of riches on the offensive side of the ball down there and just couldn’t make it work.

Yes, part of the issue was his quarterback, but nothing Koetter did came across as being very innovative.

Granted, innovation doesn’t automatically equal success, but in today’s game it sure doesn’t hurt.

It’s not a must win now type situation for the Falcons, but it could be within the next few years. And even though I can’t imagine Quinn being on any hot seat entering the season, you never can tell when it comes to the NFL.

Which bring me back to my original, apathetic reaction to the Koetter hire. It’s not a bad hire, but I’m also not sure it’s the kind of difference maker that puts Atlanta over the top. Then again, if choosing a coach was easy there wouldn’t have been eight head coaching positions and numerous coordinator ones open at the end of the season.

I will give Atlanta some credit for this, they have decided to buck the trend and not hire someone who met Sean McVay in a Starbucks.

Seriously, at this point it’s just a matter of time before McVay’s “first love” becomes the next NFL Commissioner.