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The Atlanta Falcons have hired Jeff Ulbrich as their new defensive coordinator.
Building an Ulbrich wall
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 19, 2025
We have named Jeff Ulbrich as Defensive Coordinator!
Ulbrich has spent the last four years as the New York Jets' defensive coordinator, and was their interim head coach for the final 12 games of the 2024 season. Prior to being with the Jets, Ulbrich spent six years with the Falcons as apart of Dan Quinn's staff, in roles such as defensive coordinator, assistant head coach and linebackers coach.
This is a "getting the band back together" move as current Falcons head coach Raheem Morris was also on Quinn's staff with Ulbrich. However, Atlanta did do an extensive search before deciding on Ulbrich, interviewing these seven candidates:
- Michigan Wolverines DC Wink Martindale
- New York Jets interim HC Jeff Ulbrich
- Veteran DC (free agent) Lou Anarumo
- Green Bay Packers defensive passing game coordinator Derrick Ansley
- Pittsburgh Steelers secondary coach Grady Brown
- Veteran DC/HC (free agent) Steve Wilks
- Veteran DC/HC (free agent) Matt Eberflus
Following the conclusion of the regular season, the Falcons decided to move on from first-year defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake. Atlanta's defense allowed the highest quarterback completion percentage in the NFL at 69.9 percent and the second-most touchdown passes with 34. It also finished 31st in the league in sacks with just 31.
Ulbrich did a nice job during his tenure with the Jets and has always been well respected by his players. He had a 10-year career as a linebacker with the San Francisco 49ers before becoming a coach in 2010. Time will tell if he can get the Falcons' defense turned around, but he and Morris (who's background is also on defense) should be on the same page.
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Jets QB Justin Fields had 'alarming' practice against Giants
New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields found out he has a long way to go following his performance at Tuesday's joint practice with the New York Giants. Per Connor Hughes of SNY TV, Fields started hot at the practice before struggling during the move-the-ball period. "Very interesting practice for #Jets QB Justin Fields," Hughes posted on X. "He finished 7 of 12 with a TD. 5 of 5 to start practice. Then 0 for 4. Finished 2 of 3 with the really impressive TD to Jeremy Ruckert in red zone (starter 18 yard line). "The offensive performance was a bit alarming in move-the-ball period of practice. Fields Co. had three attempts to get down field. They didn’t gain a first down. Only gained yards twice (two short Breece Hall runs). Three sacks. That needs to be fixed. #Giants defense toyed with NYJ during that period." Some Jets fans online thought Hughes was using hyperbole to characterize the practice, but he doubled down on his judgment of the offense. Fields looked strong on his first and only drive in the Jets' 30-10 win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. He went 3-of-4 passing for 42 yards and rushed two times for 14 yards and a touchdown. However, the Giants defense at the joint practice is a much better unit than the short-handed one the Packers trotted out for the first preseason game. Fields' issues seen with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers, with holding the ball too long and not being able to pass consistently downfield, were a factor against the Giants. Following Saturday's game, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said Fields was getting better but had a lot to improve on. Tuesday's practice was a humbling reminder that Fields needs to become a consistent passer if the Jets are going to move the ball on good defenses in the regular season.
Former crew chief frustrated by the 'ridiculous' racing at Watkins Glen
It is no secret that NASCAR's current road-course package has not been very good. Aside from the mile-and-a-half tracks that were once the least competitive and exciting in the series, those races are the rare bright spot for the Next Gen Car since its inception in 2022. Shane van Gisbergen drove away to an 11.1-second win over Christopher Bell in Sunday's race at Watkins Glen and set multiple records in the process. While the racing was not particularly exciting, that was not what left former crew chief and current analyst Steve Letarte frustrated the most following the weekend. A recurring issue in each race over the weekend was drivers utilizing the runoff areas around the track and not staying on the traditional racing surface, which ultimately led to some crashes in Saturday's Xfinity race. "So, I hate track limits that have to be officiated," Letarte said on "Inside the Race." "Because I like tracks that you should just stay on the track. I didn't think it mattered. Now, I am team get-them-back-on-the-race-track-at-Watkins-Glen. I don't love the Watkins Glen that I see. ... I think Turn 1 is not as great of a corner with no exit respect or responsibility. You just blow the exit. I think the carousel is a much easier corner, being able to just go driver's left. "I also think Turn 6 is going — let me add, that I think the (Connor) Zilisch, SVG wreck between the last two corners (in the Xfinity Series race) happened because they left the track, and the Austin Hill wreck with Michael McDowell happened off the race track. Now, both could have been avoided, we can talk about who's at fault. What I'm saying is, I've never driven a lap at Watkins Glen. I can analyze what happens between the white lines." This comes one year after rumble strips were placed in Turn 1 to keep drivers from using the runoff area, and that clearly has not worked. As the field has got closer together, using up all the track has become a common way for drivers to establish momentum, especially as they prepare for the right-hander going into The Esses at Watkins Glen. The bottom line is NASCAR's road-racing product needs to get better and Letarte wants to see race cars "stay on the race track because I think it will be a better race." Van Gisbergen's historic dominance certainly does not help, but the overall road course product is not great. Whether NASCAR makes some changes to the runoff areas and enforces track limits remains to be seen, but that still may not be the biggest issue if the racing does not improve.
Jon Gruden 'looking forward to having the truth come out' amid lawsuit against NFL
Jon Gruden sent another warning shot toward the NFL after scoring a major win in court. On Tuesday, Gruden welcomed a ruling that will force the NFL to litigate the circumstances of his firing in court rather than closed-door arbitration. The former Las Vegas Raiders coach made clear that he intends to continue his legal challenge to the NFL to ensure that they are held accountable. “I’m looking forward to having the truth come out, and I want to make sure what happened to me doesn’t happen to anyone else,” Gruden said in a statement provided to ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr. “The league’s actions disrupted the whole season. We were leading the division at the time and they completely blindsided me and the team.” The Raiders were 3-1 in 2021 when Gruden was forced to resign after some offensive emails that he sent between 2011 and 2018 were leaked. Gruden has alleged that the NFL leaked the emails to force him out of a job after obtaining them during an investigation into the Washington Commanders. The NFL is set to appeal Monday’s ruling, but if that appeal fails, the league may be forced into public discovery. One alternative would be to offer Gruden a settlement, but he has not said whether or not he would be interested in such a resolution. Gruden has not held an NFL coaching job since the Raiders forced him out. He has recently spoken about possibly making a return to coaching at the college level.
Brewers' run of dominance makes MLB history with more left to achieve
Not only did the Milwaukee Brewers rough up a Cy Young contender on Tuesday night, but they made MLB history in the process. Milwaukee beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 14-0, chasing Paul Skenes from the game after only four innings. Skenes' gave up four runs off six hits in one of his worst outings of the season and then the Brewers tacked on 10 more runs throughout the rest of the game. The Brew Crew hit five home runs on the night. The win was Milwaukee's 75th of the season, extending its current win streak to 11 games. And by reaching 11 games, the Brewers, who own the best record in all of baseball at 75-44, accomplished their second win steak of at least 11 games this year. Milwaukee's latest run of dominance made the Brewers the first MLB team since the 2015 Toronto Blue Jays to record multiple win steaks of 11+ games in a season. To truly put their 2025 season in perspective, the Brewers became just the 13th team ever to accomplish two or more win streaks of at least 11 games in a season since 1900. So throughout the past 125 years, spanning several different eras of the sport, this year's Brewers team already has a case as one of the most dominant. Of course, it will take finishing the job and capturing the franchise's first World Series title to truly earn the honor of being recognized as one of baseball's greatest teams. With 75 wins in the middle of August, Milwaukee is now shooting for a team mark before worrying about making the franchise's first World Series appearance since 1982. 97 wins is the goal to become the winningest regular-season Brewers team ever, surpassing the 2018 club. Just seven years ago, that 2018 Brewers team set a new standard for the franchise in terms of a top single-season win total, going 96-67 in the regular season before falling in the National League Championship Series. Prior to that, the only Brewers team to ever win a league championship was that 1982 squad, when they won 95 games and the AL pennant, before losing the World Series in seven games.
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