Falcons announce three-year extension fo

The are back atop the NFC South after trudging through two disappointing seasons and, as a reward for the step forward, on Monday the team announced an extension for general manager Thomas Dimitroff. The team also noted that Dimitroff's extension means his contract will run congruent with that of coach Dan Quinn. Both are now signed through 2019. We have signed GM Thomas Dimitroff to a three-year contract extension (2017-19). The extension will run congruent with Dan Quinn's contract. Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) The Falcons (6 Jose Quintana Jersey -3) are coming off a 43-28 victory over the division rival that wasn't as close as the final score. They have a 1.5-game cushion for the division lead over the , who sit at Javier Baez Jersey 4-4 after defeating the 49ers on Sunday. The extension for Dimitroff comes at an interesting time. It was just two weeks ago that people were beginning to wonder if this year's Falcons might just be a redux of the 2015 version. Atlanta started last season 5-0 before losing seven of its next eight games and finishing the season at 8-8. This year's team started 4-1 and then lost to the and in back-to-back weeks, ratcheting up the skepticism. A last-minute, come-from-behind, one-point win over a team that looks increasingly mediocre and a blowout win over the lowly Bucs later, and all is apparently right with the Falcons and Dimitroff is locked in for three more years. To be sure, Dimitroff has put together a top-flight offense. The Falcons lead the NFL in scoring, are second Fergie Jenkins Jersey in yards per game and entered Week 9 ranked first in Football Outsiders' offensive DVOA (Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average, which adjusts performance for down, distance, and opponent). is playing , is nearly unstoppable, the offensive line looks terrific and the backfield combination of and is dynamite. But as good as the offense has been, the defense has been nearly as bad -- particularly against the pa s. Atlanta is 28th in points allowed per game, 26th in yards allowed per game and entered the week 26th in defensive DVOA. No Brandon Morrow Jersey team has allowed more points per drive (2.54) and only two have allowed their opponents to score a field goal or touchdown on a greater percentage (44.8 percent) of total drives. The Falcons have allowed quarterbacks to complete 68.1 percent of their pa ses -- 31st in the league -- and they rank 29th in opponent's pa ser rating. They rank 22nd in opponent's interception rate (1.57 percent of pa ses) and 28th in opponent's pa sing touchdown rate (6.02 percent of pa ses). Dimitroff and Quinn will now have three more years together to get that defense up to speed. The first two years the duo has had together have not exactly been encouraging in terms of record, but the offense looks set now and the Falcons do have a young core of Kerry Wood Jersey defenders with considerable upside ( , , , more) on hand already. They just need to add more to the stable so that their overall team balance evens out.