Since being hired in 2008, GM Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith have overseen three consecutivewinning seasons — a first in franchise history — and they were each rewarded with contract extensions this offseason. A three-year extension for Smith, locking him up through 2014, was announced in early February and Dimitroff's multiyear extension was announced March 9. It's clear that while the Falcons have yet to win in the playoffs under Dimitroff and Smith — they're 0-2 in the postseason — owner Arthur Blank's confidence in them has not wavered. Blank trusts them to run the football side of the operation. There has been talk of pressure being turned up a notch on Dimitroff and Smith heading into 2011, but it was clear in separate conversations PFW had with both men earlier this offseason that the blowout playoff loss to the Packers earlier this year was not taken lightly. We doubt that they need external pressure to motivate them to take the next step.

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