Ravens, Falcons keep getting shot down by coaches

After interviews with the Falcons and Ravens, Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is opting to stay in Dallas. James D. Smith/Icon SMI

They say that birds of a feather flock together, but I don't think this is the company that the Falcons and Ravens really want to be keeping these days. With the not-so-surprising news that Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has told both teams that he's no longer interested in becoming their next head coach, I'm guessing the reality is starting to set in in Atlanta and Baltimore:

Finding the right man for the job is starting to take a backseat to finding someone who will take the job. Now spanning multiple weeks and several swings and misses each, the coaching searches being conducted by the Falcons and Ravens have officially become embarrassing.

Where are we at in Atlanta and Baltimore? Here's how it reads on my scorecard:

• Falcons -- They got used and abused by Bill Parcells in their attempt to land The Tuna as their football czar -- he had Miami on the other line the whole time -- and they've also heard either no-thank-you's or lost out on the likes of Bill Cowher, Colts offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell, Dallas assistant Tony Sparano and now Garrett.

And that's after their last head coach, Bobby Petrino, ran out on them just 13 games into his first season. At the moment, Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan is the only remaining candidate to have received a second interview from Atlanta, although the No. 1 object of the Falcons' interest is now believed to be Giants' first-year defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who can't interview with the team until next week at the earliest.

• Ravens -- First and foremost, Baltimore went sniffing in Cowher's direction without any luck, and despite owner Steve Bisciotti's claims to the contrary, I do believe it happened long before Brian Billick was shown the door. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz declined the Ravens' overtures, and a scenario involving a trade of draft picks for the rights to Cincinnati head coach Marvin Lewis has been considered within the Baltimore organization.

This week, Caldwell pulled his name out of running -- the Ravens liked him quite a bit but it's seen as a sign that he'll take over the Colts after Tony Dungy makes his retirement official -- and Baltimore's determined effort to hire Garrett came up empty when Cowboys owner Jerry Jones enticed him to stay put and wait for Wade Phillips' inevitable firing next offseason (if he doesn't win some playoff games).

That leaves the Ravens facing the prospect of hiring either promising Eagles secondary coach John Harbaugh, whose interview was boffo but whose resume doesn't even include any NFL coordinating experience, or going to their ultimate fallback plan and luring Marty Schottenheimer out of retirement. (He's baaack!)

If it's as surprising to you that the Falcons and Ravens can't seem to give their head coaching jobs away, imagine what it must be like from their vantage points, now that the nays are throwing a shutout at the yeas. If the folks in Atlanta and Baltimore are still laboring under the impression that they've got one of the plum coaching jobs in the NFL to offer, they're either practicing self-deception or not paying attention.

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