Despite a second-half collapse that ruined a shot at the playoffs, the Atlanta Falcons gave coach Jim Mora a three-year contract extension Friday that runs through 2009.
Mora guided the Falcons to the NFC South championship and within one win of the Super Bowl in his first season. Atlanta was 6-2 at the midway point of his second year but won only two games the rest of the way, finishing 8-8 and missing the playoffs.
Even so, Falcons owner Arthur Blank decided to give the coach a new deal.

Falcons extend Mora's contract through '09