The Falcons were Vick-timized, but mostly they’re just vexed
Michael Vick had his moments, but they weren't key. (AP photo)
“Disappointing and embarrassing,” was how Arthur Blank put it, and such was the overstuffed nature of the day a listener felt moved to ask: Which part? “The performance,” Blank said.
And the the Michael Vick aspect? Blank all but waved that away, saying, “I thought the reaction was mixed. A lot of people are happy to see him back in the NFL, and to see him have success … the reaction certainly was understandable.”
What Vick did Sunday was stimulating but inessential. He scored a touchdown to make it 20-0 and threw for another to make it 34-7. And some Falcons fans indeed cheered his deeds, but it must be noted there were a slew of Eagles fans in the Dome and they’d have saluted Kevin Kolb with much the same gusto.
No matter how it seemed on TV, Vick’s sort of homecoming commanded no consensus. He drew more boos than cheers when he made his first appearance, and even after the two touchdowns this was not — no matter how the national media might portray it — a case of every single Falcons supporter changing sides. The majority came ready to support the home team, but the home team did nothing to hold up its end.
The Falcons were beaten 34-7 in a game with massive playoff ramifications, and they needed a deflected touchdown pass at the final horn to make it that close. Put simply, the 2009 Falcons looked no better than the 1989 Falcons. They looked like a team falling to pieces. Which they pretty much are.
The team that changed five defensive starters over the offseason was forced by injury to change five offensive starters in one week. “We will not make excuses,” Mike Smith said, and a team might well bite the bullet if it’s down a man or two. But down five?
Wasn’t it unrealistic to expect a high-level showing from an offense at half-strength? “Yeah,” said linebacker Michael Peterson, but then he backpedaled. “Not really. Guys have to come in and perform.”
The Falcons, sad to say, have run out of guys. If they get enough men back within the next couple of weeks, the forever-sought second consecutive winning season might still occur. But the playoffs? That ship is steaming out of sight.
What happened Sunday wasn’t a repudiation of the post-Vick design but a grim reminder that an NFL team is only as robust as its health. “Both parties have moved on,” Vick said afterward. “They have a franchise quarterback and they’re putting people around him, and they’re going to continue to make strides. And I’m going to do the same.”
Alas, the franchise quarterback has turf toe. The franchise back has a twice-sprained ankle. At least three starting offensive linemen are injured. The team lost badly Sunday because it lacked the manpower to do any better. Sometimes it’s not who wants it more. Sometimes it’s who has more healthy bodies.
Said Blank: “The team didn’t play up to the level of our expectations. That’s not what Falcons football is about.”
The latest installment of the Michael Vick Experience was a one-shot deal. He won’t be back anytime soon. The Falcons have another game next week, and then the next, and then two more after that. And for all the expressions of embarrassment — Peterson said he was so abashed “it hurts to do this interview” — there wasn’t a real alternative. You need good players to play well. Too many of the Falcons’ good players didn’t play Sunday.
As galling as the score might have been, the game itself was an accurate reflection of relative worth. The Eagles are so stacked they have three quarterbacks better than Chris Redman. The final month can be reduced to this: Either the Falcons get healthy or they keep getting beat. And right now you wouldn’t bet on recuperation.
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212 comments Add your comment
retired on the lake
December 6th, 2009
7:34 pm
Worst of all outcomes today loss to Eagles, Vick scores and Giants win. Sh*t
Mr Charlie
December 6th, 2009
7:35 pm
Ohmy, yea, that was a classic loss.
Atlanta Peach
December 6th, 2009
7:35 pm
Mark, Don’t shut down the site, Band the haterd of some of these bloggers name that want to start a race riot ! Talk is cheap !, and right is right !!!
"Chef" Tim Dix
December 6th, 2009
7:36 pm
The Falcons MAY miss Harry Douglas more than Turner.
Fin
December 6th, 2009
7:36 pm
Not to be a hater, but good grief, I wish they would not allow posters/commenters on these boards. Out of 150 comments, only about 15 of them are about the game itself..the rest are the I hate Vick/I love Vick crowd. BLAAAHHH!! We are going to need a lot of help in the offseason. Is Redman short? He sure had a lof of passes batted down today, dang! Good games by Roddy and Tony G and congrats to Sidbury for your first NFL sack. I just don’t know what to say…
The Boss
December 6th, 2009
7:36 pm
“Real”…Nice having FREE season tickets. Like I said I have no problem with those that cheer for their team, even when the other 7 home games they are otherwise Falcons fans. However, I didn’t see anywhere in your post where you claimed to be an Eagles fan, thus you simply decided to cheer against “YOUR TEAM” because they were not succeeding? My point exactly…you are NOT a true Falcons Fan.
Hey I have an idea, maybe you should buy a jersey for every other team in the NFL and bring the opposing one to the home game when the Falcons play them. That way you will never lose!!!
1 2 3
December 6th, 2009
7:37 pm
The people cheering for Vick come from the same mold as the jury who acquitted the murderer O.J. Simpson and the voters who elected and reelected the crack smoking Washington Mayor, Marion Barry. They’re the dregs of society whose reproductive organs should be removed leading to their eventual extinction and, as a result, a better human race.
——————————————-
Are these the same people that did NOT complain about the Bush administration increasing the national debt to its highest in American history…but now that we have a minority president they are for some reason outraged by government spending?
retired on the lake
December 6th, 2009
7:37 pm
that said i still LOVE MY FALCONS. get up off the carpet and regroup. wishful thinking maybe but fan(atic)s can always hope. Go Falcons shock the Saints.
tom
December 6th, 2009
7:38 pm
I think Jeff Garcia is available. Redman has always done well coming in relief. Not so when he starts. Add that to the incapable defense and well forget a playoff. Why are we running number 44 up the middle four times in a row when inside the 5. Duh! A real genius calling those plays.
Falcon Freddie
December 6th, 2009
7:39 pm
For all those complaining about Atlanta Falcons fans cheering for Michael Vick, look at the bright side…Atlanta Falcons fans could have easily been booing the Falcons Offense and Defense!!! Today when Mark Bradley and all the other Vick haters blame Vick for Atlanta’s loss, they will finally be right
Michael
December 6th, 2009
7:39 pm
Mark, you’re comment says Vick still rules Atlanta on other article.
You are an idiot! Matt Ryan, who is a better quarterback than Vick, was in street clothes. Three of our offensive lineman were in street clothes. Michael Turner was out the entire game.
Redman played terrible, but you so quickly forgot that he isnt our quarterback of the future.
Way to have your head up your butt, again.
Real
December 6th, 2009
7:39 pm
Why are yall people mad at vick fans for cheering,If the falcons didnt put their self in this situation on offense and defense we wouldnt be talkin about this “we want vick chat” cause the game would have been closer.We ATL fans need to worry about the performance we had showed out their today,playing like that you will never win a game,we better come play next week or we will be hearing the “who dat chat” all threw the dome
Angus
December 6th, 2009
7:40 pm
Damn – we still suck, huh?
The Boss
December 6th, 2009
7:41 pm
“Georgia Yankees Fan”…..GREAT post. You are right on the money. Unfortunately, this city is very much a bandwagon mentality when it comes to Pro Sports. Sickening but true.
"Chef" Tim Dix
December 6th, 2009
7:42 pm
123: A drunk man says what a sober man thinks.
Falcons embarrassed by Eagles | The Recycle Bin
December 6th, 2009
7:42 pm
[...] of his jerseys, but chants of “We want Vick! We want Vick!” were just too much to stomach. Mark Bradley of ajc.com saw things slightly differently: No matter how it seemed on TV, Vick’s sort of homecoming [...]
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
7:43 pm
I didn’t say Vick still rules Atlanta. I believe that was the headline on an AP story. Please read more closely.
Lauren
December 6th, 2009
7:44 pm
The really sad thing is that the Falcons never can get “home advantage”. Every home game, the Dome is half full of visiting team jerseys. Today however, was a real shame. Those people cheering and chanting for Vick like that were just disrespectful to “their” team. Ok, clap for him if you are a fan of his, sure. But those were some fair weather fans who would cheer louder for a former Falcon than for their current team. I don’t think Keith Brooking would have gotten an ovation like that. Sure he was no Vick but the point is, you don’t cheer for a former player no matter the reason for their departure like they are the greatest thing ever. Vick has done his time for his crime, but quit saying the Falcons org persecuted him. Shoot, Vick did that on his own. And I believe he manned up and claimed his fault. So now all you fans who are still making excuses for Vick and blaming the “man for holding him down”: leave it alone. It is in the past.
Ron Roberts
December 6th, 2009
7:45 pm
Geez, Mark; this year’s squad reminds you of 1989’s squad, eh, even though they’re still probably going to finish with a 9-7 or 8-8 record? You wouldn’t be over-blowing things, would you?
We limped into this game at half (at BEST) strength and got whipped by a playoff-contending football team.
Take ANY other team – the Saints, Colts, Cowboys – remove their starting QB, RB two OL, one of their interior DL and a starting CB and tell me how they’d do against the Eagles or a team of that quality.
Exactly; they’d get whipped as well. That’s not an INDICTMENT of the direction of the franchise or the caliber of the team at full-strength.
Check your calendar; it’s not 1989. This is 2009 and the future for the Falcons is bright.
I had a lot of respect for Coach Andy Reid before this game; it was OBVIOUS he wished to use MV7 as a psychological advantage in every way. Tell me what he’d done to earn (that’s right – I said EARN) being a team captain before the game? What a class move that was, Coach; as was having him run the ‘Wildcat’ up 20-0 already IN Atlanta; as was calling his number to make it 34-0. All class, coach.
Good luck keeping your kid out of legal trouble, coach. There; now we’re just as classy, jack@ss.
bigstack19
December 6th, 2009
7:45 pm
Look at all the injuries this team has had to deal with since training camp. Harry Douglas, Peria Jerry, William Moore, Jerious Norwood, Brian Finneran, Brian Williams, Harvey Dahl, Michael Turner, MIchael Jenkins, Matt Ryan. Roddy White has been battling a knee injury all year. Heck, I think even Elam had hamstring issues early in the year. That is alot to overcome during one season whether they are season ending injuries or where they only miss a few games. This is a good team with excellent coaching and a top notch front office. They have just been hit with some awful luck this year starting back in training camp. This team is light years ahead of where they were in 2007. With another off-season to get more players in here that will help this team, watch out next year.
Mr Charlie
December 6th, 2009
7:45 pm
This is why I love the NFL, any given Sunday. This is the Saints year (so far), how does that kicker miss that FG?
vafalconfan
December 6th, 2009
7:46 pm
Shame on all of the people (can’t call you Falcon fans) who cheered for Vick..a man who divided this city, who tortured dogs, who didn’t study the playbook, who stole your hope..this shows the race card in reverse. I can say that because 99% of the people cheering Vick were black and they only cheered because he is black.. Shame on you! Shame on you!!!…
Jimmy
December 6th, 2009
7:46 pm
It was clear after the 3rd game of the season.
We were not going to the playoffs.
I just want us to beat the curse.
Not looking like it is going to happen.
falcon5
December 6th, 2009
7:46 pm
Injuries or no injuries, all love from last year’s team is gone. We blew it. There will be no back to back playoffs, not back to back winning seasons, and no sunday or monday night games. we are back to square one. Great job people! You blew it
Atlanta Peach
December 6th, 2009
7:46 pm
You see what I mean ?!! Here comes racism on this blog ! Right on time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
natesmoney
December 6th, 2009
7:46 pm
Mr. Charlie – sounds like you have been drinking a little too much champipple. lol!!
Jimmy
December 6th, 2009
7:47 pm
Bigstack:
Like your optimism.
You are right. We’ve had a lot to overcome with injuries.
It is just disappointing.
The Dogfighter Returns
December 6th, 2009
7:49 pm
Shame on all of the people (can’t call you Falcon fans) who cheered for Vick..a man who divided this city, who tortured dogs, who didn’t study the playbook, who stole your hope..this shows the race card in reverse. I can say that because 99% of the people cheering Vick were black and they only cheered because he is black.. Shame on you! Shame on you!!!…
—-
where do you folks come up with these theories about vick dividing the city?
The city was probably that way befor him. you are reading too much into people rooting for a football player. that is all it is. last time i checked no one was making a big deal about byron leftwich leaving.
Real
December 6th, 2009
7:49 pm
“The Boss”,if i wasnt a true fan i wouldnt have went to any of the games,where we sucked with petrino at helm.where we had joey at qb,redman,leftwich,and year vick got locked up.i went cause i was a tru fan and not because everybody new we was go suck that year,im nt a eagles fan im just a vick fan,
Seriously...
December 6th, 2009
7:49 pm
whoa! let me get this straight, the Falcons, who were without their franchise starting QB and incredible RB, lost to a top-tier NFC team. The sky isn’t falling people, you’ll get healthy and fight another day if not this year then next.
———————————-
How many more decades are we going to have to hear about “next year”? We are sick and tired of the same crap. Injuries are not an excuse anymore. This is the NFL, there are going to be injuries every week. New England was 11-5 without Brady “Almighty” last year. There’s nothing wrong with being optimistic, but Falcons fans have every right to feel bad about the state of the franchise.
Ryan is pure patty melt cheese
December 6th, 2009
7:49 pm
wish the melt #2(QB) could have played. Vick look good at the dome today . he scored more than the whole falcon team. I saw one clown with a Jersey with inmate #7. Some people never forgive. we the people welcome Vick home. To yahoo sport you should get a real job because sport is not you are it just a bunch of hate filled punks. To blank It was good to come back to the dome but you need defense and a GM too. Oh Matt Ryan is not the answer ( punk under pressure) . now that Vick is gone! your team look like the had HIV. One tip. you need a front seven on defense. head hunter some body that will hit some body in the mouth. so sad Great owner who listen to sport writers who are clue less(yahoo sports is one clueless).
Atlanta Peach
December 6th, 2009
7:50 pm
I think I would feel the same way as one of the callers on sports radio. If the Saints win a Super Bowl before the Falcons, “I think I will puke” !!!
cdog
December 6th, 2009
7:50 pm
i was glad to see michael vick have a good game.it just showed that the only judge of man is GOD and JESUS. it also goes to show, we don’t know when the LORD will fix it where we will need one another. see arthur blanks was so busy judging mike and in the end, he could have used vick. we can’t be quick to judge anyone.JESUS said to the people when they were about the stone the woman who had commited adultry,”he who is without sin, left him cast the first stone” everyone who had a stone ready to throw and hit the woman, quickly dropped their stones because none were sin free. thats the way all of the people who were criticizing vick is, none is without sin in their life.those people who was quick to judge and criticize has no room to criticize mike, tiger woods or any one else. i remember this summer, i wrote that resigning michael vick alone with matt ryan would have given the falcons a 1-2 punch at quarterback but most people were critical. we are humans who were born into sin. me and no one else on this planet has never been sinless. we all have sinned.some of us have sinned behind closed doors but guess what?GOD sees all of our sins and we will have to answer for them. you can’t hide your sin from GOD, thats why JESUS made the sacrifice for us on the cross whether you believe it or not, he did it. he paid the price for us because he loves us no matter what race we are..arthur blanks should have learned a valuable lesson.we don’t know who we will need down the road in our lives.vick could have helped us. not putting redman down but we know he is by far,vick a much better qb than redman or ryan. he has the talent and experience over both but with the money that was paid to ryan i guess he felt he had to go with him.if i was blanks, i would have put my best athletes on the field and roster instead of being a judge of man, especially after vick had paid for his mistakes. everyone of us at some points in our lives, has made mistakes.. i hope ryan recovers but the best qb for the falcons is wearing an eagle uniform now.redman has ways to go but i hope he comes back and try to help atlanta some how maybe, get back into playoff contention or finish the season strong.keep your head up falcons you still have people thats behind you.
RS
December 6th, 2009
7:50 pm
Falcon 5 nailed it, THEY ARE THE FALCONS!!! What is the over-under on them failing to have a winning season, hell, I’ll buy the beer if they do because most of you know they won’t! They were in free-fall even before “waahhh, my toe hurts” begged out of the lineup. They made Carolina look like world beaters when Carolina was getting the crap beat out of it. They made the Giants look like world beaters when the Giants had been getting the snot knocked out of them. Their genius GM revamped the defense and turned it into a sad sack collection of marshmallows. Hell, even the Pathetic, I MEAN THE PATHETIC WORST TEAM IN FOOTBALL OAKLAND RAIDERS can go into Pittsburgh and beat the Steelers and what does this team of losers do? Lose of course but not just lose, they play the patsy on the beach to the Eagles bully. Sad, sad and sadder.
As for the injuries, that is an excuse for losers which is of course what their history clearly and emphatically and accurately demonstrates they are. What kind of physical training regimen are they on when so many drop like flies; every NFL team suffers injuries, when they become so numerous and they involve so many different players and parts of the body, time to examine the training regimen and off-season work out habits. Lastly, draft some defensive linemen and some corners. Couldn’t have used Patrick Willis, naahh, needed Jamaal Anderson instead. Worthless.
Mike Hunt
December 6th, 2009
7:51 pm
Mark Bradley,
I guess the AJC decided to use the headline though, right? Just the typical garbage coming from the AJC – anything to stir up controversy, especially if it can have a racial slant. Vick is a side-show in the NFL. Nothing more…The real story here is plight of a hapless franchise – the Atlanta Falcons. There is no other team in professional football that has a more prolific track record of futility year after year after year…They are the football equivalent of the LA Clippers.
Carlita
December 6th, 2009
7:51 pm
Dogfighter Returns: I don’t deny that the team’s play sucked today! That went without saying, imo! But as a fan, I suffer when my team suffers…which means I’d never think of cheering for a score by the opposition!! That was just salt on the wound, so to speak! Yes, there were a lot of Eagles fans, but I was looking around and saw too many Falcon “fans” also cheering…and I personally know several people who were all excited about Vick’s return, even though they professed to be Falcon fans….I was happy when Vick was booed at first…THAT’s the reception he deserved as the opponent (and his actions)–especially DURING a game and on a score!
falcon5
December 6th, 2009
7:51 pm
bigstack19 (aka thomas Dimitroff)-get off the boards and start looking for talent somewhere
SeenThisB4
December 6th, 2009
7:52 pm
The Saints, are coming!!!
I guess this will be the equivalent of a playoff game for you. We need to stay ahead of the vikings for the home field advantage, so we will bring everything we got, we’re going to win. 13-0.
Saints 34
falcons 10
Jimmy
December 6th, 2009
7:53 pm
The AP headlines such as “Vick Crushes Atlanta” is a testament to why the newspaper industry is dying.
That headline came two years late…Vick did that when he lied to the team and the NFL about dogfighting.
He did that when he threw away a good thing here.
Fair and Balanced
December 6th, 2009
7:53 pm
Let’s be honest with the “injury excuse”..how many starters on defense and offense for the Eagles were out today as well?? LOL….yeah, they have been decimated by injuries all SEASON long and still kicked the Falcons IN THE GEORGIA DOME. No Westbrook, No Desean Jackson…and good grief, they have like 5 starters out on defense….so now why do the Falcons “fans” believe they can use the injury excuse? The Eagles dont use it.
one of dem mike vick lovers
December 6th, 2009
7:54 pm
We love Mike Vick!!!
SeenThisB4
December 6th, 2009
7:54 pm
Oh and I, if you think you saw a lot of eagle fans, wait till next week, you’ll swear you’re in the Superdome!!! LOL!!!
one of dem mike vick lovers
December 6th, 2009
7:54 pm
and Prime Time!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Boss
December 6th, 2009
7:55 pm
Ok, now G-D talk is making its way onto this blog. Geez I’d rather hear “Falcons Sorry, Vick Supporter and Choke” .
“Cdog”, I don’t know about your G-D, but I am pretty sure Football is not on the agenda of mine!
I am out.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
December 6th, 2009
7:56 pm
And they wonder why the broadcasters don’t respect the Falcons
Lisa Wu Hartwell
December 6th, 2009
7:56 pm
My husband needs a job ! How’d about it Dimitroff !
Matt
December 6th, 2009
7:56 pm
I am an extremely disapointed Falcons fan today. “We want Vick” should not be recited ever in Atlanta. Whatever you think about his crimes on animals, he has cost the Falcons as wasted first pick in the draft, millions against our salary cap, and wasted two years of Atlanta Falcons football. If the Falcons are to grow as a team, it will not be with the likes of so called self indulging “Falcons Greats” with the likes of Vick, Rison, Sanders, and Jamal”snowbunny” Anderson. So long Vick and lets get Ryan and Turner healthy again and rebuild our defense.
Falcon Supporter
December 6th, 2009
7:57 pm
Today I arrived in my Falcon Jersey,, no it did not have Vick on it.. But today I truly saw a City that proved who we really are… We are a Forgiving City… To the Media that tries to leave parts OUT… When Vick came out the tunnel leading his team,, there were Boos and Cheers! When Vick was in centerfield as one of the Captains, there were Boos and Cheers! BUT When Vick was TAKEN OUT OF THE GAME,, there were MORE Boos …and the Crowd began to show where they stood concerning MV7,,, CHANTS began “WE WANT VICK”.. Those Chants WERE NOT EAGLES FANS, Those were FALCON FANS… DOn’t get it TWISTED,, We are TRUE Falcon Fans and Supporters. HOWEVER; WE Believe in Forgiveness!!! And Yes our Team played horrible today BUT,,, We are STILL FALCON FANS… Very SAD how the Media placed ALL Emphasis on the Negative but TODAY was ALL Positive for VICK…. Mike came Home Today and he was Welcomed with Open Arms by his Falcon Fan Family…. Vick,, your Exit Kisses were well received by all those that Stayed until you went out in the tunnel, Yes the Dome Staff turned the MUSIC UP because the FANS that remained continued to chant “We Want Vick”, which was very unprofessional, We are the same FANS that purchased tickets because MV7 came home today and SOLD ATLANTA OUT.. Vick Remain Steadfast, God Bless!
Falcons Fans Still Love Vick
December 6th, 2009
7:57 pm
LOL@ the Atlanta Falcons fan message board is down…they probably wont have it back up before Wed. LOL
Falcon Fan 311
December 6th, 2009
7:57 pm
I love the Falcons, but the fans today made the game that much worst to watch, I watched the team take a beating and got cheered against in their own home by faux falcons fans, I stayed till the end with all the rest of the true fans and watched them drive 99 yards and score. so i know they can come back to take on the saints, one bad loss and people want to fire coach smith! come on we will bounce back from this.
GO FALCONS!!
ps i am not sure but I think our home record in last 2 seasons is 11-2 that is pretty strong.