The Falcons are the class of the NFC, but a familiar face looms
Feeling fearless in Seattle: Another three-touchdown game for Matt Ryan. (AP photo)
They’re in the playoffs, and they’re as close to having the No. 1 seed throughout the NFC bracket as you can get without clinching. They’ve got two games to go, both of them here. Win once more — here we note that the Falcons meet the NFL’s worst team, Carolina, in the regular-season finale Jan. 2 — and they won’t play anywhere but here until February.
And that’s the way it ought to be. If you’re looking for the NFL’s best overall team, it’s Atlanta. (And if you’re wondering when last we could say that about the Falcons with any conviction, the answer would be, “Um … never.”)
The Patriots have a fabulous offense, but their defense entered the weekend as the league’s fifth-worst. Maybe Tom Brady is good enough to override that failing, but at some point a championship team has to stop somebody. (Doesn’t it?) The Ravens are stout, but the Falcons have beaten them. The Falcons lost to the Steelers, but that was before the local team figured out how good it could be.The Jets are more a TV show than a Super Bowl winner. Those are the only AFC teams worth mentioning.
As for the NFC: The Giants just blew a 21-point lead in a prove-it game, meaning they proved they don’t belong among the elite. The Saints lost in Baltimore on Sunday, solidifying the season-long belief that the reigning champs are indeed last year’s team. The Bears lead the NFC North but don’t seem a threat. But there’s one team that does.
Given the Falcons’ run of last-gasp victories and their absence of serious injuries, this has been a charmed season for the franchise that, 45 years on, hasn’t known many. These Falcons don’t dazzle you with footwork; they just hammer you with basics. They’re not rattled by an opponent’s quick start. They’re not rattled by anything. That said …
The Philadelphia Eagles are coming fast. (Emphasis on “fast.” Those guys can really run.) They weren’t supposed to lead the NFC East with two games to go — back in September, Dallas and the Giants were the touted teams — and however the Eagles fared was supposed to hinge on new quarterback Kevin Kolb.
Two weeks into the season, the Eagles had a new new quarterback. Andy Reid, the low-key coach, chose to elevate Michael Vick to No. 1 after saying repeatedly he would not. (Kolb had gotten hurt in the opener.) The Eagles made the announcement via a mass text message at 6 p.m. on a Tuesday night. At a Wednesday briefing Reid faced an enraged Philly media, which demanded to know why it should ever trust him again.
Today the Eagles are at worst the NFC’s second-best team, and they’ve already beaten the Falcons on a day when Vick didn’t play. (Question for a rainy afternoon: Are the Eagles deeper at quarterback than the Phillies are in starting pitching?) The Eagles are having a season kissed by the angels, same as the Falcons. You know something strange is happening when, as happened Sunday, a Vick-fueled Philly rally enables his former team to clinch a playoff berth.
Loading ...So now we ask: Is it possible to have two teams of destiny? If so, which one wins?
Speaking last week, the former Falcon great Jessie Tuggle said: “I’m a little biased, but I think [the Falcons are] the best team in the NFC.”
Then, after a pause: “But Philadelphia could push them.”
Think about it. Jan. 23, 2011: The Georgia Dome stages its first conference championship game, and who should be the opposing quarterback? Only the guy who used to pack the place.
Me, I’m thinking that would be the toughest ticket in the history of Atlanta sports, above even Muhammad Ali’s comeback fight against Jerry Quarry in October 1970. And I’m also hoping it doesn’t happen for a selfish reason: The profession I’ve chosen would be rendered null and void, at least for that week.
If ever a story could write itself, it’d be this: Michael Vick returns to Atlanta, a Super Bowl on the line. Nuff said.
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837 comments Add your comment
Fan of the Game
December 20th, 2010
12:59 pm
Mike Smith is definitley the coach of the year. The man knows how to rate talent. That is a big part of it. That is New England’s key. Get the players, coach them and win.
Ted M
December 20th, 2010
1:01 pm
Victoria’s Secret star Jess Hart says I shouldn’t come up and talk to her if I see her in a bar. She just doesn’t know how charming I am.
Saints R.E.A.M.
December 20th, 2010
1:03 pm
Coach of the Year candidates: Andy Reid, Bill Bellicheck & Raheem (Tampa’s coach)….I don’t think Mike Smith is a clear winner.
Headley Lamar
December 20th, 2010
1:04 pm
• He is living on a court-ordered budget until 2015.
• The trustee in charge of his bankruptcy is suing everyone in his family.
• Vick is still trying to explain a missing $5 million.
• And nearly two-thirds of every dollar he earns goes to creditors and to taxes.
Although there is a budget provision for “living expenses,” his car allowance is only $472 per month, a far cry from Vick’s pre-arrest collection of F-450 pickups and $100,000 luxury automobiles.
The fees Vick will pay to the bankruptcy lawyers are scheduled to be $748,750 this year, another $1,058,080 next year and a total during the budget years of $2.6 million.
If Vick wants to make any changes in this structure, he must ask U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Frank Santoro in Norfolk, Va., for approval, a process that will result in greater legal fees for Vick and in objections from more than a dozen lawyers representing his creditors.
The man is broke.
P Rose
December 20th, 2010
1:04 pm
Arrgh, I really do HAVE to get back to work, but I just couldn’t let this go! MINDY, I said the Eagles display bad sportsmanship, and you start bringing up white people who are “bad” — gee, I must have really struck a nerve with you! George Washington was “bad” but Mike Vick is “good?” Lord, what are they teaching you in your schools?? I give up on you. Vick Supporter — you tell me to stick to “facts” and then you call me a “woman” — what happened to your sticking to “facts?” Honestly, trying to argue logic with you people is like trying to win a dog-barking contest. I’m shutting off my computer NOW. Good luck with your miserable lives and GO FALCONS!
Saints R.E.A.M.
December 20th, 2010
1:05 pm
Why are you worried about MVick’s financial situation? So what he plays for free (the love of the game)….lol.
Headley Lamar
December 20th, 2010
1:05 pm
* Two-thirds of every dollar that Michael Vick makes goes to his creditors.
* The rest of the money is strictly regulated.
* His creditors will receive $12 million through 2015, provided that Michael Vick will still be earning a multi-million dollar salary.
* Vick’s essentials are regulated, including his rent, utilities, mortgage and other payments.
* Vick’s business essentials are also regulated including his fee to his agent (who will get $800,000 through 2015) and his tax lawyers (who will get $2.6 million).
MV7 for MVP
December 20th, 2010
1:06 pm
The man is broke.
Lol he is broke but he can buy courtside sixers tickets!!!!! Keep Explaining
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA3Dq0dezX0
Ted M
December 20th, 2010
1:08 pm
There has been a lot of good coaching this year, Lovie Smith is another one. I’d vote for Mike Smith though. I like how he goes for it on 4th down. That’s just 1 of million good things.
FalconFan
December 20th, 2010
1:10 pm
MV7, Get you defensive stats right. Here is the Falcon defensive stats from NFL.com. That isn’t too hard for you to type is it?
PTS
18.6
(7th)
YDS
332.9
(15th)
PASS YDS
226.8
(20th)
RUSH YDS
106.1
(12th)
The most important stat, as Deion Sanders states is the points allowed. #7 in the league, not #21 like the Eagles.
And if you think for one moment the Falcons aren’t for real and Ryan isn’t for real look below:
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/comeback.cgi?player=RyanMa00
If you want to see what type of college player he was in 4 years, not 5 look below
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=146254
ACC 2007 Player of the Year…2007 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner (given to the nation’s top senior quarterback, based on athletic performance as well as character, leadership and academic performance)…also won the Manning Award as the nation’s top quarterback…won the Scanlan Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a BC football player…finished seventh in Heisman Trophy balloting…set the BC school record for single-season passing yards (4,507)…finished his career third on BC’s all-time passing yardage list (9,313), behind Doug Flutie and Glenn Foley…threw 56 career touchdowns, third on the all-time list…BC’s career leader in pass completions (807)…registered 12 300-yard passing games, including five games with more than 400 yards… finalist for 2007 Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year Award…finished 25-7 record in 32 career starts – 11-3 in 2007, 9-3 in 2006, 5-0 in 2005 and 0-1 in 2004.
Enough said.
Jon
December 20th, 2010
1:10 pm
ESPN can lick eagles a$$ all day but once the falcons win it all they’ll be outta the eagles overhyped a$$! ESPN sucks, Eagles suck!!!!
Ted M
December 20th, 2010
1:10 pm
Mike Shanahan gets the razzy for worst coach.
extremus
December 20th, 2010
1:11 pm
Sad to watch these boards repeatedly degenerate into a vulgar hate-fest. And to think, none of this would be the case if Michael Vick had been white.
That’s just the way it is; the Falcons are fielding an excellent team right now (most of whom are black), but the bitterness of the trolls here shows they only see white: Matt Ryan and Arthur Blank. And despite the fact that those two gentlemen have done nothing wrong that I’m aware of, they’re constantly villainized because of their race and the idea that Vick was “owed something”. Talent trumps character in their eyes, race trumps common sense and right and wrong.
Atlanta as a city is a microcosm of a nation that’s about to tear itself apart. Probably won’t be long, either, and our enemies are pointing and laughing at America; political correctness is the most heinous hypocrisy going on in America right now. We all know deep down, as I’ve said before, that everyone is segregated to some extent between their ears, no matter how much propoganda they hear or how much their conscience tries to be fair toward all men. All of that pent-up hatred and bitterness could explode in Atlanta on a late January night in 2011.
Ted M
December 20th, 2010
1:11 pm
Dan Snyder is like Rankin Smith with more money.
Reality Check
December 20th, 2010
1:11 pm
@Falcon Fan
With a name like that you should alone be embarrassed and finding typing typos as your comeback – you are truly a Falcons fan… HA HA.
Like Vick Supporter said – give it up son.
Rodney King
December 20th, 2010
1:11 pm
Can’t we just all get along?
I, for one, would be intrigued by a Falcons-Eagles NFC Championship.
I just hope that if the game does happen, the city of Atlanta will turn out in droves and support the Falcons, who are the city’s team. Anyone who likes Vick is certainly entitled to like him and wish him success, but if you are an Atlantan and you have any sense of civic pride or regional idetity, it should be a no-brainer that you are pulling for the Falcons to get to, and win, the Superbowl.
I actually don’t have terrible feelings about Michael Vick. I loved watching him play when he was here, was disgusted by his actions with the dog fighting mess and, to some extent, disgusted by the way the whole thing was overblown by the national media and groups like PETA. I think, regardless of his motivations (since I don’t know the man personally, I don’t feel qualified to judge them), he handled the fall out as best as he could, served the sentence he was given, and has generally said and done almost all the right things since being released from Federal prison. I find that I still enjoy watching Michael Vick play football immensely because I’ve never seen any other player do the things he does.
All that said, this current Falcons team is as likeable as any team I’ve ever followed. And if there’s any real justice in the world, their season won’t end at the hands of Michael Vick. The Falcons were, on some level, lucky that the Vick situation happened when and how it did. They were also smart enough to go out and get Thomas Dimitroff, Mike Smith, Matt Ryan, and Michael Turner shortly thereafter, which has made all the difference. Absent those four remarkable hires, the Vick situation could have doomed the Falcons to a decade of rebuilding, given the fact that the entire team and payroll was built around him. And so, while the Falcons own luck/skill avoided a serious fallout from Vick’s arrest, it could have and probably should have been a lot worse. And for that, if for no other reason, the Falcons DESERVE to beat the Eagles on their way to a Superbowl crown.
I would just love to see this city unite behind that goal.
Jon
December 20th, 2010
1:12 pm
Imagine the eagles without Vick, haha 4-10, maybe 3-11? Vick means a ton to the eagles but the falcons will fry sum eagle at the georgia dome ya dig “eagles” fans?
MV7 for MVP
December 20th, 2010
1:12 pm
Jon
December 20th, 2010
1:10 pm
ESPN can lick eagles a$$ all day but once the falcons win it all they’ll be outta the eagles overhyped a$$! ESPN sucks, Eagles suck!!!!
31-17 The Eagles have already blowed out the Falcons this year
GT Crow
December 20th, 2010
1:12 pm
Human beings ARE created to eat meat! If we weren’t then why do we have sharp, blade like front teeth – made for cutting and ripping flesh? We survive on getting nutrients from meat and plants! In today’s society, we are lucky enough to have the choice not to eat meat due to vitamin supplements used to replace those nutrients found in meat. If human beings were supposed to have a diet composed of 100% vegetation, all of our teeth would be molars – designed for crushing and grinding food… not ripping and tearing…. if you notice… we have both…We are OMNIVORES!!
Saints R.E.A.M.
December 20th, 2010
1:12 pm
Shanahan may be the worst of the coaches still around….Wade Phillips & “Chilly” Chidress….took teams from last years playoffs and ran them into the dump. Not to mention the “boy wonder” from Denver.
FalconFan
December 20th, 2010
1:13 pm
Vick financial situation:
Oh what a tangled web we weave with our choices. A man with one of the most tangled financial webs in America is Mr. Michael Vick. Vick has re-positioned himself as one of the leading quarterbacks in the NFL, and I’m sure a massive financial offer is forthcoming at some point. But don’t expect Michael to be rolling pretty for quite a while, since I haven’t seen this many financial problems since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Where do we begin? Let’s start with Vick’s stellar salary with the Philadelphia Eagles. Michael brings home a cool $4.1 million, which might seem like a lot of money for a man who didn’t just file bankruptcy while serving time in prison. A condition of the bankruptcy is that Vick doesn’t get to spend nearly any of the money he earns for anything other than absolute necessities. So, that means no Cristal at the club, no ‘blingin, flossin’, shinin’ or stuntin’ allowed, which seems to be the mandatory calling for far too many African American athletes.
A full two-thirds of Michael Vick’s salary goes to the IRS and bill collectors. He is given $4,250 per month for rent and $472 per month to pay his car note. He is, however, allowed to pay his mother $2,500 per month for whatever job she has – we should always make room in the bankruptcy deal for mama. Vick then gives the rest of his money to lawyers, child support, and his agent, who gets $800,000 up through the year 2015. His creditors will get $12 million over the next five years as well.
Even with his amazing play, Michael Vick can’t ease too much of the financial pressure with pay increases. If his annual salary jumps to $10 million or more per year, Vick must give his creditors 40 percent of what he brings home. Perhaps through time, this financial discipline can lead Vick to engage in the act of wealth building instead of debt creation. He won’t be able to run, jump and take brutal hits much longer and will need something to sustain him into middle age.
FalconFan
December 20th, 2010
1:15 pm
Here is the link on the debt Vick owes
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/commentary/news/story?page=munson/101202
Jon
December 20th, 2010
1:15 pm
Reality check- thats a crappy name for a wu$$y aints fan. Lets face it your aints aint goin anywhere!!!!
What happened to Brees baby? He has 20 ints this season i think?
Reggie Bush just ruined a college this season
Yall will get youre a$$ kicked next monday!
MATTY ICE 4 PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!
FALCONS 4 LIFE!!!!!!!!!
FalconFan
December 20th, 2010
1:16 pm
MV7, It’s BLOWN, not blowed
Jon
December 20th, 2010
1:16 pm
Vicks a pauper but he can kill the aints any day!
Heres the food chain:
#1 Falcons
Eagles
Ain’ts
FalconFan
December 20th, 2010
1:17 pm
Reality,
At least I do not need to escape from New Orleans to other cities and never go back.
Reality Check
December 20th, 2010
1:18 pm
Headley Lamar
December 20th, 2010
12:47 pm
So Mr. Math Major please explain to me how you reached the uneducated conclusion that he won’t pay off his debt?
I’m waiting Einstein.
Because
1. He is still hated in this country by the majority of people.
2. Whatever endorsements he gets will not even come close to covering his debts
Vick is as broke as broke gets. He gets an allowance from the court.
Kind of sad really.
———————————————————–
You still didn’t respond to the signing bonus paying for his debt and what does being hated by America has anything to do with his debt. Based on that response, it appears you are the one that has a problem realizing that he will be RICH again.
As far as being broke – can you explain the 90,000.00 birthday gift for his fiancee?
As far as being the most hated in America, its kind of hard to make that argument since he leads all NFL players in the popularity Pro Bowl Voting.
I’ll wait.
MV7 for MVP
December 20th, 2010
1:18 pm
FalconFan
December 20th, 2010
1:16 pm
MV7, It’s BLOWN, not blowed
LMAO!!!! So we having grammar class today also on why Vick is better than Ryan, keep them coming
MV7 for MVP
December 20th, 2010
1:19 pm
@Reality Check
Vick gets paid for playing in the Pro Bowl also right?
Stew Kliteneaque
December 20th, 2010
1:20 pm
jeff hullinger stole my gig…
MV7 for MVP
December 20th, 2010
1:22 pm
Vicks a pauper but he can kill the aints any day!
Heres the food chain:
#1 Falcons
Eagles
Ain’ts
If the Falcons are #1 then why don’t the media give them respect??? I guess it is because they know who the best team in the NFC is, THE EAGLES!!!! Only Eagles replays are showing on espn not them sorry falcons
FalconFan
December 20th, 2010
1:22 pm
Whatever he gets paid, he still only gets roughly $60K per year. Oh and Mamma gets $30k.
And his trustee is actually in court to get roughly $5m back from family members etc..that he was trying to hide before he went to prison, which adds more to the debt. He still owes the Falcons $7.5million too
SawThat1nce
December 20th, 2010
1:23 pm
Baltimore 30 – - New Orleans 24
NFCSouth
Falcons 12-2
saints 10-4
In the words of the legendary Scooby-Doo “Wut-Woe”.
What happened to your team, saints fans? I thought they were suppose to be unbeatable.
FalconFan
December 20th, 2010
1:24 pm
ESPN stands for Entertainment Sports Programming Network. They are like the Jerry Springer of sports. They need Vick for controversy. A clean team isn’t as fancy, but they will be running plenty of highlights on the Falcons when they win the Super Bowl this year.
Saints R.E.A.M.
December 20th, 2010
1:25 pm
All Falcons fans should be ticked off at MB. You want the National media to “hype” the Falcons or mention them as legit contenders but your hometown paper won’t do it! This article should be about how fantastic the Falcons are….instead he throws the “familiar face” of Mike Vick bit out there. Why? Because Mike Vick sold tickets when he was in ATL…and he can still sell Newspapers in ATL. Oh, bash MVIck all you want….sounds as if he is getting the short end of the stick to me….ATL Falcon fans must admit that Vick is the straw that stirs your drinks!! Why not just write about Matt Ice? Because no one cares.
Reality Check
December 20th, 2010
1:25 pm
Headley Lamar
December 20th, 2010
1:04 pm
• He is living on a court-ordered budget until 2015.
• The trustee in charge of his bankruptcy is suing everyone in his family.
• Vick is still trying to explain a missing $5 million.
• And nearly two-thirds of every dollar he earns goes to creditors and to taxes.
________________________________________________
It’s pretty much a moot point when he signs another MONSTER deal of 80 million plus. If McNabb gets 78 Million, you can fill in the blanks on what Vick’s deal will be.
So if he even still owes 20-30 million in debt, even you can subtract 30 from 80.
Don’t you hate that Vick will always be rich and you will always be JEALOUS?
HA HA HA
MV7 for MVP
December 20th, 2010
1:26 pm
FalconFan
December 20th, 2010
1:22 pm
Whatever he gets paid, he still only gets roughly $60K per year. Oh and Mamma gets $30k.
And his trustee is actually in court to get roughly $5m back from family members etc..that he was trying to hide before he went to prison, which adds more to the debt. He still owes the Falcons $7.5million too
When a Falcon Fan has nothing more to talk about on why Ryan is better than Vick(Which he isn’t), he chooses to talk about his debt on a FOOTBALL BLOG!!! Come on dude you already know Vick is better than Ryan
MV7 for MVP
December 20th, 2010
1:29 pm
but they will be running plenty of highlights on the Falcons when they win the Super Bowl this year.
The Falcons will be sitting at home if they play the Giants or Bears for the first game
FalconFan
December 20th, 2010
1:31 pm
Reality,
Take 50% away for taxes, then 40% away for debt. What do you have
FalconFan
December 20th, 2010
1:32 pm
God,
The Falcons would be the hell out of either the Giants or Bears. Cake Walk
JSS
December 20th, 2010
1:33 pm
“doesn’t get to spend nearly any of the money he earns for anything other than absolute necessities. So, that means no Cristal at the club, no ‘blingin, flossin’, shinin’ or stuntin’ allowed, which seems to be the mandatory calling for far too many African American athletes.”
That sounds more sounds like a day for poor Kroy Bierman or one of the Hogan kids… Maybe Kid Rock when he was slumming at the Waffle House. Hmmm, If those gold digging step children of “All-American hero” Bruce Jenner knows you’re talking about them in such manner? Now Sir, might you put down your paint brush of stereotypes and just face this reality … He could have chosen Chapter 7 personally and liquidated all of those toxic assets and never paid one creditor a dime… But, instead he choose to live up to a reorganized debt repayment… You Falcons fans should be happy because you’ll get some cap relief… Well, that is after the lockout!
papadawg
December 20th, 2010
1:34 pm
What was Vicks longest season winning streaks when he was in Atlanta. UH ONE. He was a real winning QB here wasn’t he
MV7 for MVP
December 20th, 2010
1:34 pm
FalconFan
December 20th, 2010
1:32 pm
God,
The Falcons would be the hell out of either the Giants or Bears. Cake Walk
Both teams have better defenses than the Falcons and the Giants have faster recievers that the falcons defense is suspect against, like they have already shown earlier this year against THE EAGLES!!!
Falcon fan
December 20th, 2010
1:35 pm
All of you Matt Ryan Bashers realize the Falcons are 31-14 with Matt Ryan as QB and have had 3 consecutive winning seasons for the first time in franchise history. He has also only lost 1 home game since he started for the Falcons as a rookie. Anyone who thinks he is overrated clearly does not know anything about football
All that being said, MV is clearly a better player at this time of his career this year. This does not detract from Matt Ryan because MV is the best player in the NFL. Matt Ryan at this stage is probably in the top 5-10 QB’s in the league and rising. Both are the best fits for their teams right now so if they play may the best team win.
Folks get over it, MV did what he did to himself and the team. New GM, coaches for the Falcons put the pieces together and Matt Ryan was the best pick to do that and has been a success. For a variety of reasons including his self admiting he did not work hard enough, the Falcons never had back to back winning seasons as a Falcon.
MV7 for MVP
December 20th, 2010
1:36 pm
papadawg
December 20th, 2010
1:34 pm
What was Vicks longest season winning streaks when he was in Atlanta. UH ONE. He was a real winning QB here wasn’t he
Yea that NFC Title Game for Atlanta was the the closest the Falcons have been to the Superbowl since 1998, How far has Ryan gone in the post season? Has he won ONE game??
papadawg
December 20th, 2010
1:40 pm
mv7 like I said ONE winning season doesn’t make greatness
MV7 for MVP
December 20th, 2010
1:41 pm
Matt Ryan at this stage is probably in the top 5-10 QB’s
1.Tom Brady
2.Peyton Manning
3.Michael Vick
4.Drew Brees
5.Ben Roethlisberger
6.Philip Rivers
7.Aaron Rodgers
8.Eli Manning
9.Joe Flacco
10.Carson Palmer,
MV7 for MVP
December 20th, 2010
1:42 pm
papadawg
December 20th, 2010
1:40 pm
mv7 like I said ONE winning season doesn’t make greatness
And a 9-7 season doesn’t make GREATNESS either
how2fish
December 20th, 2010
1:43 pm
MV7 for MVP MV is a better athlete than Matt Ryan and 99.99 % of the people on the planet, he is in my view 40% better as a QB than he was while he was in Atlanta…however there is no way he is a better QB today or tomorrow than Matt Ryan is today. Ryan is a better leader and game plan executioner than Vick, odds are also that Vick will not be able to play at his current level for long…he just takes too many big hits. Has he payed his debt for his crimes..yes , does he deserve the second chance he has been given YES , does he deserve to be paid as much as he can get YES..and more power to him many ,many men would have walked away from their dream and MV has stayed the course..but he will never have the legacy of a Montana, Marinio, or John Elway etc.too many folks can forgive but not forget what he did and it will always taint how they view him.
Submariner683
December 20th, 2010
1:44 pm
This is for MV7 for MVP (aka NoodleArmRyan and MattChokeRyan). Based on his posts, I believe this is the same person. I could be wrong. This is also for all the other people who for some reason hate Matt Ryan or hate the Falcons for moving on when their star QB lied to the owner, the organization, the prosecution (until one of his boys flipped on him), and went to jail.
My question is and always will be, what else do you think is reasonable for the Falcons to have done? Were they supposed to go without a QB for three seasons in the hopes that he would come back and play to this level? Was that realistic? I’m not going to judge what Vick did other that it was against the law to do it and he knew it. He paid the price for that. I believe in redemption and I think he is well on his way. He seems to be very contrite and sincere when he speaks about what he has done and seems to have a newfound appreciation for his career.
These are the same haters that were bashing the Falcons for even drafting Ryan because the LSU DT Dorsey was on the table. I think history has panned that pick out and how horrible a mistake that would have been. Matt Ryan has done everything the fans and the Falcons’ organization could have wanted or expected. He’s a good kid with a good head on his shoulders and seems to have very high character.
Mick Vick is not the starting QB for the Falcons and never will be. He did energize the city when he was in Atlanta. Before Vick was in Atlanta, the Falcons games were routinely blacked out. At least they were back in the 80s before I joined the Navy, so I may be dating myself here. I hope Atlanta can move on and support this team, and this quarterback. Say whatever you want about Vick during his time in Atlanta. He lead them to two playoff wins and two playoff loses. What he couldn’t do was lead the team to consecutive winning seasons. Matt Ryan is on his 3rd winning season. Give the kid a chance, give this team a chance.