On a wild night, the Falcons KO Vick and outslug his team
Michael Vick made three turnovers and left early. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
Traffic congealed on Northside Drive 2 1/2 hours before kickoff Sunday night. Ninety minutes later, the line to enter the Georgia Dome was 10-deep and 10-wide. From the crush of humanity, you’d have thought somebody famous was in town.
Actually, somebody famous was. Michael Vick was once the only compelling reason to watch the Falcons, and now he’s a both ex-Falcon and ex-con. In Philadelphia he has become the polished player he never was here, and on this night Vick would oppose a quarterback who’s the pride of Old Penn Charter School, a quarterback some Atlantans insist will never be as good as No. 7.
The vagaries of professional football had kept Matt Ryan and Vick from gracing the same NFL field. When Vick played here as a reserve in December 2009, Ryan was hurt. When Ryan played in Philly last October, Vick was hurt. But now the moment was at hand, and you could have game-planned a full summer and not concocted a more loaded Week 2 collision.
The Falcons, who some have cast as Super Bowl champs-to-be, entered on a six-game losing streak. Granted, four of those were exhibitions, but the first and last of the six were troubling.
The Falcons had been embarrassed by a hot quarterback wearing green back in January, and on Opening Day in Chicago they’d been bulldozed by Brian Urlacher. They needed this game not just to prove that, almost five years after Vick had last taken a snap as a Falcon, they’d emerged from his considerable shadow; in more pragmatic terms, they needed it to remind themselves they know how to win.
Three minutes into the third quarter, the Falcons were on track to doing both. They led 21-10 largely because Vick kept giving them the ball. (With a former Atlantan working for Philly and a native Philadelphian playing for Atlanta, sometimes it gets confusing.) Perhaps trying to earn his way into the Falcons’ Ring of Honor, Vick fumbled twice near the end of the first half and threw an interception to open the second.
Down 11, the Eagles responded with a quick touchdown — the Eagles are nothing if not quick — and then Ryan threw an interception and then Matt Bosher, who punts for the Falcons, dropped one out-of-bounds at the 20. This, if you’re a punter, is usually a good thing. Trouble was, this punt plopped down on the Falcons’ 20. Soon the visitors led by 10, and that might have been that. Except for one thing.
Vick was gone. He’d been hit on a pass and driven into one of his blockers. He left for the locker room with what was described as a neck injury — as he exited, he responded to boos by pointing to the scoreboard — and suddenly a game gone wrong was winnable again. The Falcons were 10 points in arrears, but they had more than a quarter left and they were facing a quarterback named, appropriately, Kafka.
“A lot of ebbs and flows,” Mike Smith, the Falcons’ coach, would say afterward.
With 4:48 to play, the Falcons were again in front. Ryan had been having an odd game — he had thrown three touchdown passes but had dealt two interceptions and been hurried and harried — but reverted to precise form with his team under duress. His fourth touchdown pass brought the Falcons close, and then Michael Turner galvanized the go-back-ahead surge with a 61-yard burst and a scoring sweep.
A four-point lead with 4:48 remaining wouldn’t have seemed a cushion against Vick, but against Mike Kafka the dynamics were rather different. On such a bizarre night, though, it somehow made sense that we’d be handed a Kafkaesque finish. The Philly sub led his team upfield, and was it possible the fancied Falcons would slip to 0-2 having been beaten by the namesake of a famed existentialist?
Er, no. Jeremy Maclin dropped a fourth-down pass that would have given the Eagles a first down at the Falcons’ 15, and the home side had done the job. It had beaten Michael Vick’s team while battering Michael Vick, and it had won a game that filled an immense need.
“It was perseverance,” Smith said. “You can’t overstate that.”
No, you can’t. Sometimes it matters less how well you play than how hard. This was such a night. The Falcons didn’t look nearly their best, but there’ll be time enough for fine-turning. This was one of those games that had to be won by any means necessary, and it was.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
430 comments Add your comment
Larry
September 19th, 2011
12:29 am
Those last two 80 yards drives against the dream team defense orchestrated by #2 gives us all a little hope again after losing hope watching Baker get embarrassed, our defense once again allowing wide open receivers, and Mr. Abraham doing the most stupid thing one can do in a football game..lie up off sides on a key 3rd and four in the red zone giving a team an automatic 1st down that led to a TD.
Ryan wasn’t perfect…but the man was a warrior out there today unwilling to lose!
Loserville USA
September 19th, 2011
12:30 am
One last thing….Weems / Special Teams need to stop letting balls roll… cost us points last week and tonight.
He didn’t do that last season.
Just A Fan
September 19th, 2011
12:30 am
GO FALCONS! KEEP PUSHIN! ROAD TO PLAYOFF REDEMPTION STARTS NOW!
cain swanson
September 19th, 2011
12:30 am
mark bradley so what he is ex-con, you say that just to hate on michael vick. lets see you go to prison on trumped up charges for 2 years and see how you fair when released you punk.
Dr. Warren
September 19th, 2011
12:31 am
Why is the name Kafka appropriate? Because the Falcons were on “trial” after last week’s big loss? Because a 2nd-string quarterback naturally feels alienated amid a frenzied road crowd? Not fully getting the reference, MB. I agree, though, that the finish was somewhat Kafkaesque. While not absurdly complex, there was a sense of impending doom, considering these are the Falcons. Now if Bosher bungles the final punt, becomes a roach, scurries around end, and gets squashed, then yes, I agree, we’re sending the team to Prague for an interrogation.
MightyQuinn
September 19th, 2011
12:31 am
I maintain the Falcons best Offensive Coordinator is Matt Ryan. The no huddle works. Mike Mularky needs to be fired. This offense has WAY too many weapons to look this bad in anything other than the no huddle. Lots of Baker bashing here but wouldn’t anyone with ANY football sense give him some help, run a trap, ANYTHING???? Instead, no help, no imaginative play calling. Name Ryan Offensive Coordinator! Mularky HAS to go.
Just A Fan
September 19th, 2011
12:32 am
YAAWWWWWN! A WIN IS A WIN!
Larry
September 19th, 2011
12:32 am
Our only hope to compete for a Super Bowl:
Replace BVG NOW!
Replace Baker NOW!
Find Arthur Blank another 27 year old bride NOW!
Mora less Petrino
September 19th, 2011
12:32 am
The Falcons’ attack is better when they play at a high tempo. The Birds are not a grind it out team.
26belly
September 19th, 2011
12:33 am
@Claudia. So you were the PA “filling in” during the diagnosis? No pun intended.
O'Brien
September 19th, 2011
12:34 am
Mark,
On Sportscenter, Trent Dilfer says he doesnt understand why the Falcons dont run the no huddle more often (if not all the time). He thinks Matt Ryan can handle it, and actually said he is comparable to Brady and Manning (not in terms of talent), but in terms of being able to process many things quickly, and to make the right decisions more often than not.
What do you think?
Shirley
September 19th, 2011
12:34 am
So glad the Falcons won this game! How solid is Michael Turner?
O'Brien
September 19th, 2011
12:35 am
MightyQuinn,
I’m with you. Falcons need to run the no huddle more often. Peyton runs it for almost the entire game. And I have not been impressed by Mularkey’s play calling.
Ginger
September 19th, 2011
12:35 am
Just win baby !!!! Way to go Falcons.
Fred
September 19th, 2011
12:37 am
Mark Bradley
September 19th, 2011
12:19 am
It was a great game to watch. No so much a great game to write about on a file-at-the-final-buzzer print deadline, however. But that’s part of the deal.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
That was obvious by your article MB, bit it’s okay. We love you anyway lol. It was kind of like the Falcons tonight: ugly, but it got it done. Few appreciate how hard it is to be at your “best” 15 seconds after the game is done. I’ll give you kudo’s on your blog entry.
Michael M.
September 19th, 2011
12:37 am
Thank you very much ! I had Atlanta picked to upset the Eagles all week ! Alot of people on AJC Blogs rag Matt Ryan and it makes me mad because all the Kid does is win ballgames ! I think hes a heck of a player and if the Atlanta Coaching Staff would fix that no-block so called offensive line to give him some protection he could put up some big passing yards.
You notice when Falcons got touchdowns they had to be reviewed, looked at sideways, upside down and whatever but the Eagles, oh its automatic! So one sided, you know!
And the Defense and the ” Beasty Boys”, they played well and got it done when needed !
Ohhhhhhh, and Welcome Home Michael Vick! Da-hummnnnn!
Mikey "Choke" Vick
September 19th, 2011
12:38 am
Hey ya’ll, just wanted to say sorry for lettin’ you down. I’m gonna keep workin’ on my heart and toughness, and one day I’ll have half as much as Jay Cutler.
Ginger
September 19th, 2011
12:38 am
Glad for the win…but need really need more speed weapons on offense…should have hit some quick screens out of backfield to slow down Eagles and some end around…Eagles were just pinning ears back and getting after Ryan
Fred
September 19th, 2011
12:38 am
we won. that’s all that matters.
Fred-D
September 19th, 2011
12:39 am
Baker did have help, there were tight ends also trying to slow down #58, but he was lined up so wide and had so much momentum, he just made Baker look silly. I didn’t know that he was a 2 time pro-bowler, he looked like a hall of famer tonite!! Since Baker had so much trouble with the wide end formation, get used to seeing it, if something works, other teams will try it also.
FalconsFan284
September 19th, 2011
12:39 am
It was a good and lucky win. It’s pretty simple. The Falcons have a lot of work to do on their O-line but it’s the defense that has me concerned. Why is no one calling for BVG’s job right now? The Falcons simply have to quit playing quarters zone defense on every single third down. Our safeties cannot play 20 yards off the ball on third and ten. We cannot drop our best pass rusher into a zone dog and eliminate him from the pass rusg. IT DOESN’T FOOL ANYONE BVG!!!!! SO, CUT IT OUT!!!!
Fred
September 19th, 2011
12:39 am
Why did my first comment get eaten by the auto snagger?
jwdavis 88
September 19th, 2011
12:41 am
anyone wearing a vick jersey and calling themselves a falcons fan are so full of crap.vick has no one but himself to blame for not still being the falcons quarterback.he let himself down and he let the falcons down along with all the true falcons fans down…hey mike point at the scoreboard now
superiorblogman
September 19th, 2011
12:41 am
Falcons are not any good. I don’t even think they make the playoffs this year. If Vick does not get hurt the Eagles win easily. Matt Ryan is really shaky and overrated also. Hate to be the sensible one but don’t put much stock into this win for the Falcons.
MightyQuinn
September 19th, 2011
12:41 am
Hey, Mark, I might be crazy, and I know we had a 4 point lead which requires a td to win, but with a shaky punter and the worlds most exciting punt returner facing us, would it have been insane to take the punt snap, run around in the end zone for as long as possible, take the safety, and kick with probably less than 10 seconds left in the game? Their kicker already left a long field goal attempt ten yards short. After that shank earlier in the game by our guy, I was thinking safety.
Bloodspitter
September 19th, 2011
12:41 am
Dunte Robinson is more overpaid for lack of results than Uggla in the first half of the season. Let him take the bus with Baker!!
Ginger
September 19th, 2011
12:43 am
Vick has improved passing….but one thing he has not improved on is his protecting football when running….he lost the ball alot when he ran as Falcon and the same thing happened in Philly tonight.
Bloodspitter
September 19th, 2011
12:44 am
Punting and kicking scares me almost as much as our O line and Corners. All of that together spells NO Superbowl. WIth that O line, Ryan will be missing games soon due to a broken neck and/or back.
theight
September 19th, 2011
12:44 am
Matt Ryan and Mularkey was about to make me have freakin heart attack all night with QB play and Mularkey play calling. Mularkey finally found out late in the game that their D-Line couldn’t stop Turner or the rest of the run game. The run game is the key to this team. I love the addition of Reggy Kelly. Great blocking. Some how and someway he and Ovie needs to be in the backfield together power blocking for Turner and the rook.The O-line played awful but Matt Ryan got hit a lot on his own, holding on to the ball way too long. He needs to learn to throw the ball away sometime and his high ball throwing may cause someone to get hurt soon. Why is Sam Baker still starting or on this Team. Wasn’t he like a first or second round draft pick? Did I mention that our Linebackers SUCK right now!! This also was a horrible officiating game. Ryan gets hit twice helmate to helmate and a late hit but none was called. hate Vick got hurt but i’m glad he got taken out of the game because there was no way that defense would have stopped Vick from getting 3 yards and 7 yards on Phillys final two possession. I guess Grimes finally gets some respect because there wasn’t too many balls thrown his way. Interior D needs to buff up more or get stronger.
Ginger
September 19th, 2011
12:44 am
I mean in Atlanta with Vick as Philadelphia Eagle.
Michael M.
September 19th, 2011
12:45 am
Its on to Tampa Bay now, Can Atlant beat the Bucs next week?
Ginger
September 19th, 2011
12:45 am
comment did not post earlier—–Vick was careless with ball security when running as a Falcon and was careless again tonight while running for Philly…Old habit hard to break…
ToccoaBird
September 19th, 2011
12:45 am
TG had a great game. Not to bad for an “old” man
FalconFan
September 19th, 2011
12:47 am
Of course we can beat the Bucs next week. The Bucs are good but so are we.
We are a confident bunch now and we are starting to smell blood. The Bucs aren’t all that.
2-1 next week.
macfleetwood
September 19th, 2011
12:47 am
guess I have to eat crow..yum-yum..yeah.falcons won..but..Matt Ryan took a beating all night!!
We still have no OFFENSIVE line..don’t have much of a defensive backfield!
How in the hell do you from one of the least penalized teams and one of the least turn over teams
to one of the WORST from last year to this year?
EGR
September 19th, 2011
12:48 am
both teams are1-1 should be a great season
Ginger
September 19th, 2011
12:48 am
Vick has not cleaned up securing football while running…lost fumbles alot while Falcon and it happened again to him tonight when Abraham got it.
P B Orr
September 19th, 2011
12:48 am
It was what used to be called a slugfest. Over on the Philly.com, they are thoroughly beaten and have fully inherited the “Mike Vick Experience”, that is, the Kafka-esque balancing on a razor’s edge of awareness of a capricious and unpredictable future.
theight
September 19th, 2011
12:49 am
MightyQuinn I doin’t think you was paying closely attention to the game. There is no way he can run around that long with 26 seconds left and the entire Philly line rushing the punt. We need a new Kickoff kicker. This guy can’t hit the endzone with the kickoff moved up this year. Good thing this wasn’t his Job last year.
Just saying
September 19th, 2011
12:49 am
estremus, I have read three of your posts tonight. What’s wrong, son? I don’t think you have been banished unless you posted 6 times and only 3 were decent. Can’t imagine that, howevr.
Wasn’t that a great win by the Falcons tonight on so many levels? But, 2 guys at least really hurt the Falcons effort…Dante Robinson and Sam Baker. Baker especially. He had no answer for T Coleman.
Ginger
September 19th, 2011
12:50 am
Vick has improved as passer….but still needs to work on football security when running…he lost a lot of fumbles while running as Falcon and it happened again to him tonight.
P Rose
September 19th, 2011
12:51 am
Where’s Matt “Choke” Ryan now?
P Rose
September 19th, 2011
12:52 am
What about “Chandler Goes Deep?” That character blogged every five minutes before the game. Where are you now, big mouth?
MightyQuinn
September 19th, 2011
12:54 am
The bottom line in this game is that it could have gone either way. After watching the Birds last week in Chicago, I honestly expected us to get blown out. I was thinking that if it were even close, it would have been a relative positive. And yet we won. I’ll take it. Frankly, Cam Newton scares me more right now than Vick.
BooBoo
September 19th, 2011
12:54 am
It looked like the Eagles cut off the engine and put it in neutral after Vick’s injury. Seemed like their philosophy was kick a bad dog too many times and the dog will bite, even if you hold it by the choker chain. Rather than risk some serious injury (of course with the meaningless 15-yard penalty award), it was best to ease up on rushing Matt Ryan. Ryan was looking shell-shocked mid-way through the 3rd quarter. Up by 10, the Eagles basically cut back their blitzes significantly. That allowed Ryan to play quarterback. Smelt like Goodell made a call to ease up on the team picked to go to the Super Bowl.
Even though the Eagles let the Falcons win, a team that gives up 30.5 points a game, and over 400 yards of offense to the opponent each week is not going to win many games (if any more).
Obvious observations:
The punter is the worst in the league.
Dunta Robinson would be called a goon if the Falcons played hockey. He is part of why the Eagles quit, but not because he could cover anyone.
Take away four runs in two games and Turner is averaging .5 yards per carry. He runs like a punch drunk boxer whose only offense is to lean on his opponent.
The golden Alabama rookie, Julio Jones, needs to catch the deep throws that hit him in the hands, regardless of how close the coverage is. Also, he needs to be taught that the player is not down when he falls on the ground with an interception in the NFL.
P Rose
September 19th, 2011
12:54 am
Seeing MV7 face plant (into his own player, no less) and come up spitting blood conjures up images of those poor pups he face planted on his driveway. This win was the sweetest in recent memory.
Michael M.
September 19th, 2011
12:55 am
We can sleep good tonight with the Win, but next week its the Bucs and then the Seahawks with both games on the road , two tough road games. Then Home to take on Greenbay.
theight
September 19th, 2011
12:57 am
“anyone wearing a vick jersey and calling themselves a falcons fan are so full of crap.vick has no one but himself to blame for not still being the falcons quarterback.he let himself down and he let the falcons down along with all the true falcons fans down…hey mike point at the scoreboard now”
I don’t know how old you are but you have to realize that this franchise was dead before VICK got here. Like it or not but the guy is a legend here. Outside of the 98 superbowl team, the city never supported this franchise as much until Vick got here.
Michael M.
September 19th, 2011
12:57 am
Matt did not choke nothing but touchdowns tonight! lmao
panic fan
September 19th, 2011
12:57 am
we battled back the whole game and won thats good
the bad was coming out to start 2nd half run turner no gain
after we got behind got the ball yep turner 1st and 10 no gain
we keep our team in bad play calls both sides players won
coaches lost AGAIN