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DEL.ICIO.USDon’t look for trade
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With their next game not until Monday night vs. the Jets, the Falcons were given off Tuesday and Wednesday, following film sessions Monday. General Manager Rich McKay said the Falcons won’t be participants in any trades Tuesday, the NFL trade deadline. No teams have called and the Falcons haven’t tried to make any deals, McKay said.
Unless your team is just completely injury riddled and the players in free agency don’t suit your fancy, trades typically aren’t made until the offseason, McKay said. It’s tough to find a player who can come in six weeks into the season and have a major impact. And if a team is willing to part with someone at this juncture, there must be a catch, be it age, salary, ineffectiveness or attitude. Very few teams have the salary cap space to absorb a player who is earning more than a minimum contract at this point, as well, McKay pointed out.
That's why the Falcons were so active in the early stages of theseason signing players they didn’t necessarily need at the time, but ones that could emerge as contributors down the line. Though injuries neccessitated some signings — defensive back Chris Cash (recently broke his arm, out for the season) was a find — the acquisitions of DBs Omare Lowe and Leigh Torrence didn’t seem like much, especially with so many players in the secondary already. Well, Lowe is a special teams monster, and Torrence, a Marist product was activated last week and, like Lowe, and had a nice game on special teams against the Saints.
The next seemingly irrelevant signing at the time to possibly take the stage could be wide receiver Jerome Pathon, who has been inactive since being signed Sept. 28. The eight-year veteran, who has 62 NFL starts and 91 appearances, is expected to be activated for Monday’s game with New York, although nothing has been made official. He likely would be used in a reserve role, but in his three weeks with the team, he’s impressed coaches with his precise route-running and sticky hands.
His potential break could come at the expense of veteran Dez White, who just simply hasn’t handled his business. He is getting open, but he’s dropping the ball more and more and in the NFL, that’s a fast track to the waiver wire.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By William Kitchens
October 18, 2005 04:12 PM | Link to this
Thank you Steve for putting some of your insight and opinions into your work.
By Brian
October 18, 2005 04:18 PM | Link to this
What about Finneran in White’s place? He may arguably be the Falcons best receiver, although Jenkins did step up this week.
By matt penn
October 18, 2005 04:25 PM | Link to this
Jenkins will take the # 1 spot eventually. I think picking up Pathon was huge, he’s a guy who can help move the sticks, a very smart receiver. Roddy White played well against new orleans, but Mora won’t start him unless he makes some huge leaps in practice. Should be finneran, jenkins, roddy and pathon as the top 4 receivers, dez isn’t getting the job done
By BUSHWACKER
October 18, 2005 04:38 PM | Link to this
Let’s start Schaub and turn Vick into a WR. It makes perfect sense,think about it,who else would you rather have with the ball in his hands “after the pass”.
Just think about it for a minute,the ball in Vick’s hands after the pass instead of just before the pass.
Imagine Vick catching that little 7 yard slant then 1 move and he’s gone from anywhere on the field, the play that made Montana,Young and Rice Super Bowl Champs and Hall of Famers!
If he wants to use his legs let him use his legs AFTER THE PASS IS THROWN!!
By andy
October 18, 2005 05:02 PM | Link to this
Bushwacker, you’re a dumma@@. You’re probably the same dumm@@ that wanted Doug Johnson to replace Vick a couple years a back. Schaub is nice insurance policy, but he’s 0-2 as a starter and vick have won 70 percent of the Falcons games. Think before u make stupid suggestions.
For Halloween, I’m going to dress up as DEZ White with my hands cut off
By larry w.
October 18, 2005 05:15 PM | Link to this
Why is it so difficult for some people to be content with a winning quarterback? Every week it’s the same tired thing. Moving on the receiver situation, Dez is not getting the job done, period! How many chances will he get? I cannot understand why Brian Finneran is not being trusted with the starting job. I certainly think he has earned it! Brian has been nothing but a class act. He has not publicly complained once about this obvious snub by the coaching staff. I understand that Dez is faster than Brian, but that doesn’t help much if he can’t catch the ball when it lands softly RIGHT IN HIS HANDS!! We see this over and over, game after game. Please Mora, stop the madness. Start Finneran!
By BUSHWACKER
October 18, 2005 06:26 PM | Link to this
Andy,I think your obviuosly a racist idiot who who thinks that I don’t like Vick at QB because he is black. WRONG I just want to win and I don’t care who is the QB. I want to put that most competetive team out there. Did you notice I said I want the ball in Vick’s hands after the pass which is when he can do the most to score. Once he thtows the ball he can no longer help on that play now can he ?? His speed and elusiveness are useless once he passes the ball to someone else. ..and oh yea …Schaub did not give up 31 points to New Engand,the defense did.. you just showed your lack of knowledge about football by blaming Schaub for the loss to NE..Try using that little brain of yours before you make stupid comments in public and embarass yourself. Come with some game…How about Schaub’s 300 yards passing and 3 td’s. He was on the field and is responsible for that..How many times has Vick thrown for 300 yards NEVER!!!
By pj
October 18, 2005 06:41 PM | Link to this
I agree with Rich McKay on making any trades at this point in the game. It seems that the team is coming together now with adding a well-rounded passing strategy. With that in mind the receivers should be left as is. As for Dez, he deserves a chance. Its not like there has been accuracy from the quarterbacks passing skills. Besides, everyone has a down week.
By paul
October 18, 2005 06:54 PM | Link to this
“For Halloween, I’m going to dress up as DEZ White with my hands cut off”
LMAO. That is too good.
PS-Bushwacker u make zero sense.
By john
October 18, 2005 06:56 PM | Link to this
bush you don’t care about wins or you wouldn’t have posted that dribble.
wr don’t have the ball in their hands every play vick does at qb.
also patriots defense is god awful, worse than the saints.
By andy
October 18, 2005 07:07 PM | Link to this
Bushwacker, Didn’t I tell you to think before u make stupid comments? What in the heck does Vick being starting QB become a color issue? Talking about lack of knowlege. You’re an idiot that thinks that Vick can just transform in a wide reciever overnight and become a reciever? DUMA$$…THINK about it. Did u think Antawn Randell El did it over the freaking weekend. Sure Schaub did not loose the Falcon the game against N.E. But the present of Vick being under center freaks out Defensive Coordinator dummy. You think Schaub will ever run for a buck 170 and 2 tds and pass for 190 and a T.D? Just because you watch one segment of SportCenter does u the right to make idiotic comments about football.
By larry w.
October 18, 2005 07:08 PM | Link to this
pj, I agree with you. Dez does deserve a chance. He deserves a chance to sit on the bench and let Finn play!!!
By DIRRTYBIRD
October 18, 2005 07:40 PM | Link to this
Bushwacker,
Vick actually threw for over 300 yards in the playoff game against Philly in 2002, in which they lost. Thanks for writing in though. Why do people think that passing yards mean wins? Points mean wins dummy. Schaub throws for 300 and the Falcons lose. Vick throws for 112 and the Falcons win. Nobody can explain it, so don’t try. Just get out of the way and let Vick do his thing.
By larry w.
October 18, 2005 07:56 PM | Link to this
Hey DIRRTYBIRD, you’re using logic man! Apparently that doesn’t go over very well on these blogs.
By smoovcc
October 18, 2005 08:04 PM | Link to this
Finn should get the start over White. Finn has always been reliable and Vick believes in him. He’s like a Keyshawn Johnson type player without the attitude. Finn maybe you should sound-off, it works for “MeShawn”. You take guys like Tim Brown and Finn and they never get their due respect, simply because they are model citizens, good teammates, and great players……on and off the field. I think Mora has something personal against the guy. Maybe it’s because Reeves brought him here and he doesn’t measure up to the receivers he had in SF.
Rich McKay you can always find a diamond in the ruff! You just have to have an open mind. You have a defeatist attitude towards midseason trading. Sometimes a player is just not a good fit or unhappy, and he would be great for an organization where he feels he belongs. Mckay I loved your Dad, but the verdict is still out on you. And as far as winning in Tampa, it was about time, you guys lost forever!
By blackscorpion
October 18, 2005 08:10 PM | Link to this
Finneran should probably be starting. I always liked him as a number 2 or 3 receiver. He can’t handle the pressure of being the number 1 guy however. As for making Vick a receiver , no receiver makes that kind of money. I am glad we have a nice back up in Matt but people remember he was a third round draft pick for a reason. Also remember the pains Mora went through to make it look like Vick was going to start against the Patriots. Had Belichik been able to game plan only for Matt, we don’t know what his performance would have looked like. I have been a Falcon Fan since the days of Haskell Stanback, Dan Hampton and Claude Humprey. I tell you Vick wins football games and I thank Dan Reeves and the Smiths for bringing to us. For other long time Falcon fans isn’t it great that we can finally be disappointed with the way we won a game.
By mph
October 18, 2005 08:17 PM | Link to this
I hate to say it, but bushwacker is not that far off base. I have never sent one of these in, but in my opinion I think it is sad when we have to rely on a QB’s legs to win a game instead of his arm. In Seattle we lost because Vick could not RUN at the end of the game. He tried, but you could see his frustration. We have all of these WR’s (some better then others) and they supposedly can’t get open and when they do they drop passes. I agree with letting Dez sit, but let Shaub play a few games in a row and let’s see what he can do. Why is it he can find WR’s open and Vick can’t? Yes Vick threw for 300 yds last year, but he should be comfortable enough in the West Coast system to be a consistent 300 yd passer and I just don’t see it (Schaub has had only two starts and he already has a 300 yd game against a pretty decent defense). I am not trying to be a Dumb#$@, but sometimes looking at the other side is not a bad idea.
By Gumbo
October 18, 2005 08:40 PM | Link to this
Bushwacker isn’t a racist
Dez White isn’t a NFL WR
Finneran’s playing time last week was just criminal. What the hell was Knapp thinking?
Pathon has done it before - let’s give him a shot
Jenkins does not have big play ability.
Vick will never throw for as many yards as Schaub because he is a “run first” quarterback who is too short to see over the O- and D-line.
Would we be better off with Schaub? - I don’t know, but I doubt it.
The big question is, is there anyone in the organization capable of playing safety at an NFL level?
Question #2 - Is there any chance that Webster is actually better than he has shown?
Question #3 - Can we stop the run with an undersized DL, an undersized LB corps and no safeties?
If the answer to 2 of these 3 is no, the Vick/Schaub/who is our WR/ BS is just that - it doesn’t matter
By andy
October 18, 2005 08:56 PM | Link to this
Ok, this going to be my last comment for this subject. I think MPH and Bushwacker are in love with Mr. Schaub in a sexual way and does make any sense when talking about football. “Let Schaub in for a few games and see what happens” are u kidding me? We need to win football game!!! Vick is the winingest qb that has ever played in a falcons uniform!! Embbed this in your head!! Do you guys remember the days of Chris Miller, Dave Archer, Scott Cambell, Jeff George and Doug Johnson? I can go on and on about these 300yds passer but it brings back horrific memories. The falcons won about 20percent of their games with your 300yds passer.
By Andy
October 18, 2005 11:17 PM | Link to this
Wow, these blogs are getting better. Steve, keep this up, you are getting closer to what we are used to. Just post a follow up to respond to any points we make and you are golden.
White will be our inactive WR insurance policy. If he becomes a distraction, then he will be cut…simple as that. The starters will be Finn and Jenkins with Roddy and Pathon as 3rd WR. The key now is to have Vick connect on those long passes and get a rhythm going. I am not looking for a 400 yard game, but at least 250. If he doesn’t get there, then you won’t see many WRs in the stat column at the end of the game. I think Vick is getting better, I just think he needs to make a huge jump in the next 3 weeks to really offset the defensive woes of our team.
By domeOFpain
October 18, 2005 11:54 PM | Link to this
Bushwacker, MV7 is the 4th winningest active QB in the NFL. So, after this you just want to win? Was the Falcons in the NFC championship game last year? Obviously, you want more than winning, you have a alterior motive or just hate for MV7?
By Jim
October 19, 2005 08:41 AM | Link to this
I have watched and read these comments on the QB situation for the past 3 years … it’s still the same … Vick is the winning QB and Schaub is the loser … look at it this way, if Schaub were the starter he would have had more chances and Vick would have had less, therefore the winning and losing QB s—- means nothing until they both have the same number of snaps … so stop your stupid clamor that Vick and only Vick can be a winner. Just wait until Schaub is signed away to another team that makes him their starter and then you can compare who is the winner and loser! Let it go guys, neither of you make any sense.
By Chris
October 19, 2005 10:06 AM | Link to this
The Falcons cut the wrong guy. It should have been Dez White. The guy flat out stinks. I’d rather see Finneran, Pathon or even Roddy White out there.
By falconchick
October 19, 2005 10:33 AM | Link to this
I AGREE DEZ WHITE SHOULD BE BENCHED,EACH GAME HE HAS BEEN GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES,AND CONTINUES TO DROP CATCHABLE BALLS.A GOOD WR WILL STRETCH OUT TO CATCH HE SEEMS NOT TO PUT MUCH EFFORT INTO CATCHING OR HOLDING ON TO BALLS,I WAS NOT A BIG FAN OF FINNERAN A COUPLE OF YEARS A GO,BUT NOW BRIAN YOU ARE THE MAN.LETS START MONDAY NIGHT OUT FRESH WITH FINNERAN,PATHON,AND GIVE RODDY A FEW MORE OPPORTUNITIES,I THINK WE MAY SEE SOME POSITIVE SURPRISES.
By w. r. smith
October 19, 2005 11:00 AM | Link to this
Vick needs a receiver. Why not bring in his favorite college receiver, one with more speed than any now on the roster, Andre Davis?
By Hazel Peach
October 19, 2005 11:03 AM | Link to this
Enough with the back and forth about the QB’s Vick is the better QB for this falcons team. You guys have already talked about our shortcomings and now you want to add a pocket passer. I think Schaub is a good QB and can possibly start and be successful for some team but this is not the team. If Schaub starts for this team he will not be successful, once teams start preparing for him and with our ok O-line he will not be putting up many 300-yard games. So lets just be happy we are winning. Can’t we all just get along
By This gets old
October 19, 2005 11:17 AM | Link to this
When Vick plays the Falcons win two out of three games. No Falcon QB has ever done that well. Vick threw for more yards in games under Dan Reeves than he does now. It’s a different offense and it’s not a matter of him learning it it’s a matter of the TEAM
By John Reid
October 19, 2005 11:50 AM | Link to this
Interesting posts on these QBs and Vick’s “progress”….does anyone think that McNabb went through the same mess up in Philly before T.O came along?
“Just get out of the way and let Vick do his thing.”
That’s all that needs to be said…. and then ask yourself, what do you want, fantasy league stats or a championship in real life?
By This gets old
October 19, 2005 11:51 AM | Link to this
When Vick plays the Falcons win two out of three games. No Falcon QB has ever done that well. Vick threw for more yards in games under Dan Reeves than he does now. It’s a different offense and it’s not a matter of him learning it it’s a matter of the TEAM learning the offense together.
I don’t recall anybody complaining about Vick’s running when he was winning games. He’s NEVER had great wide outs. He’s NEVER had an accomplished pass blocking OL but he still finds a way to win the game.
Not only that he puts people in the seats wherever the Falons play.
Where are his Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward? His Rod Smith or LaDainian? He beats teams with top 10 defenses without ever having one himself
Know why Crumpler is double teamed? Because he’s the only guy we have who can’t be covered one on one. It’s not some geek headed fantasy league. It’s the NFL. Two home MNF games?? Think the people at ABC and the league office said “We gotta see Matt Schaub”?
Some of you people are so transparent it’s not even funny. Who gives a rats a@@ what his stats are? He wins and when he wins..
THE FALCONS WIN!
By Ernest
October 19, 2005 12:34 PM | Link to this
Amen to This gets old
By Johnny C.
October 19, 2005 01:09 PM | Link to this
You people do realize that you gain most of your passing yards when you are playing “catch-up” (See: Matt Schaub vs Patriots) The forward pass was initially called “Sissy-Ball”, because the real test came in the mano-a-mano RUN game. Don’t get hung-up on passing stats because they are only for queers and geeks.
By JJ
October 19, 2005 01:13 PM | Link to this
Still on Vick, huh. Let’s see. Pocket passers huh………..we’ve had Chris Miller, Chris Chandler, Jeff George and who could forget Doug Johnson. Take your pocket passers and stick them. Vick wins.
By VICK STINKS
October 19, 2005 06:27 PM | Link to this
Vick cant throw, He is very sorry, Matt is a better QB. OHH yeah Andy u r dumb.
By G Dawg
October 19, 2005 10:11 PM | Link to this
I’ve been a Falcons Fan since I was born in 1971 and I still love them faithfully. I like Mike Vick and I think he’s a great athlete. However, I just think that he does not put the time in that Peyton Manning or Tom Brady does in learning to read defenses. When Mike Vick comes to the line and the defense begans shift around he doesn’t audible or change formations like Manning or Brady. Mike Vick will just look straight ahead and hope for the best with a check down to Crupmler or Griffin. The WR’s and the OL are not to blame for the high passes and over throws and can’t take full credit that Mike Vick is only averaging just over a buck and some change in passing yards. Elway, Montana, Young and Mcnabb all have used their ability to scramble to pass and get the ball into the hands of their receivers. Atlanta will never win a Super Bowl without a QB who can’t break down and read an NFL defense and until they get a LB that’s mean enough to slap a grizzley bear the defense will not take us where we want to go. Ed Hartwell was not impressive and Brooking, well he’s just Brooking not bad but not good. Webster and Scott should be arrested and escorted off the property of the Georgia Dome for stealing money from the team. DeAngelo Hall hasn’t shown up since opening night against the Eagles. Right now the Falcons are just a good guy team with flash and a marketing tool in Vick which will lose steam after this season’s failure to make it to the NFC Championship Game. It’s been five years already and Mike Vick should be able to throw for 200 yds with ease with his rocket arm. Hey Bird Fans at some point we have to realize that our window for winning a Super Bowl is closing.
By David
October 20, 2005 09:18 AM | Link to this
All this discussion about who should quarterback the Falcons, have any of you ever been to a Falcons game? Michael Vick is easily the most exciting player in the NFL and should have the ball in his hands on every offensive play. His ability to make plays when nothing else is available is why the Falcons are now a NFC South power, he is also the reason that ABC has chosen to spend 3 Monday nights in Atlanta this season. I have been to every Falcons home game over the last 2 1/2 years and more than half of them since 1985, including every home playoff game ( all 3 of them..lol) and I would have never believed that when I step into the Dome or turn on the TV that I expect my Falcons to win every time, and it’s not because we have a 300 yard passer under center, it’s because we have a quarterback who can make big plays without passing for alot yards, and has the confidence and support of all his teammates, and this comes with the knowledge that at any given time, Michael Vick can take over the game. So for those of you that think that a 300 yard passer is the only way to go, perhaps you should become Vikings fans (1-4), Raider fans (1-4), or Packer fans (1-4) because they have 300 yard passers at quarterback. It doesn’t always mean you’ll be successful. As for me, I’ll take No. 7 and my Falcons (4-2) anytime.
By Johnny C.
October 20, 2005 12:14 PM | Link to this
David, you’ve nailed it. It will fall onto deaf ears around these parts though. I’ve never seen so many people who are hung-up on STATS and 200/300 yard passing QBs. I remember when Jeff George was here and his only concern was making sure he padded his stats from week to week. He didn’t give a flying f—k whether the team won the game or not, so long has he had put up his 300 yards, when they usually came in losing efforts.
By E-Rud
October 20, 2005 03:26 PM | Link to this
You are right w.r. Smith,I thought I was the only one thinking like you. the Falcon should go get Andre Davis, who can open up the offense with his good spend and allow Finn, Crumpler and Pathon work the short and middle routes. Until this happen the Falcons will be an average offense(looking like Ga. Tech)
By gerry
October 21, 2005 03:16 PM | Link to this
Someone commented earlier on Jenkins stepping up. What has been Jenkins’ main problem(s)?
Living in Big 10 country, I remember him terrorizing the other conference teams when he was at tOSU.
Gerry
By David D.
October 21, 2005 11:39 PM | Link to this
Can we get over this Vick VS.Schaub crap!!!Look,Schaub has been in this offense for 6 years now.Hell,he should have thrown for 400 yards against the Patriots,and 5 TD’S..He nearly(with his accurate arm)threw for 3 INT’S,but with that depleted secondary that the patriots had,they dropped all 3..Do u remember Bushwacker???And all of this Vick and Schaub hype,was also intensified by the falcons radio team of Wesley Duraham,and the former QB with no stats,and hardly no wins,David “I know and u don’t”Archer..After Schaubs 5th pass in the game,Durham quickly quirped about how, “Matt should be 5 for 5,but he had to drop passes,isn’t that right Dave Archer”?Making excuses for the guy already,umm,umm,umm…And then this same paper on that following morning came out and said somewhere in the first 2 paragraphs how Matt did not lose this game.Well,u only here excuses when matt plays..The O line,The recievers..Yes the recievers..Oh i know u have not forgot that vick throws too hard,and he needs touch on the ball,it was never the recievers fault..all on Vick..Chuck Smith,just like u got on these young brothers about the clothes that they wear,and I agree they do look thuggish..U should have answered your radio co-host on the importance of running the offense and what Mick Vick brings to the table,but u sat there and just said nothing…
By David D.
October 21, 2005 11:48 PM | Link to this
P.S…I meant to say,that Durham talked about the 2 dropped passes that Matt had on his first 5 passes…(not to..my bad)..And while i was coming home early from work,I be Stewing,what the heck u be doing???Chuck Smith called in on the air with the stews on 790 the zone, about the outcry of the NBA dress code,and the hip hop influence on these young kids..Which I agree,but u never see the NBA players wearing no belt,pants falling down and they picking them up….These young guys need belts.On their pants,and on their behind..thats all