AJC > Sports > Falcons > Blog > Archives > 2005 > October > 21
Friday, October 21, 2005
Immediate competition
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The demotion of wide receiver Dez White did a lot more than alter the pecking order of the Falcons’ wide outs. Practice Friday turned into a competition among the wide receiver to see who could be the most spectacular. It was the first time since training camp the overall group ratcheted up the caliber of play to such a degree and as a result, quarterback Michael Vick was throwing more strikes than John Smoltz.
Things got started when rookie Roddy White, who could have an increased role in the No. 3 receiver slot, made an incredible reaching catch down the right sideline, where he fully extended himself while keeping his feet. It was one of those grabs that had everyone at practice wondering, “Where’d that come from?”
Then it was on.
Michael Jenkins was grabbing balls zipped over his head, in his numbers, anywhere in his area code. Brian Finneran tried to up the stakes with a series of catches on the sideline and across the middle. Roddy White kept it up, showing some of the mojo that had vanished for a few weeks.
Even Jerome Pathon, the biggest beneficiary of Dez White’s demotion, did his thing — once hanging onto a full-speed bullet by Vick that made a resounding thud against Pathon’s body as he hauled it in.
The real test will come if this carries over into Saturday’s practice and Monday’s game, but the sense of urgency was fresh, prompting coach Jim Mora to champion his wide receivers not for their play-making, but for the recognition that nobody’s job is safe.
