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DEL.ICIO.USFalcons no longer rely on one player
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
For the Falcons to grow up fully and finally, the time had to come when they saw Michael Vick as an asset, as opposed to the franchise itself. That time, brothers and sisters, is at hand. No longer does a Vick sniffle become a roster-wide pneumonia. A remarkable thing happened Sunday: Vick hurt his knee and his teammates didn’t dissolve in a puddle of tears.
The Falcons beat Minnesota 14-0 with Vick and 16-10 without him. After seeing the famous No. 7 go down 23 minutes in, Jim Mora didn’t lose his lunch or turn in his resignation. On the contrary, he said, “As a coach, I just kind of moved on.� And so did everyone around him. There was no panic. There was no fear. There was only continued domination.
“I like where our football team is right now,� Mora said, and he should. Good last season, the Falcons are demonstrably better now. They are no longer Michael Vick and a bunch of guys named Joe. This is a good-looking team that has started 3-1 against a difficult schedule, a team in the sense that, were you picking the Falcons’ MVP after four games, the famous No. 7 wouldn’t be even your second choice. (Rod Coleman would be No. 1, Warrick Dunn No. 2.)
“What happened in ’03, we’ve learned from that,� said Vick, speaking of the broken leg that scuttled a team’s season and forced a regime change. “It’s football. Things happen. Marquee players are going to get hurt.�
And the better teams, being the better teams, will win anyway. Philadelphia reached the Super Bowl while Terrell Owens was healing. New England became a dynasty after Drew Bledsoe got hurt and was supplanted by a young man named Brady. Nobody is yet suggesting that the Falcons can take a title without the outrageously gifted Vick, but they’ve progressed to the point that they’re ready to win a game or two if need be.
Let the rest of the nation persist in believing the highlight-driven hype that the Falcons are a one-man gang. We Atlantans are learning otherwise. The primary reason the Falcons are 3-1 is a quick and fierce defense — Daunte Culpepper was sacked nine times and intercepted twice Sunday — and Vick, when last we checked, doesn’t play D. And yes, Vick is unmatched in his capacity to improvise on the fly, but the Falcons’ offense has gotten expert at running the ball right at people. That’s not improvisation. That’s power and precision.
“We’re not the same team we were two years ago,� said Dunn, who gained 126 yards. “We’re not building our offense around one guy. If you’re able to run the football, it helps any quarterback.�
The Falcons rushed for 285 yards Sunday, the third time they’ve broken 200 rushing yards in four games. Matt Schaub, Vick’s understudy, gained 56 yards himself. As Rich McKay, the general manager, said: “If you’re a defensive coordinator, our run game is going to bother you. But Michael Vick is going to make you not sleep.�
Still, a team that can execute the two brute-force basics — run the ball and play defense — has a chance in every game no matter who its quarterback happens to be. Two years ago the Falcons lost Vick and lost all hope. On Sunday they saw him limp off and kept on hammering. They didn’t just nurse their lead. They added to it. They trust Schaub in a way they never trusted Doug Johnson, and they also trust themselves and their coaches in a way they didn’t back then.
“What do you expect?â€? Vick said. “If [his teammates didn’t think they could win without him], then nobody should be here — nobody should have a job.â€?
It’s easy to speak boldly when you’ve just won by 20 points to get to 3-1 and the famous No. 7 still expects to start against the regal Patriots next week, but the Falcons’ burgeoning assurance is no bluff. Once just a supporting cast, this is now a bona fide team.
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By PreyDawg
October 2, 2005 11:09 PM | Link to this
Great Article Mark! And an accurate assesment. The feeling when Vick went down (though not good) was totally different than before. If anything I thought we let up on them a little too much. But no way I am going to complain about this one! If we beat the Patriots I am going to be beside myself with excitement about this season. Heck I’m pretty excited right now!!!
By William Kitchens
October 2, 2005 11:34 PM | Link to this
If I could have said it any better, I’d be a sports journalist.
By geechee
October 2, 2005 11:42 PM | Link to this
” After seeing the famous No. 7 go down 23 minutes in, Jim Mora didn’t lose his lunch or turn in his resignation.”
No, but I bet his first thought was; “OH S**t!”
By Dale Suffridge
October 3, 2005 12:18 AM | Link to this
Good article Mark.
The Falcons have built a winning team in the right way. They have crafted an organization that is both passionate and professional.
Last week’s game is another example. A decimated defensive starting linuep relied on a combination of backups (some just recently acquired) and good coaching to pull out a tough win on the road.
As I watched our defensive backups do what needed to be done to win that game, I couldn’t help but think how they resembled the team that will be in the dome next Sunday.
Last year the Patriots overcame injuries with a patchwork defensive unit and good coaching, scheming all the way to the Lombardi trophy.
The Falcons now have the quality depth at most positions, and the coaching talent to scheme our way to victory when we don’t have the depth we need. Combine that with the passionate and professional desire for a championship, and we here in Atlanta can know that our Falcons have truly been built to succeed.
It may just take a while for the rest of the country to see beyond our old reputation brought about by years of ineptitude. But they will.
GO BIRDS!!!!
By Roger in China
October 3, 2005 12:56 AM | Link to this
Well guys, Im as excited about how the falcons are playing as anyone although with the exception of the eagles game(which was shown on tv here in China), have had to listen to the games via internet. We have drafted well, picked up good free agents and the coaching staff and GM are doing well. That being said, if and when(im hoping im wrong), when we lose to the patriots, we are a 3-2 team and that means an upset or two away from not looking so good on paper. Maybe Im still afraid of the falcons “reverting” back to the days of old. But even with all of out improvements, much is still left to be said about the season(which is why we play the games). So, although great job to the team, we arent over the hump yet! Go Falcons
By Phil
October 3, 2005 02:46 AM | Link to this
Fine. I’ll be the pessimist. Sure we beat them 16-10 without Vick. But that 14 point padding sure helped the confidence. Playing at home sure helped too. Atlanta still doesn’t have the swagger it has when Vick is down. If Schaub and the rest of the team can do it in a hostile crowd, then I’ll be really sold. Until then, this team goes as Vick goes.
By Dominic Hughes
October 3, 2005 02:48 AM | Link to this
The Patriots, playing in Atlanta, don’t scare me at the moment. After the Pats’ performance against the Chargers, I’d expect the Falcons to start that game as deserved favorites next week. Good column Mark.
By Steve
October 3, 2005 03:44 AM | Link to this
I agree with everything Matt said. The great teams just plug in another player and never miss a beat. I am concerned with Roddy White. Here is the first round draft choice and we’ve seen nothing of him. He catches a short swing pass and that is it. Is this another busted draft choice for us? White and Michael Jenkins combined had 3 receptions for 21 yards. Crumpler and Finneran cannot do it all. What is the problem here?
By Pete
October 3, 2005 07:15 AM | Link to this
I also agree with what Matt said.
By Jim
October 3, 2005 07:33 AM | Link to this
I might agree with what Matt said but I don’t know what he said … I do agree with what Mark said … it’s what I’ve been saying all along … one-man teams just don’t exist!
By Larry
October 3, 2005 09:20 AM | Link to this
Additionally, there are two area, to this point, that has surprised many of us:
Our offensive line is doing a superb job both in run blocks and pass protection.
Roddy White has been a complete bust! How could we pick a WR from UAB who cannot catch the simplest of passses? And please, don’t blame this on him missing the first week of training camp—that was over 2 months ago!
By kudzu
October 3, 2005 09:35 AM | Link to this
Look, when Vick hit the ground (again) i was amazed at my own reaction; i didn’t seem to care much. Weird i guess, but truthfully speaking, that was how i felt. What is this -twice, third time already this season that Vick is hurt; and i’m sorry but the whole drama that surrounds his injuries is a bit more than i can take; everyone knows the guy is one (good shot) from being sidelined (again). I don’t questioned his toughness, but i would say that he has become one of those players that you never really feel good about when he’s getting tackled, and i guess i’ve just come to accept it- the fact that he suspectible to easy injury, freak or otherwise.
The birds have got to ensure that they have an offense that Matt can run and produce in. I doubt that it is the same one Vick uses.
Awesome work defense… Great rushing game, too.
By Steve
October 3, 2005 09:54 AM | Link to this
I’m still undecided on Roddy. I’ve seen a great deal of improvement in Jenkins and Fin, and I expect Roddy will follow suit.
As far as the one-man show, I think Schaub is a much better back-up than Doug Johnson; however, he is still a back-up. We might be able to hold off a substandard team, but I don’t think we would fair too well against a play-off caliber team. Vick just knows how to win.
By John Reid
October 3, 2005 10:01 AM | Link to this
Phil watch any team in the NFL that plays once their starting QB goes down and see is they keep their swagger up. This team does go as Vick goes, but we’re not 3-1 due to him, it’s due to that running game and stiffling D.
As Mark pointed out, this is not the 2003 Falcons and they can win a game or two if he is hurt for any reason. Next week will be a major test as the champs are coming in and they are going to be angry after what happened yesterday.
Our depth will be seriously tested by the Patriots. Our receivers need to be ready because they will be prepared for the Falcons’ running game. I believe this will be the game where Vick grows even further as a QB because he won’t be as inclined to run as much.
Falcons win a close one 21-27
By Mojo
October 3, 2005 10:26 AM | Link to this
Roddy White is a bust??? How can anyone (even a non-Falcons fan) call a player a bust after only playing in 4 games?? If you know football, you know that ALL WR’s take time to develop. Jenkins had only 7 catches all last season, was he a bust? Of course not! He was/is young, and was/is still learning our offense. Roddy White had his first couple of complete passes yesterday (after being thrown to a very limited number of times in the first 3 games) and is well on track. If he stays healthy, I can assure you that you will eat those words sir!!
PS What was up with that security check yesterday? They didn’t even pat my pockets! And why in the world would they have as many lines for women to get pat down as men…when the men made up at least 65%-75% of the fans going in??? Oh yeah, and where do I apply for the job of patting down the women next week? I know I can do a much better job :)
By Greg from Marietta
October 3, 2005 11:34 AM | Link to this
Great Article Mark!! I think Mora has done more for this team than any player. He has taught these guys to think as a team, believe as a team and play as a team. I hope Mike heals fast and stars for the Falcons for a very long time but I see Schaub as a starter and I’m sure that there are several GM’s and coaches around the league that do also. I’ve got a uneasy feeling that he’ll not be with us for many more years.
TO ALL THOSE WHO LEFT THE DOME EARLY all I have to say is that this team deserves better fans than you!! I came early, stood in line to be patted down, watched the warm ups and stayed until after the team had left the field after the final gun. I was embarrassed by all the early departures and empty seats while there was still time on the clock. It reminded me of the old days when the Falcons were not good and the fans left early, but this team is good and plays hard every down. I honestly think that the Vikings would not have scored in the 4th quarter had not so many people left the stands. A true fan comes early and stays until the game is over. I suppose just as the Falcons have learned to become winners so to must the Falcon Fans learn to become real fans.
By Gritz Blitz
October 3, 2005 11:40 AM | Link to this
Great assessment. I too was impressed with Atlanta’s ability to control the game with Vick out. The two reasons for our success were our defense and the fact that our opponent was the Vikings. My confidence will grow if we are able to beat the Pats or Eagles with Schaub. Nothing against Schaub,but I hope this does not happen. Very pleased with the Falcons’ play so far this season. Want to see the passing game improve because we will eventually run into an opponent that stops our run.
By Pete
October 3, 2005 11:50 AM | Link to this
Hey Greg from Marietta! Are you paying for my tickets? How about for my time?
Keep your own calendar Dude!!
By Jim
October 3, 2005 01:07 PM | Link to this
Like I said before in another blog… get Marcus Vick and put them both in the backfield…. it’d be the biggest blockbuster ever…
By Jay
October 3, 2005 01:27 PM | Link to this
Very good job by Defense and Offense, but the Special teams need to get rolling again, and there were a few let-downs by a few. To be a great team those let-downs have to be eleminated. I think this is the best bunch of Falcons Atlanta has ever had, but next weekend will give us a better idea. The TEST is not over, it just continues week-by-week until we find out who the REAL MEN are????? I’m confident in most and hopful in the others, but the TEST goes on! I don’t think we have any “girly-guys” out there, but “mouths” don’t win football games….they just ad to the hostility of the team coming in. For the first time this year Keith Brooking looked like he was ready, but I’m waiting for Big Ed to show us what he’s made of?? Demarieo looks like the best prospect since Tommy Nobis… what a linebacker. Suck it up guys & hit’em a lick that stays. Make the rest of the league hate to see you coming. Dats FOOTBALL!!
PS Next week we’ll need another effort like week one, vs the Eagles.
By Heath
October 3, 2005 02:01 PM | Link to this
At what point to people realize that the secret to the success of the Falcons is not Mike Vick. He was all we had in 2003. This defense is absolutely the centerpiece of the team. Ed Donatell is doing a marvelous job. Our D-line has to be the best in the NFL. Think about it… the combination of a stifling defense with a ball control running game equals championships!!
By Peyton
October 3, 2005 02:15 PM | Link to this
People, the Schaub led Falcons performed well against the pathetic Vikings. The Vikings have looked horrible all year. If Vick were out, I’m not so sure we’d do as well against a better team.
Let’s hope we don’t have to find out.
By Bryan
October 3, 2005 02:43 PM | Link to this
None of these postings emphasize the most important thing that Mark mentioned - 285 yards rushing. Owning the run game means you control the clock, force the defense closer to the line and open up the passing game, and rest your defense. The Falcons’ offensive success is owed to the fact that they lead the NFL in rushing yards per game. Great job o-line, Dunn and Duckett.
By Jim
October 3, 2005 03:00 PM | Link to this
If there’s a “Cadillac” in Tampa’s backfield, then there’s “Thunderbirds” in Atlanta’s!!!!!!!!!
By wes
October 3, 2005 03:03 PM | Link to this
I was thinking that we won 16-10 without Vick too, mark. The run defense still bothers me though. At least they’re getting sacks.
By Great Falconi
October 3, 2005 03:47 PM | Link to this
We better be ready for a very tough team Sunday. The Vikings are disintegrating without Moss. The Pats are still the Pats and they still have Belichick. No. 7 is going to have to be great this weekend.
By GaFreebird
October 3, 2005 10:02 PM | Link to this
Can anyone tell me How in the World , the defense can be flagged for Delay of Game, first off ? How can that happen, when we aint even got the Football ? That call was the most idiotic, insane call i’ve seen, until i learn better.
Mr. Bradley has wrote an excellent, accurate viewpoint, that i totally concur with. The Falcons are Playin like a TEAM, an i give Mr. Blank, Mr. McKay, Coach Mora, Coach Gibbs, Coach Donnatell, an our Special Teams Coach Joe DeCamillis Credit for finally bringin a passion,a commitment, and a genuine desire to win, to the Franchise that seemed like only a milk cow under the Smiths.
The defensive line is a Joy to watch, and Michael Vick, i feel, we are SO priveledged to be able to watch the Most Exciting Player in the NFL, who just may re-set the Standard for QB, if he can remain healthy. But the run-blocking by Justin Griffeth, the tightend Blakely’s added threat of late, Jenkins improving each week, Warrick running the ball like a Heisman winner, Duckett pounding an hammering the secondary , the addition an exceptional effort given by Chris Cash, in a time we really needed it, the good punting game,DeAngelo’s steady improvement each week, Crumpler’s steady, rock-solid performance, Fin improving on his catch vs.dropped efforts , an makin a Spectacular catch against the Bills, Coach Mora sayin today…”nobody loses their job around here, due to injury”… there’s a 1000 positives for every single negative about this TEAM.
I applaud the performance of the TEAM behind Matt Schaub, an believe that like others stated, it’s way too early, and in fact demonstrates a very short-sightedness to criticize Roddy White, at this point in his career. He’s gettin better every Week, give him time,…it takes at least one season for a rookie WR to feel at home an stable in their abilities, in the NFL, and 2 or 3 seasons, to blossom at the position.
Go Falcons….Sic Em !…an TY for playin a Good Brand of Football…)))
By Brian
October 4, 2005 12:23 AM | Link to this
The defense can be called for delay of game when they try to disrupt the cadence of the opposing quarterback by yelling and saying stuff while he is trying to do the count.
I don’t know if you remember or not but I think we were actually called for it twice in one of the games against Carolina last year.
By Kevin
October 4, 2005 02:05 PM | Link to this
Kudos to Rich McKay for FINALLY putting together a football team not just a guy or guys and a supporting cast. GO BIRDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!