The Defining Season for Michael Vick
With the beginning of training camp around the corner it is time for the Atlanta Falcons to take a long hard look in the mirror. Thye have spent the off-season bolstering their suspect defense of last year. The success of the team now rests firmly on the unsteady shoulders of their “Golden Boy” Michael Vick.
As a life-long Falcons fan I have grown accustom to disappointment and frustration. I have seen the likes of Nobis and Bartkowski come into the old Fulton County Stadium and struggle to obtain mediocrity. I sat in amazement as Jamal Anderson and Chris Chandler lead the drive to Super Bowl XXXIII. And coaches, from Glanville to Reeves, offer the promise of a turnaround. Then, in 2001 the Falcons drafted Michael Vick. The scrambling passer from Virginia Tech was to be the foundation for greatness. His struggles to grasp the West Coast offense over the past years have been well documented. He attempted to seek out counsel from Steve Young in past off-seasons and studied the nuances of the offense relentlessly. This season is his final exam.
Do not misunderstand Vick is one of, if not, the most exciting players to ever take the field in the NFL. Unfortunately, while excitement does generate revenue for a team, it does not translate into wins. The scrambling and lob passing has lost its luster in light of the past season. The offense around him is not built for his abilities. The West Coast offense, at its core, is to be run by a drop back passer. A tool that, despite his best effort, Vick has yet to master. The true West Coast offense utilizes a great deal of down-the field passing attacks accented by power running with zone blocking. Vick has the running game. Dunn and Duckett in the backfield provide ample opportunity to plow through a defense. The patience and field vision to find the appropriate passing lanes seems to be lacking. Whenever there is penetration he quickly tucks the ball away and runs. With a little more patience and persistence he can allow his receivers to make adjustments. This lack of discipline can explain his horrendous 73.1 passer rating. Is this what a franchise can be built around?
Should the results of this season be any less than a playoff berth and advancement therein, the “Michael Vick Experiment” can only be labeled as a failure. How long can Arthur Blank look at his significant monetary investment in Vick as a success if winning does not follow. What options are available to the franchise with so much capital invested in a single player? The answer is sitting on the bench. The same bench that saw Brett Favre languish about before a trade to Green Bay. The answer is Matt Schaub. Schaub has proven in pre-season and limited regular season time that he better fits the nature of the offense. He is a more cerebral quarterback with better vision and more patience. What you lose with the scrambling threat can quickly be made up with clear concise decision-making abilities. The threat of injury on an ill-advised scramble is all but eliminated. The reluctance of trading Schaub in the off-season has provided a glimmer of hope that all is not lost in Atlanta.
It is also important to note that despite regular season success no offense has captured the championship following the blueprint that Atlanta has followed thus far. A scrambling quarterback has never achieved the goal of a NFL championship. It is my hope that Vick will become a more disciplined quarterback and accept the confines of the offense the coaching staff has implemented. I remain skeptical and will wait patiently to see the results of another off-season of preparation and leave you all with this final thought.
The glory of being a highlight on SportsCenter is short lived, but Super Bowls are forever
-Matt
As a life-long Falcons fan I have grown accustom to disappointment and frustration. I have seen the likes of Nobis and Bartkowski come into the old Fulton County Stadium and struggle to obtain mediocrity. I sat in amazement as Jamal Anderson and Chris Chandler lead the drive to Super Bowl XXXIII. And coaches, from Glanville to Reeves, offer the promise of a turnaround. Then, in 2001 the Falcons drafted Michael Vick. The scrambling passer from Virginia Tech was to be the foundation for greatness. His struggles to grasp the West Coast offense over the past years have been well documented. He attempted to seek out counsel from Steve Young in past off-seasons and studied the nuances of the offense relentlessly. This season is his final exam.
Do not misunderstand Vick is one of, if not, the most exciting players to ever take the field in the NFL. Unfortunately, while excitement does generate revenue for a team, it does not translate into wins. The scrambling and lob passing has lost its luster in light of the past season. The offense around him is not built for his abilities. The West Coast offense, at its core, is to be run by a drop back passer. A tool that, despite his best effort, Vick has yet to master. The true West Coast offense utilizes a great deal of down-the field passing attacks accented by power running with zone blocking. Vick has the running game. Dunn and Duckett in the backfield provide ample opportunity to plow through a defense. The patience and field vision to find the appropriate passing lanes seems to be lacking. Whenever there is penetration he quickly tucks the ball away and runs. With a little more patience and persistence he can allow his receivers to make adjustments. This lack of discipline can explain his horrendous 73.1 passer rating. Is this what a franchise can be built around?
Should the results of this season be any less than a playoff berth and advancement therein, the “Michael Vick Experiment” can only be labeled as a failure. How long can Arthur Blank look at his significant monetary investment in Vick as a success if winning does not follow. What options are available to the franchise with so much capital invested in a single player? The answer is sitting on the bench. The same bench that saw Brett Favre languish about before a trade to Green Bay. The answer is Matt Schaub. Schaub has proven in pre-season and limited regular season time that he better fits the nature of the offense. He is a more cerebral quarterback with better vision and more patience. What you lose with the scrambling threat can quickly be made up with clear concise decision-making abilities. The threat of injury on an ill-advised scramble is all but eliminated. The reluctance of trading Schaub in the off-season has provided a glimmer of hope that all is not lost in Atlanta.
It is also important to note that despite regular season success no offense has captured the championship following the blueprint that Atlanta has followed thus far. A scrambling quarterback has never achieved the goal of a NFL championship. It is my hope that Vick will become a more disciplined quarterback and accept the confines of the offense the coaching staff has implemented. I remain skeptical and will wait patiently to see the results of another off-season of preparation and leave you all with this final thought.
The glory of being a highlight on SportsCenter is short lived, but Super Bowls are forever
-Matt
posted by threeguyssports at 9:36 PM
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