Michael Vick is back!!!

[Dasher39]

Michael Vick returned tonight for the Falcons match against the Panthers after breaking his leg in pre-season. This has created a lot of excitment in Atlanta.

GO THE FALCONS!

 

[you_idiot]

Mixed stats for Michael Vick in his return to the Falcons' starting lineup.

16-of-33 passing for 179 yards, no TD's and one pick, but ran 14 times for 141 yards.

His leadership and mobility were definitely the keys in Atlanta's win.

Game report from nfl.com

That was a fun game to watch today.

 

[CURVE]

Thank God the King is back. Is it too late to make a run for the playoffs??

Go Falcons

 

[Dasher39]

Michael Vick's return was quite simply awesome. Srue a few things might not have gone his way, but hey he was returning after breaking his ankle, and we saw last night just how much pressure his ankles get put under. His rushing was pure brilliance, 14 rush's for 141-yards, the 3rd best in NFL history!! Also scored a TD to get Atlanta back on level terms. If this is his first game back I can only imagine what he is like when he as a full pre-season under his belt, as Falcons coach Dan Reeves said "This is only his 3rd pre-season match"

And on a side note, as was mentioned on ESPN just then, Dan Reeves will be the unluckiest man in the NFL, becuase he is sure to be given the sack, but it was shown just how good they could be last night.

 

[marcuz]

Loved it when witherspoon tried to sack him and Vick burnt him off like he wasnt even there. He must drive defences insane.

 

[you_idiot]

Originally posted by Dasher39
And on a side note, as was mentioned on ESPN just then, Dan Reeves will be the unluckiest man in the NFL, becuase he is sure to be given the sack, but it was shown just how good they could be last night.

Saw that on PTI today, and Tony Kornheiser even went as far to say that if the Falcons win the rest of their games, Vick should be the NFL's MVP.

Tony K's a bit prone to hyperbole sometimes-- but that's a bit over the top, even for him. Stat Boy should've called him out on the carpet right then and there.

[Michael Wilbon]
What, are you on drugs??
[/Michael Wilbon]

Vick's the most exciting player in the NFL, even in a crowded field of exceptionally talented players, but his injury causing him to miss three-quarters of the season-- or any other reason-- shouldn't get Reeves the sack.

 

[CURVE]

Originally posted by Dasher39
And on a side note, as was mentioned on ESPN just then, Dan Reeves will be the unluckiest man in the NFL, becuase he is sure to be given the sack, but it was shown just how good they could be last night.

I hope they don't give Reeves the sack, because he has done more good for the Falcons organisation than anyone else. He took them to a Superbowl for starters, and no one thought the Falcons would ever achieve that.

 

[you_idiot]

Well, Reeves is gone.

Reeves beats owner to the punch

ESPN.com news services
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Dan Reeves was fired abruptly by the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday with three games left in a disappointing season.


Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will take over as head coach for the rest of the season.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank told Reeves -- the sixth-winningest coach in NFL history -- that he would be fired at the end of the season, but asked him to coach the final three games. Reeves asked to be let go immediately.


"When Arthur told me he had made the decision about the end of the year, I knew it had to come to a fullness today," Reeves said. "I'm an eternal optimist, so yeah, it was a surprise. But I'm also realistic enough about coaching to understand this is how it is in the NFL."


Reeves, 59, is in his 23rd consecutive season as an NFL head coach, by far the longest tenure in the league, and he had one year left on his contract. Reeves led the Denver Broncos to three Super Bowls, losing each time.


As Blank answered questions from reporters in one of the team's meeting rooms Wednesday, Reeves stood outside in the hall and exchanged handshakes and hugs with some of the players, including quarterback Michael Vick.


"Dan is a sweet guy, very sweet," Vick said. "He's a guy that really cares about his players. I think he went the extra mile for us, and a lot of guys are going to miss him.''


The Falcons fell from the playoffs a year ago to one of the worst teams in the league after Vick was hurt in the preseason.


But Reeves was let go after the Falcons (3-10) defeated Carolina 20-14 in overtime in Vick's first start of the season.


"I want to be clear that this decision is not being made based on our performance this season -- we're looking forward, not back," Blank said. "This is purely about the future of the organization."


Blank said he doesn't expect to hire a new coach until after the regular season. Phillips, a former head coach in Denver and Buffalo, isn't thought to be a serious candidate.


Among the possible candidates: former Minnesota coach Dennis Green, Rams defensive coordinator Lovie Smith, and college coaches Bob Stoops of Oklahoma, Nick Saban of LSU, and Kirk Ferentz of Iowa.


"We want to begin the process of searching for a new head coach in a thorough and honest manner," Blank said. "In order to do so, and as Dan and I previously discussed, I wanted to let him know of our decision first."


Reeves began the season with his 199th career victory, a 27-13 win at Dallas. Atlanta then lost seven in a row before Reeves finally got his 200th win at New York against the Giants on Nov. 9.


Vick broke his right leg in the preseason, exposing the Falcons as a one-man team. Initially expected to be out six to 10 weeks, the third-year quarterback's rehabilitation dragged on for 3½ months.


At one point, there appeared to be a rift between player and coach. Reeves said Vick needed to get back on the field; Vick responded that he wouldn't play until he was fully recovered.


Vick played the final two series in a Nov. 30 loss to Houston, then finally made his first start last weekend. He rushed for 141 yards -- the third-highest total by a quarterback in NFL history -- and finally brought a little hope to a dismal season.


But Reeves won't be around for the rest of it. He leaves with a career record of 201-174-2, including the playoffs.


Linebacker Keith Brooking, one of Reeves' staunchest supporters, didn't blame the coach for asking to be let go now.


"You've got to respect that decision," Brooking said. "It would have been tough to come in here and give it everything, knowing your job was ending at the end of the year."


Only Don Shula, George Halas, Tom Landry, Curly Lambeau and Chuck Noll won more NFL games.


"Dan's record in the NFL speaks for itself," Blank said. "He has had a long and successful NFL career as a head coach, assistant coach and player, and his Hall-of-Fame-caliber accomplishments will have a place in the NFL record and history books for years to come."


Reeves, a protege of Landry, began his head coaching career with the Broncos. After swinging a trade for John Elway, Reeves guided the Broncos to three AFC championships.


Reeves was fired after the 1992 season, a move that was linked to a feud with Elway. The quarterback accused Reeves of stifling the offense; the coach countered that Elway had secretly drawn up plays with former offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan.


Reeves then landed in New York with the Giants. They made the second round of the playoffs in 1993 and had a winning record the following season, but Reeves was fired again after the Giants went 5-11 in 1995 and 6-10 in '96.


Then, it was back home with the Falcons. Reeves is a native of Rome, just north of Atlanta, and grew up in the Georgia town of Americus.


After going 7-9 his first season, Reeves took Atlanta to the greatest season in franchise history. The Falcons went 14-2 in 1998, going on to capture their first NFC championship with a thrilling overtime victory in Minnesota.


Adding to the drama of the season, Reeves underwent heart bypass surgery late in the season but managed to return to the sideline for the playoffs. Then, he got to face Elway, Shanahan and the Broncos in the Super Bowl. Denver won 34-19.


Atlanta then struggled through three straight losing seasons, with a combined record of 16-32. But a trade on the eve of the 2001 draft brought Vick to the Falcons, a precursor of brighter times.


When Blank bought the Falcons before the 2002 season, he gave Reeves a new three-year contract.


Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
[/i]

 

[stevev]

Mcnabb & the Eagles

Boys Boys Boys ......Vick is no king yet still learning the game and plenty to prove. He has all the attributes to make him a champion
but at this minute due to injury we must wait another couple of years. The man of the moment has to be Mcnabb, he simply is the best going around at this minute. If this bloke stay injury free it makes the eagles almost unbeatable. People got on his back to early in the season when playing with an broken thumb and boy were they getting on his back. For some reason there voices have all disappeared into thin air. But Mcnabb is not the only key to this team, the defence and coach jimmy johnson are also special. The defence has had so many great players leave and this year tormented with injuries but Jimmy Johnson seems to make players and defences with ease. This team must win a superbowl within the next couple of years if not this year.