Atlanta Falcons: The Michael Vick Series Part I
It was about as ugly as it can get for the Atlanta Falcons.
Outside of CB Ray Buchanan leading the team with six interceptions and RB Jamal Anderson rushing for 1,024 yards and six touchdowns, there really wasn’t much around the Falcons to signal brighter days ahead at the conclusion of the 2000 season.
The days of applying the Dirty Bird dance after touchdowns were pretty much wiped away but the memories of the celebratory dance gained even more desire. Then-head coach Dan Reeves endured his second straight season with double-digit losses with a future that showed more and more clouds. Hope was needed.
Then April 21st, 2001 appeared.
A swap of the fifth overall pick to the San Diego Chargers gave the Falcons the first overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft on that day. It cost the Falcons a third round pick in 2001, a 2nd round pick in 2002, and a solid returner in Tim Dwight but it allowed the Falcons to make a selection that would alter not only the franchise, but the city of Atlanta as well.
Before you knew it, the first African-American quarterback selected first overall made the transition from college football lightning bolt to the face of the Atlanta Falcons franchise.
From Newport News to Blacksburg
In what seemed like a lengthy career playing for former Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, Michael Vick only needed 22 games worth of collegiate experience to convince at the very least, the Atlanta Falcons, that he wasn’t your ordinary, pocket passing quarterback. Even with a solid history of mobile QBs before him, Vick was different. The likes of Randall Cunningham, Fran Tarkenton, and Steve Young were the ones who crafted the element of a scrambling QB but Vick was viewed as the next level.
It was quite evident with Vick scoring just about as many rushing touchdowns (17) as passing ones (21) in his collegiate career. Winning an accolade such as 1999 Big East Offensive Player of the Year and placing in the Heisman voting in both seasons were just a few notches on his belt. Notches that were quite visible but probably not as impactful as his growth from the Ridley Circle Homes in Newport News, Virginia to the face of Atlanta.
Unless you have family or friends near the Newport News area, you’re more than likely clueless about the amount of turmoil and trouble that has been hanging over the city of Newport News for what seems like forever. So Vick developed his talent at a young age with the help of his father which parlayed into a scholarship offer from Beamer and the Virginia Tech program. Not many make it out of Newport News with a success story. Vick just so happen to be one of the lucky ones.
As a redshirt freshman, Vick guided the Hokies to an 11-0 regular season record in 1999 and earned a berth in the BCS Championship Game against the Florida State Seminoles. Vick led the nation in passing efficiency as well finished third in the Heisman race.
A loss was handed to the Hokies by FSU but Vick walked away from the game with even more respect. After winning MVP of the 2000 Toyota Gator Bowl against Clemson, Vick decided to throw his hat into the ring and enter the NFL Draft. Vick captured the attention of many during his two seasons on the field in Blacksburg, but little did we know that the magic Vick created was yet to be seen.
Welcome To Atlanta
Vick saw only eight games of action during his rookie 2001 season, passing for 785 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 289 yards and one touchdown. However, as the 2001 season chugged along, pretty much the only thing on the mind of Falcons fans and media covering the team, was when exactly Vick would take over the quarterback job permanently as veteran QB Chris Chandler was just “holding the fort”.
The drafting of a franchise QB is a few notches below the electing of a governor of a city. Once that signal caller is selected, it seems that city, that town is attached to the hip of the face of the franchise. Like Manning in Indianapolis, Marino in Miami, or Wilson in Seattle, the city belongs to that particular QB, as long as he wins of course. For Vick, the city was transitioning into his own before he even started full time.
The city of Atlanta and the attention of the NFL and it’s viewers truly became the property of Vick during his epic 2002 season. A season in which Vick officially brought a dangerous element to the game of football.
Moment after moment, highlight after highlight. Vick firmly placed his stamp on the league in 2002. Gashing the Vikings for a 46 yard touchdown run in overtime to give the Falcons a 30-24 win. Throwing for 337 yards and two touchdowns in a victory over the Detroit Lions. Rushing for 91 yards and two touchdowns on the road against New Orleans in a 37-35 win.
Vick and the Falcons capped off a historic season with a 27-7 Wild Card round victory on the road against Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. Even though the team suffered a 20-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles the next week in the divisional round of the playoffs, the bricks were already in place for a Falcons team that seemed to be turning the corner, simply because of one man.
The presence of Vick uplifted the team and the citizens of Atlanta as well as Falcons fans everywhere. A fan base uplifted for the first time since the teams danced it’s way to the Super Bowl a few years before. The season of 2002 got things off to an impressive start for Michael Vick as the new face for the Atlanta Falcons.
Next: Atlanta Falcons: Everyone is shining bright at minicamp
Things began to really take off for Vick and the Falcons after 2002, but before they did, a little turbulence occurred first.