Pro Football

[Bedlam]

NFC South? Who cares? Come on, all of you know deep down that your not gonna win shit. Even if one of your teams beat Philly, which I doubt, any good AFC team will whoop yall in the Super Bowl.

Atlanta fans, as long as Vick is your QB, yall aint winning shit.

[RynMur]

Ricky Williams, 5 attempts for 8 yards in the first preseason game, lol

[ch-chef]

did he start? i only caught the 4th quarter

[Roman Deini]

according to me all what vick was doing last year was winning. and he gonna continue that. why they aint winning cause of completing percentage? it aint about that shit.

[Roman Deini]

even HOF qb's giving Vick props.

Vick looking to quiet all the critics

by Jay Glazer / FOXSports.com

FLOWERY BRANCH, Georgia: If there are two guys in the NFL I'd gladly pay to watch play football on Sundays, they are Michael Vick and Julius Peppers. The latter is a freak of nature that runs nearly as fast as the first. But Vick, by far, remains the most complex weapon in today's game.

Teams fear him, opponents gawk at him, corporations throw themselves at him and critics love to target him. In one of my first tour stops, Vick and I had a chance to grab dinner and talk about what frustrates him most: The perception of him as a QB.

Because Vick gets so much exposure, many forget how raw he remains at the position. He's green, plain and simple. Vick readily admits this fact but he's beginning to get frustrated. He sees a double standard between him and other young QBs who come into this league.

Despite the fact that in just his second full season as a starter Vick took his team to the NFC title tilt, he's often criticized for not being a good quarterback. Critics boast, "He's not a quarterback, he's a running back with a good arm." Or, "He'll never be a complete quarterback." Vick clearly takes exception and — in a rare glimpse into his true emotions — blasts those who target him off the football field.

"I don't see how people expect me to be Peyton Manning or this finely polished quarterback already. All they do is criticize me and say I'm not accurate or I'm not a good quarterback," the clearly agitated Pro-Bowler said. "How can those same people who use those criticisms expect me to be that quarterback at this point or be that Peyton Manning type?"

Michael Vick's biggest strength might be his ability to run with the ball. (Robert Laberge / Getty Images)

Vick couldn't be more accurate, although it's his marketing arm that has caused his throwing arm to come under such scrutiny. Although others may get a period to learn the position and slowly mature, Vick's immeasurable talent means the microscope focused on him is set to a higher resolution.

"They haven't given me the chance because I've had so much exposure and because of my athletic ability," he said. "They don't give me a chance to show them that I can be a good quarterback. A lot of guys get three years (grace period) but in my first year they claimed I couldn't do this or couldn't do that. They still say that but I'm blocking it all out."

The Michael Vick Experience has onlookers expecting the greatest quarterback in the world. The fact remains that Vick has limited college and pro quarterback experience. In addition, he's not the type of quarterback who will sit back in the pocket and throw 35 times a game. Not his area, not his strength.

"What I try to do is make plays and as long as I make plays, what can you say about Michael Vick?" the game's most feared offensive playmaker asked. "I'm not the type of guy who has to throw four touchdowns a game. I'll never get to a point where I have to throw for 4,000 yards a season (in order to win). I don't care about stats.

"I could go 0-for-100 but get 100 yards on the ground and win the game and I'll be straight. A quarterback should be judged on wins and losses and all that other stat stuff should be killed. All those stats mean nothing if you don't win a Super Bowl."

Vick has a different outlook on the position than the traditionalists. While he aims to improve his touch and accuracy, he doesn't want to become one-dimensional. In fact, if given the choice, he'll always opt to be the NFL's best playmaker before the league's best quarterback.

"I'd rather be the best playmaker because the more plays you make, the more points that will be on the board and that leads to more wins," Vick said. "You can be the best quarterback in the league on the worst team with no talent and you aren't going to win. Isn't that all that matters? The wins? But people keep wanting to talk about stats or accuracy. It's frustrating to hear that stuff but it also motivates me to keep working at the position."

During the two days I spent in Falcons camp, Vick looked much more comfortable than he did a year ago. He should, especially with another off-season to work with coordinator Gregg Knapp. One play in particular stood out as a difference-maker in Vick's game.

He used his feet to evade a pass rush, a rush that would have sacked nearly any other QB in today's game, rolled to his left and fired a pass 25 yards downfield to a tight end in double coverage. What made the throw so exemplary was the fact that the ball left Vick's hand six feet off the ground and for all 25 yards traveled the same same six feet above ground. That ball was a line drive from shortstop to first and it never wavered. The DBs never had a chance.

To make the west coast offense work, Vick has to make a number of different decisions at the line of scrimmage. (Robert Laberge / Getty Images)

"I want to sharpen up my timing and accuracy," he said. "I also need to add some touch. Sometimes I have a tendency to throw the ball very hard when guys are right in front of me. But other than that, I don't think I have too many things to work on. I leave a couple of x's on the boys though."

The mental aspect is where the Falcons' signal caller thinks he'll step up this season and begin to shoot down some of his critics.

"Last year at this time I was a deer in the headlights," he recalled. "This is only my second year in the West Coast system, but I'm more comfortable than I was at this point last year. This year I polished up a lot and I'm ready to run the system better.

"For example, we have something called quarterback protocol that you have to go through in your mind, step by step of the whole play: the formation, the drop, the routes, the hot reads. After breaking the huddle and I go to the line, I'm going through protocol. I'm able to look at the defense now and have a better understanding of the pre-snap reads and knowing where to go. Last year at this time I was struggling because I was thinking too much. Now I'm comfortable with that step-by-step protocol."

The fact that he's beginning to get more comfortable with the position — considering he came within one win of going to the big game in just his second year as a starter — doesn't bode well for the rest of the league, or his critics.

He didn't even need to stay at a Holiday Inn Express for this: Owner Arthur Blank is a beauty. His title should read Owner, Chairman, Player Relations and Comfort Coordinator. Rather than have the team trek from home to Greenville, South Carolina for camp again, he brought camp to the Falcons. Blank had a complex built behind the practice fields that includes extremely comfortable suites with decent beds, an incredible employee lounge with constant food and beverages, as well as a theater room, computers, games and a host of other amenities that resorts boast. And how could I ever forget the swimming pool and the pond which is stocked with fish, just in case you feel like casting and relaxing?

But the best example of how Blank treats his employees came on Day 2 of camp. Blank gathered a few of the players, GM Rich McKay and other team employees along with architects in search of improvement ideas. The thing hadn't been open for a day and already he was looking to upgrade. Call it "Extreme Training Camp Home Makeover."

When Blank mentioned something about the remote control for his ceiling fan not working to one of the engineers, McKay chided him with something along the lines of, "Wait a minute, remote control? What remote control? Hey man, you've been holding out on us." The group enjoyed a nice laugh.

Later that night McKay went back to his suite to kick back with his hilarious son Hunter. But when he entered the room, McKay stood shocked. In the hours after McKay made his little joke, Blank had remote-controlled fans put in the living room, Rich's room and Hunter's room — with nary a sign of entry.

McKay couldn't believe it. For those who don't know the man, that is so Arthur Blank.

[RynMur]

Well Ronnie Brown didn't even play. Damn has anyone played Madden 2006 yet? My bro got it today, the passing it hard as fuck. It's still ok, but the passing is so difficult that it changes the whole tempo of the game.

[Roman Deini]

i gotta wait till september fucking europe.

[maestro wooz]

nah i havent played it yet but i heard(from bill simmons) that the new passing thing is reallllly gay. You can only throw at a reciever whos in your line of sight or else the pass is really inaccurate. You can turn it off though apparently but that is still way overdoing the attempt at reality

[Bedlam]

according to me all what vick was doing last year was winning. and he gonna continue that. why they aint winning cause of completing percentage? it aint about that shit.

I meant the Super Bowl, who cares if you are NFC South Champions. Big fucking deal

They got stomped when it mattered

[ch-chef]

Well Ronnie Brown didn't even play. Damn has anyone played Madden 2006 yet? My bro got it today, the passing it hard as fuck. It's still ok, but the passing is so difficult that it changes the whole tempo of the game.

ronnie browns holdin out...madden came out today didnt it? nah i havent played it yet ...im still on ncaa 05

[RynMur]

Is the passing in NCAA like that too?

[maestro wooz]

nah, ncaa is a great game, i got it and i love it

[RynMur]

Ok does T.O. need to grow some fucking balls or what. I guess he walked off the Eagles practice field yesterday because he got in an argument with Coach Reid.

[Sun Tzu, Tha Soul Controllah]

yeah I saw him workin out in front of the cameras, fuckin showoff......

but he's a fuckin reciever tho, can't lie about that

[sakk]

T.O. is a spoiled athlete. He is one of the best WR's. But his antics do get old.