<p>IMHO, Michael Vick never had the best environment for success in Atlanta, and here are some of the reasons:</p>
<p>1) Atlanta has some of the league's worst receivers.</p>
<p>I know that the receiving corps of the New England Patriots are even worse and Tom Brady was still able to have success, but Jim Mora Jr. is no Bill Belichick. Belichick's a coach who can get the most out of pretty standard players (like Tom Brady himself, a QB with no exceptional natural talent). In the few Falcons games I've watched, I saw many easy passes dropped by the Falcon receivers, and apparently, this was a normal thing.</p>
<p>2) The West Coast Offense limits Vick's big play abilities</p>
<h1>7 has the arms and legs to make 40-yard+ plays, but the West Coast Offense turns the focus to the RB and forces Vick to make short passes. It seems more like a system suited for a slow, traditional QB.</h1>
<p>3) Coaches don't know how to use Vick</p>
<p>Coaches have been taught to view QBs as immobile megaliths with a cannon for an arm. Vick is much shorter and mobile than a prototypical QB, and coaches just don't understand how to utilize his abilities. He's not Carson Palmer, just like how Carson Palmer will never be like him. </p>
<p>Sure, Vick's had a couple of bad seasons, but people seem to forget how he galvanized the franchise, as well as taking them to the NFC championship game a few years ago. With a new coach, and a drive to prove himself once again, I think Atlanta would be moronic to give up on a special player like Vick (who's only 26).</p>
<p>I agree that Atlanta doesn't use Vick correctly, however he is probably the most overhyped QB in the NFL right now. I can't imagine what team would want to pick him up because of his immense contract.</p>
<p>"I agree that Atlanta doesn't use Vick correctly, however he is probably the most overhyped QB in the NFL right now."</p>
<p>This is true. Vick is highly overrated. He is admired more for his running prowess than his passing. This makes him more unique than good IMO. A very similar player from another era was Randall Cunningham. He was a great scrambler like Vick. The difference was that Cunningham could beat you with the pass. He had several 20+ touchdown seasons, including his great 1998 comeback year with the Vikings in which he had 34 TDs and only 10 INTs. Vick hasn't had a truly great season yet. So until he does, he will just be an above average quarterback that gets too much hype because he can run really fast.</p>
<p>"Vick has a laser arm with accuracy issues which can be solved with the right coach and better receivers."</p>
<p>I guess there is some truth to this. I have seen Vick air it out before. I still think Cunningham is better. He was the centerpiece on the Eagles teams of the 80s, then was able to have a career year in 98 with the Vikings and a different coaching staff. The 1998 Vikings were 15-1 and should've made the Super Bowl. The Falcons got lucky and they beat a much better Vikings team in the NFC championship.</p>
<p>Vick would beat Brady in a footrace, but the same passing skills? please. It isn't who has the strongest arm or Bobby Douglas would be the greatest QB in Bears history.(look him up). Throwing it a mile doesn't matter if you CAN'T HIT the Receiver. Part of the problem is when you can run at any time you don't trust your arm. Vick doesn't trust his own arm. </p>
<p>He doesn't possess a lazer arm by any means. He may have a gun for an arm, but it's a shotgun, not a rifle.</p>
<p>The real problem is leadership off the field. He keeps falling into stupid situations that somebody has to bail him out of PR wise. </p>
<p>It becomes a question of how long you pay for "potential". Vick is a coach killer because he has "potential" under the surface that every coach can see. It's just a question if it will surface for a qtr., a game. 5 games or a season, before he does something that mucks it up.</p>
<p>Up here in the NW, we have Jeremy Stevens. 'Potentially" the best TE in football, all the tools, cept tween the ears. The question with players like this (vick and stevens) do you continue to work with them in hopes the the light blub goes off and they become working professionals during your tenure as coach. Or, do you hang on to them so long that it costs you your job?</p>
<p>"Vick has a laser arm with accuracy issues which can be solved with the right coach and better receivers."</p>
<p>He never had the "it" when it came to the passing game. And he doesn't have much brain matter of use. He's been overrated since at VA Tech. Never mind the rumors of his laziness-he gets by on his talent, no drive or anything. One trick pony, let him play running back. And he's more inconsistent than my poop after a spicy burrito.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>He can't pass in the pocket. Maybe it has to do with him being too short, maybe not, I dunno. In a West Coast offense, you have to be able to make short, quick accurate passes across the field and Vick can't do it. </p></li>
<li><p>No work ethnic. The elite QB's in the league all watch film on the SPARE time, study playbook and practice with the WR's for hours on end to get the timing right. Vick doesn't do any of this, which is weird considering he plays in a west coast offense which emphasizes timing and accuracy.</p></li>
<li><p>He is untradable, literally. He is the highest paid player in the NFL with a 10 year $130 million dollar contract. Not many teams in the league are willing to swallow that much cap space for a guy that has average stats, even when you factor in the running game.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>He should renegotiate his contract, get paid less, and try to attract better recievers to Atlanta or try to get a trade to a team that can help him win.</p>
<p>By the way, the year Vick was drafter number 1, the team with the top draft pick was the San Diego Chargers. After their experience with Ryan Leaf, they decided to forego the overhyped QB and trade down to number 5. The player they got? LaDanian Tomlinson.</p>
<p>How many AFC Championship games has LT been to? How many NFC championship games has Vick been to? Who beat the Packers in Lambeau in January a few years ago?</p>
<p>You can't blame the lack of playoff success on LT. </p>
<p>First, the Chargers have only made the playoffs twice during his tenure there and none of that was due to his poor play. LT put on one of the greatest seasons in NFL history in 2003 when the Chargers went 3-13 and he ran for 1600 yards, caught 100 receptions and had 17 total touchdowns. He was in effect, the number one option recieving and passing for them. </p>
<p>Second, LT was a monster in the game against the Pats a couple weeks ago. You can't blame him for not being on the field when the Chargers let Brady throw that 49 yard bomb to Caldwell in the final seconds.</p>
<p>Third, the Falcons defense beat the Packers. Brett Farve threw 3 INTS and the Falcons blocked a punt. That pretty much ensures you a win.</p>
<p>Finally, the Falcons have tried to get better recievers for Vick. I'm tired of the excuse that he plays with guys who lack arms or something. Vick already has a really good TE in Alge Crumpler. He has also had a first round draft pick in Michael Jenkins and played with Ashlie Lelie and Peerless Price, both of whom were servicable number two options with their former teams. Sure, he doesn't have a Harrison or Holt, but if he was truely deserving of being the highest paid player in the league he shouldn't need them.</p>
<p>Tom Brady two options this year were two no-name guys and he was four points away from a Super Bowl. The 2001 Brady, didn't have a 1000 yard reciever or runningback.</p>
<p>Trent Green passed for conscetive 4000 yard seasons when the Chiefs had guys like Johnny Morton and Eddie Kennison as their go to guys.</p>
<p>Donovan McNabb had no name recievers AND no running game until the Eagles got Owens (only to lose him) and Westbrooke broke out this year. </p>
<p>John Elway, played an entire 1980's without having a pro bowl running back or reciever and took the Broncos to the Super Bowl three times during the 80's.</p>