Falcons say it's no big deal to face Vick

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October 25, 2012

Falcons say it's no big deal to face Vick

Anonymous Associated Press Thu Oct 25, 2012, 07:37 PM EDT

FLOWERY BRANCH — Michael Vick will always be a part of the Atlanta Falcons.

They were the team that drafted him No. 1 overall. They were the team he made hip and relevant in the NFL. They were the team he left in disarray with his hideous hobby.

But it's no longer a big deal to face their former quarterback.

The Falcons have moved on.

"There's probably only a handful of guys left here that played with Mike," said his successor as Atlanta's quarterback, Matt Ryan. "I think we're probably a little bit beyond that at this point."

Indeed, the Falcons have put the Vick era in the rearview mirror, quickly rebuilding from the mess he caused with an unprecedented run of success — at least in the regular season. They have strung together four straight winning records, three playoff appearances and a division title since No. 7 left town.

And now, heading into Sunday's game against Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles, the Falcons (6-0) are more focused on what the future might hold than what happened in the past. They are off to the franchise's best start ever, the only undefeated team left in the NFL and intent on settling for nothing less than Atlanta's first Super Bowl championship.

Center Todd McClure, who once snapped the ball to Vick and now does the same with Ryan, feels the team has recaptured that feeling of excitement, that feeling of importance it had with its previous quarterback.

Only this time, it's different.

"It's not based off one guy," McClure said. "There's a buzz about this whole team. "

The Vick-led Falcons sure had their moments. They were the first visiting team ever to win a playoff game at Green Bay's Lambeau Field. They reached the NFC championship game for only the second time in team history.

But that was viewed largely as a one-man show, a team that only went as far as wondrous quarterback could take it. When Vick thrived, the Falcons usually won. When he struggled, they almost always lost. It was a thrilling yet exhausting ride, a team that largely followed the ebbs and flows of a single, one-of-a-kind player.

Not anymore.

While Ryan has put himself on the cusp of being one of the NFL's elite quarterbacks, he's surrounded by plenty of weapons — deep threats Roddy White and Julio Jones, future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez, bruising runner Michael Turner. The defense isn't too shabby, either. Ageless John Abraham keeps the heat on opposing quarterbacks, young Sean Weatherspoon has already developed into a top linebacker, and everyone in the secondary — from Asante Samuel to Thomas DeCoud — is getting a hand on the ball.

Which has made this latest meeting against Vick and the Eagles seem like just another game, just another step along the way to the ultimate goal.

"Just us against them," White said.

McClure, White and Abraham are among just five players remaining from Vick's time with the Falcons (the others are offensive tackle Tyson Clabo and defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux).

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