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Sun. Dec 07, 2003

The Vick Effect

As a Falcons fan over the past month or so, it’s been easy to think, “you know, if Michael Vick is at 70 or 80 percent healthy, let’s get him out there. Michael Vick in a wheelchair would be better than what we’ve got.” It’s been that ugly.

But tonight we saw why Michael Vick needs for his legs to be 100% healthy to play ball. He carries the whole team with them.

Facing a Carolina Panthers team that was trying to lock up the division title, a mere three quarters of the way through the season, the 2-10 Falcons rode it all the way into overtime on Vick’s legs, instead of collapsing like a folding chair under Aretha Franklin, as they have the rest of this miserable season.

Facing a Carolina running back, Stephen Davis, who has ripped division opponents for about 150 yards per game this season, Vick simply outran him. Davis carried 24 times for 81 yards. Vick ran 14 times … for 141 yards. For running yardage in a single game, that’s the third-highest total by a quarterback in NFL history (a record he holds with 173 yards). And it’s his first game of the season.

Oh, he also threw 16 completed passes for another 179 yards.

Michael’s back.

And for the first time this year, the Falcons won a home game. But let’s be real: they’re still 3-10, and able to safely plan a vacation trip to the Bahamas for New Year’s.

I’m just happy the last three games of the year will once again be fun to watch, not torture.