Is Mora a goner?

[DrReality]

It's not just that the Falcons lost today, it's how they lost. Scored 3 points on the openning possesion and didn't score another point. I would be stunned if Blank didn't cut him lose after his idiotic stunt last week and the collapse of the team the last couple of years.

[Eddielives]

I think Mora needs to go along with Vick. I'm sick of this town and it's cultural infatuation with Micheal Vick. Too many people will defend this guy because of his skin color rather than look at his diminishing value. It's time to realize that he will NOT lead this team to squat. Sure, he'll have the dynamic runs and highlight plays here and there but it's old and tired now. I am so tired of this Vick love affair. Give Schaub a chance and let whatever sucker team take Vick off our hands so we can have a LEGITIMATE QUARTERBACK!!...not a running back with the ability to throw the ball a mile on a spiral at 100 mph. Yeah, I'm a bit irritated right now and I'm giving Vick the brunt of my insignificant disapproval but Mora and his lack of control over this team is worthy of a pink slip as well. Time for us Atlanta fans to once again sit and wonder when we'll have a contender for a title of some sort once again. There are the Thrashers but we'll see. I just can't get into hockey as much as I'd like to yet. Just damn Atlanta sports altogether right now. Merry freaking Christmas fellow fans. Let's drink our way into loser oblivion.

[codyatl]

Well, heres how it plays out. Either we keep Mora and coaching staff and trade vick or we keep vick and fire coaching staff. Which way do you think blank is going wiht that 1? Mora and pals are gone. Sadly we will prolly have the same problem next year. I love watching Vick, no doubt he is the most exciting player in the league, maybe tomlimson, but Vick is exciting. I do believe that Vick can win but he needs help. better players and better coaches BUT I would like to see the Falcons trade him for this reason. They would get a ton in return for him. The falcons dont have a lot of holes to fill and they could all be filled with a trade of vick. Heres how I see the roster....

QB-good with Shaub but will need a vet backup.

RB-set Dunn and Norwood resign Griffin

WR-definitely need to get a guy here.

TE-set

OL-OT and OG, get Forney back healthy.

DL-add depth with another huge dt

LB-ILB and depth

DB-2 safeties and a CB(I like williams though)

Thats 4 or 5 starter quality players we need to add and this team will be at the top of the league. A trade of Vick will supply the ammo to do this. Rich McKay is a good GM and I have faith that he would draft the right guys. I would hate to see him go but I would be willing to bet the Browns would offer a very nice deal to get their hands on Vick. Going to be an interesting offseason for sure in Hotlanta.

[shock]

I know some of the receiver havent panned out but rich mckay can draft with the best of em. He is widely regarded around the league as being in the top 3 GMs in the NFL. He makes smart decisions, draft picks, etc...

That being said, I think we should trade Vick to a team like Oakland and get a bunch of draft picks in return. Remember when Dallas traded Herchel to Minny for picks? Well they drafted well and won super bowls with those players. We could potentially do that here. Just my opinion.

[Plainview1981]

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I know some of the receiver havent panned out but rich mckay can draft with the best of em. He is widely regarded around the league as being in the top 3 GMs in the NFL. He makes smart decisions, draft picks, etc...

That being said, I think we should trade Vick to a team like Oakland and get a bunch of draft picks in return. Remember when Dallas traded Herchel to Minny for picks? Well they drafted well and won super bowls with those players. We could potentially do that here. Just my opinion.

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Like how the Chargers raped the Giants in the Eli Manning deal?

[shock]

exactly

[Plainview1981]

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exactly

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I'm glad Eli is a mediocre QB. I wonder what his daddy thinks. If it wasn't for Peyton, you'd almost have to wonder if losing is in the Manning families blood.

[BornandDieHawks]

What is the love affair with Schaub? What has he done but had a few good exhibition games? Whenever he has got into a real game he has sucked. Everyone talks about Vick's throwing ability, but tell me how many times he has receivers open like other QBs. With the exception of Crumpler our receivers are always covered and if they do get a little open they never pick up any yards after the caught and that is because of poor routes. Vick does deserves some of the blame but without him we would be fighting for the #1 draft pick.

[Diesel]

Blank said another 8-8 season just missing the playoffs won't be good.

Mora also put his foot in his mouth a couple of weeks ago.

I think that the Falcons could use a different direction. One which can make the running game a better focus than it is right now. One that takes advantage of Vick's speed and his propensity to pass to the TE.

Where's Dan Hennig and his "H" Back when you need him?

Somebody call Barry Switzer and tell him we need a pro-styled wishbone!!!

[Diesel]

Simply from a fan/business POV, trading Vick would be just like trading Nique... You don't trade the face of the franchise just to make the franchise more ordinary.

Even if it means letting another QB, QB the 4th qtr, you don't trade Vick.

[Eddielives]

First off, nobody is, including myself, is saying Schaub is some sort of definite savior. It's just that he is highly thought of by anyone who is looking for a young stud to come in and begin what could very possibly be a great career. He's not just some scrub.

Secondly, to say he's sucked in any regular season game is just simply ignorant. Remember the game against New England. Yes, we lost but he had a very solid game for having never started in his life in the pros. So you're just flat out wrong on that one.

Furthermore, Vick may not have the best core of receivers in the league but let's just stop making escuses here. They aren't that bad. Part of why they look so bad is because of playcalling, or the gameplan, but it is also because Vick is not throwing catchable passes. So please spare me the it's all the receivers fault nonsense. There're plenty of blame to go around and Vick gets his share.

Without Vick they're fight for the #1 draft pick? You're once again showing your ingorance on Schaub. I believe that if you look at it objectively, we would have a much more efftive passing game with Schaub despite our coaches gameplan simply because he is a better passer than Vick.

The bottom line is that Vick is pretty much what most people outside of Atlanta, who look at the situation objectively, think he is. A great athlete who will always keep your team exciting and possibly really good. But will ultimately dissappoint. The sooner we realize this and move on, the better.

[codyatl]

Its not about thinking shaub is the next montanna but rather all we could get for Vick in trade. As far as the blame ame goes your right there is plenty to go around. I only attended 1 game this seaosn and it was the cowboy game and I was really shocked at how bad our wrs run routes. I was also shocked at how bad vick reads the field. I dont think getting vick great wrs is going to fix our problems nor do I think just changing the qb would do it. We need a fresh start but unlike the hawks and their fresh start we have a superstar player that we can trade just like someone mentioned earlier(Dallas and Minny). I just feel that our best option is clean house including vick.

[Plainview1981]

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First off, nobody is, including myself, is saying Schaub is some sort of definite savior. It's just that he is highly thought of by anyone who is looking for a young stud to come in and begin what could very possibly be a great career. He's not just some scrub.

Secondly, to say he's sucked in any regular season game is just simply ignorant. Remember the game against New England. Yes, we lost but he had a very solid game for having never started in his life in the pros. So you're just flat out wrong on that one.

Furthermore, Vick may not have the best core of receivers in the league but let's just stop making escuses here. They aren't that bad. Part of why they look so bad is because of playcalling, or the gameplan, but it is also because Vick is not throwing catchable passes. So please spare me the it's all the receivers fault nonsense. There're plenty of blame to go around and Vick gets his share.

Without Vick they're fight for the #1 draft pick? You're once again showing your ingorance on Schaub. I believe that if you look at it objectively, we would have a much more efftive passing game with Schaub despite our coaches gameplan simply because he is a better passer than Vick.

The bottom line is that Vick is pretty much what most people outside of Atlanta, who look at the situation objectively, think he is. A great athlete who will always keep your team exciting and possibly really good. But will ultimately dissappoint. The sooner we realize this and move on, the better.

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Matt Shaub is the next Billy Voleck

[Gray Mule]

Winning is the name of the game. Vick said it well. We

have enough players that are good enough to win.

What really amazes me, as I watch on T.V. and watch all

the replays, it seems that every time, our recievers are

closely covered and when they do catch the pass it is

somewhat of a great catch.

Many passes have been off target. Many have been right there and dropped.

Opponents recievers are many times wide open. No one

near them until after the catch.

Something is wrong with this picture. Either all the

other teams are much better than us or our plans don't

work as they should.

More than enough blame to go around. True.

But, I believe our head coach has shot himself. Fatally.

[DJlaysitup]

I also heard another - more coach critical post game quote by Vick on the radio at lunchtime. I can't remember it word for word but Vick was making it plain that it's gonna be a "somebody has to go...me or them" scenario. And Arthur ain't likely trading Vick so he can keep Mora (IMO).

[DrReality]

One of their greatest plays is when Vick rolls to one side and fakes the run. When they come up on him he dumps it over to a back for a gain. Seems they never run it. Just seems he does not pick up his receivers on short gains. So many variables that are all over the board that it is hard to assess one specific aspect.

[troubleman]

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Secondly, to say he's sucked in any regular season game is just simply ignorant. Remember the game against New England. Yes, we lost but he had a very solid game for having never started in his life in the pros. So you're just flat out wrong on that one.

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I really wish people would stop saying that was his first freakin start. The guys started the year before against New Orleans and looked like a rookie. He has had plenty of playing time, and his overall completion percentage is on par with Vicks. This leads me to believe the problem is not Schaub or Vick, but other variables, namely the awful playcalling and the awful pass blocking.

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Furthermore, Vick may not have the best core of receivers in the league but let's just stop making escuses here. They aren't that bad. Part of why they look so bad is because of playcalling, or the gameplan, but it is also because Vick is not throwing catchable passes. So please spare me the it's all the receivers fault nonsense. There're plenty of blame to go around and Vick gets his share.

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I've had season tickets since 1996, and believe me this core group of receivers are that bad. There is a reason why Denver traded for Javon Walker, despite the fact he was coming off a torn ACL. Ashley Lelie is not a #1 or #2 receiver. Roddy White and Jenkins are both young, and both are poor route runners. I have sat and watched the receivers quite a bit this year, and the sad fact is they do not get seperation. They are jammed too easily, and they run poor routes.

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Without Vick they're fight for the #1 draft pick? You're once again showing your ingorance on Schaub. I believe that if you look at it objectively, we would have a much more efftive passing game with Schaub despite our coaches gameplan simply because he is a better passer than Vick

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Outside of the New England game, and the preseason game against the Colts in Tokyo, there is nothing there for you to say that Schaub is a better passer. I like the kid, but people really annoy me with this crap. Matt Schaub has thrown 149 passes in his career, and he is completing less than 50% of them. How does that make him a "much" better passer than Vick?

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The bottom line is that Vick is pretty much what most people outside of Atlanta, who look at the situation objectively, think he is. A great athlete who will always keep your team exciting and possibly really good. But will ultimately dissappoint. The sooner we realize this and move on, the better.

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The bottom line is most people outside of Atlanta do not watch the Atlanta Falcons. When is the last time the Falcons had a good offensive line? 98? When is the last time the Falcons had a great defense? If Vick is so bad, why haven't any of the receivers that played with him in the past, gone to other places and had success. Why are most of them out of the league? How many former offensive linemen are starting for other teams? The Falcons have talent, but unfortunately we have a former offensive lineman coaching the receivers, a defense that is soft, and we rely too much on gimmicks. How come the leagues leading rushing team for 3 years in a row, has such a hard time running in the red zone or picking up a yard on 3rd/4th and 1? Why did the coach say Vick's legs is the hot route on blitzes? How does a team run the same play 8 times on third down, without a qb, and get a 1st down 7 of them? How does a team pass the ball 7 times, but hold the ball for 40 minutes in a game? You see, the problem with the Falcons is bigger than Mike Vick, and trading him will not solve anything.

[BornandDieHawks]

If you put Schaub in this offense he would get kill. Our OL is horrible and he do not have the mobility to get out of the way. Teams will be able to send everyone because our running game will not be that good. Oh yeah if you take away Vick yards we will be just an average running team.

To say our receivers are not that bad just tells me you only watch the games on TV where the receivers is out of the view of the cameras or you watch the highlights on ESPN or somewhere because I attend every home game and travel to Charlotte, Tampa, and New Orleans and see how sh*tty our receivers really play. If you see them in person you will see they are NEVER open and when they do catch a ball we are ranked last in yards after the catch. (Vick's fault too I guess) The only one worth anything is Crumpler because a LB cannot stay with him and he do run better routes that why it hurt so bad when Finnerman went out.

I believe the coaching staff are responsible for the play of our offense. I sit in the stands or watch on TV when they are outside our conference and I call about 70% of the plays. My football experience outside of being a fan stopped after my senior year in high school 20 years ago. If I can tell what play we are about to run, I am sure the more knowledgable defensive coordinators can also. Let's not even get into the soft zone our defense plays.

Vick has had some bad games but to put this season failure on his back is not fair and that's what you are doing suggesting he's the one who needs to get traded.

[DrReality]

John Kincaid made a good point on the radio that endicted McCay as the GM. He's the guy that drafted the wide receivers in the first round that have busted.

Article in the AJC listed reasons why Mora won't get fired. Basically that there's no one to replace him that is markedly better and the fact that a change would mean Vick would be starting over in a new system. Go figure.

[codyatl]

One of the best uses of a guy with an arm like Vick's is throwing back across the field. With his arm strength and running ability we should see more throw-backs on his sprint passes....but we never see it.