Michael Vick's redemption, Falcons' resurrection intertwined

Four days after Ryan led the Falcons to a thrilling 26-21 victory against the Baltimore Ravens to push his record to 19-1 in the Georgia Dome, Vick set the nation abuzz with his performance in the Eagles’ 59-28 triumph against the Washington Redskins on Monday night. Vick completed 20 of 28 passes for 333 yards and four touchdowns and also ran for 80 yards and two more touchdowns.

“I haven’t seen anything like this in years," NBC commentator Al Michaels said. "He begins the season as the backup ... It’s really an incredible story.”

After reviewing his play on film, even Vick was mesmerized.

“I always knew it was possible that I could come back and have success, but you never know when it’s going to happen," Vick said to the Philadelphia media Wednesday. "You hope that it’s going to happen. You hope you get that opportunity, and I’m just thankful."

Some fans have divided loyalties and seem to have caught a new case of Vick fever around Atlanta in the wake of his performance. Several callers to the nationally syndicated "2 Live Stews" radio show, which is based out of 790 The Zone, reveled in Vick's success.

"It hasn't changed since the dogfighting incident came out," said Doug Stewart, one-half of the show he shares with his brother, Ryan Stewart. "You have people that love him and people that hate him. More so now, it's ‘We told you so.'"

When Vick was indicted in July 2007 and his career came to screeching halt, his detractors minimized his loss by contending that he wasn't a good quarterback because he couldn't read defenses and wasn't an accurate passer. The contentions were contrary to his performance that resulted in a winning record of 38-28-1, three trips to the Pro Bowl, two playoff appearances, including one trip to the NFC championship game.

Vick has since acknowledged that he was a chronic slacker with the Falcons when it came to film study.

Tim Bolton, 42, owner of Goodfellas barber shop in Smyrna, was not a Vick supporter. He used to call into the 2 Live Stews and get "shot" off the air in a show gag.

Talk of Vick in the shop was hot and heavy all week.

"The basic feeling was that he played well when he was here with the Falcons, but we've noticed that he's elevated his game," Bolton said. "We don't know if he became mature as a person or if the Philadelphia staff is doing something different. But overall, everybody is happy for him."

Gil Tyree, a veteran sportscaster formerly with CBS Atlanta, was in the shop Friday. "I'm not surprised," Tyree said. "I can tell you unequivocally that Michael has had it in him ... it was exciting to see."

Despite the Falcons' success since he left, Vick is beloved in parts of the city. The affection was on display last season when the Eagles defeated the Falcons 34-7 at the Georgia Dome on Dec. 6, and chants of  "We want Vick" rang out throughout the stadium.

"He was an icon here," Tyree said. "He related with a large segment of this community, and they will never let him go."

Vick's former teammates with the Falcons are elated.

"I texted him during the game," wide receiver Roddy White said. "I told him, ‘Man, you're on fire.' He texted me back after the game.

"I was like, ‘You're trying to win MVP.' He texted me back and said, ‘Man, I'm just doing my thing.'"

White is not surprised that Vick made it back to potential Pro Bowl status.

"He's a remarkable athlete, and now he's a quarterback," White said.

Against the Redskins, Vick was seen several times searching for receivers before he ran. Some contend that with the Falcons, he was a run-first quarterback, who didn't bother to even look for his receivers. White didn't become a Pro Bowl receiver until Vick was no longer behind center.

"I want him to do good," White said. "I want him to be the Eagles' franchise quarterback, so they'll have to pay him a lot of money."

Defensive end John Abraham played two seasons with Vick. "I know Mike as a person. The stuff that he did, I think he's paid his dues. Now, he's back playing football, the game that he loves. I can see lot more maturity and lot more love for the game."

Center Todd McClure is rooting for Vick, too.

"It looks like he's got everything headed in the right direction," McClure said. "He's a better player now, and I'm sure he'll admit that, than he was when he was here because he's a better student of the game."

Eagles coach Andy Reid credits Vick for accepting the coaching he's receiving now. He defended the Falcons' coaches who directed Vick -- Dan Reeves and Jim Mora.

"It’s really the player. If the player doesn’t want to absorb it then he’s not going to absorb it," Reid said.

Vick appeared headed for regular star performances early in his career. In 2002, he passed for nearly 3,000 yards and led the Falcons to the playoffs. He became the first visiting quarterback to win a playoff game at historic Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.

But he sustained a broken ankle in a meaningless exhibition game against the following preseason. According to court documents from the dogfighting trial, during his rehabilitation period is when he became heavily involved in the Bad Newz Kennels enterprise that would lead to his prison term.

"The biggest thing when Mike was here, he waited until the receiver got open to throw the ball," McClure said. "Now you can see that he's making throws on anticipation. He goes through all of his reads before he takes off and run ... Now you've got to stop his arm and his legs."

Mora has spent time with Vick and did an intense one-on-one interview with him on NFL Network, where Vick told the coach he was living a lie in Atlanta.

"I'm pulling for Mike," Mora said. "People in Atlanta have always recognized what a great talent he is and what a great player that he is.  The thing that I'm most proud of in my relationship with Mike over the last year is the way that he's matured as a human being and what he stands for now as opposed to what he stood for back then. I'm talking off the field."

Mora wasn't stunned by Vick's showing against the Redskins.

"I know it's fun for everybody to see what he's doing on the field, but I've seen those things and the fans of the Atlanta, we've all seen those things up close and personal," Mora said. "It's not about football. It's about Mike having a second chance at life and doing it the right way this time."

By any measure, Ryan has been a smashing success. He led the Falcons to the playoffs as a rookie and was named the league's rookie of the year. Vick was just 1-1 in two starts as a rookie.

Ryan, coming back from a gruesome turf-toe injury, led the Falcons to a 9-7 mark last season as the franchise posted its first back-to-back winning seasons.

This season, the Falcons are 7-2 and tied for the most wins in the NFC.

So, it's still hard to explain the local attachment to Vick.

"Vick is an all-timer in people's minds in the City of Atlanta," Stewart said. "When you talk to New York people they are going to tell you about Lawrence Taylor. When you talk to people in L.A. they are going to tell you about the Magic Johnson era. When you talk to people in Atlanta that were here to see it, there was just nothing like the atmosphere when Mike was in the city."

Some don't see the endearing love for Vick as an indictment of Ryan.

"People have embraced Ryan," Stewart said. "He's a solid quarterback. He's our quarterback. So you're going to roll with him, but still in the back of your mind you're going to think about the great, great times we had when Michael Vick was here."

Tyree said, "The question is "What if?'" What if he hadn't gone down the wrong path? What if he would have remained an Atlanta Falcon? Would we be seeing what we saw Monday night?"