Vick Returns to Atlanta

With all the injury storylines filling Sunday's Eagles/Falcons showdown in the Georgia Dome, probably the most under-the-radar aspect of this game will be Michael Vick's first game in Atlanta since he was incarcerated. It is under-the-radar only in the sense that Vick has not been that much of a contributor and once the game starts he'll likely be a non-factor. But for Vick, there has to be so many emotions going through him this week.

From the moment Vick entered the league in 2001 as the number one pick in the draft for the Falcons, he ignited a fan base and started a mass following. His jersey sales and endorsements were through the roof thanks to his unbelievable playmaking ability on the field. Michael Vick for a few years was one of the few "faces" of the NFL and the biggest superstar the Falcons had seen since Deion Sanders almost a decade earlier. Vick earned three Pro Bowl appearances in his tenure with the Falcons as well being the first opposing Quarterback to win a playoff game in Lambeau Field. He also led the Falcons to the 2004 NFC Championship game where they lost to Vick's current team, the Eagles.

Even though I'm sure Vick will look forward to the cheers that he will inevitably get when he steps onto the field for the first time, there will definitely be a deep feeling of regret. When he steps on that field and sees the Falcons on the other sideline, he will see a team that has gotten over Vick after that debacle of a season in 2007. They drafted Matt Ryan with the 3rd pick in the 2008 draft and saw him take a team that were basement dwellers of the NFC South the year before to the division title and a playoff appearance. Things are only looking up for the Falcons and Vick's career is still in limbo. He landed in a great situation with the Eagles where he can ease his way back into the NFL and not have to be the focal point of a team, however there will be a time when Vick will have to again showcase himself for teams wanting to know if he still has the ability to lead an organization as a quarterback, not as a wildcat operator. That opportunity will likely come after this season, when Vick is scheduled to earn over $5 million next season if the Eagles pick up his deal, which seems unlikely for a gadget player in this offense.

It will be interesting to see, with the injuries to DeSean Jackson and Brian Westbrook, if Andy Reid dials up a few extra plays for Vick this week to see if he can recapture some of that old Georgia Dome magic.