Michael Vick Displays Unfazed Confidence
The Falcons' quarterback shined despite two losses last year against the Bucs.
TAMPA -- Michael Vick can improvise with the best of them.
He knows how to avoid the pressure. Slip by the defense. Make you pay for the slightest misstep.
"No, I was never frustrated," Atlanta's quarterback snapped at the media's question on if he's gotten frustrated when things aren't going right for him.
"Have I ever looked frustrated to you? Have I?"
Vick, in his sixth season with the Falcons, has had a heyday with media questions this week. Is this a new Michael Vick we saw last Sunday, a Vick who led the Falcons to a 20-6 upset at Super Bowl favorite Carolina? Is Vick, who's 26, finally grasping what it takes to be a quarterback in the NFL? Has he finally matured?
"There's no new Michael Vick," he said. "It's the same Mike Vick from the past couple of years. There's nothing different about me. I play the same way." These are answers Tampa Bay doesn't want to hear after a 27-0 loss to Baltimore to open the regular season.
The Bucs (0-1) will face Vick's Falcons (1-0) at the Georgia Dome on Sunday for the first of three consecutive games against NFC South opponents.
Despite throwing 25 interceptions over the last two seasons (2004-05) and leading the Falcons to an 8-8 record in 2005, Vick has done to the Bucs what he's done with the media this week following Atlanta's win: made it awfully tough to pin him down.
"You don't want to give him a chance to pick and choose what he wants to do," Bucs' defensive tackle Chris Hovan said. "Don't let him make the decision. He'll get you every time."
Vick, who is 2-5 against the Bucs, never had much personal success against Tampa Bay until last season. Tampa Bay beat the Falcons twice in 2005 -- 30-27 at the Georgia Dome in November and 27-24 in overtime at Raymond James Stadium the following month, but in those two games, Vick combined to pass for 467 yards and four touchdowns.
In the first meeting, Vick completed 21-of-38 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns. He had no interceptions. In their second meeting, he was 16-of-26 for 161 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He rushed for 63 yards.
"He's such a threat -- from the moment he touches the ball when it's snapped from center," said Monte Kiffin, the Bucs' defensive coordinator. "The key is to stay after him and really tackle well."
Vick doesn't much care what happened last season.
"You never know if they're going to do the same things they did the year before," Vick said. "You never know if they got the same guys on the defense. You never know if they got the same scheme."
And the Bucs need to look no further than last week.
The Panthers, who had the third-rated defense a year ago, couldn't contain the 6-foot, 215-pound Vick, allowing him to get outside of his revamped offensive line, use his speed in the open field and throw two touchdowns.
The Bucs defense gave up 168 yards through the air against Baltimore, yet when it had to hold, it did. The Ravens were 5-of-14 on third downs.
In Tampa Bay's second win against Atlanta last season, the Falcons were 4-of-13 on third down conversions.
There is one thing Vick won't dodge -- he believes all the pieces are in place for the Falcons to make a run for the playoffs, now.
And there's another he can't dodge.
This may not be a new Vick. But he does have a nickname.
"Starship Seven, I call him," Bucs head coach Jon Gruden said. "He's a rocket that you've got to really account for on every snap, because he can go the distance if you don't."
WHO: Tampa Bay at Atlanta. WHEN: Sunday, 1 p.m. TV: Fox (13) RADIO: WLKF (1430-AM), WFVS (103.5-FM), WDAE (620-AM), WQTM (740-AM)
The fact Baltimore took the opening kickoff last week against Tampa Bay, kept the ball for 9:16, drove 80 yards and scored a touchdown is nothing new for the Bucs defense. Since the start of the 2002 season, the Bucs have played 68 games and have given up points on the opponents' first offensive possession in 25 of those games. In those 25 games, they are 7-18, have given up 14 touchdowns and 11 field goals. -Compiled by Mike Cobb
FIRST GAME WOES