Falcons: Futility at its finest

Although I was a very young tyke in 1966, I still have memories of the Falcons’ inaugural season when quarterback Randy Johnson spent most of his time trying to avoid being a punching bag for opposing linemen. The Falcons went 3-11 that year, then 1-12-1 the next.

It was futility at its finest.

What I saw last night is simply the worst Falcons team since the original version. As the ESPN commentators pointed out, the defense came out playing hard. They seemed determined to prove their mettle. But once the team fell behind, they stopped trying. And the offense? It only showed how dependent the team was on Michael Vick playing an NFL version of Houdini every week.

But it’s not about the loss of Vick. It’s about how little is left without him. There is an abject lack of planning and player management in the Falcons organization. They started two rookies on the offensive line, one of whom wasn’t even drafted. The wide receivers dropped pass after pass after pass. The team has blown $12 million on Joey Harrington and Byron Leftwich, two quarterbacks who can’t lead this team.

But let’s be real: Even Tom Brady would have problems making this team win.

The Falcons are a mess. The veteran players clearly don’t respect coach Bobby Petrino. GM Rich McKay has done a woeful job of player evaluation. And Arthur Blank must be walking around like someone who doesn’t know what hit him.

The Falcons are 1-5. The team has given up. The question now: Are they mediocre enough to be the most mediocre team in the NFL? There’s a No. 1 draft pick next year that’s on the line. And that’s the only thing the Falcons have to play for now.