I didnt realize I did that, sorry
I meant this read
Atlanta Falcons not caught up in 2nd 4-0 start in team history
Charles Odum
Canadian Press
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) - The Atlanta Falcons are 4-0 and forewarned.
Forget about it, coach Jim Mora said a day after his team beat Carolina 27-10. "My wife asked me when I got home: 'Doesn't it feel great to be 4-0?' " Mora said Monday. "I said 'Only if we get to 5-0."' The Falcons already have a two-game lead in the NFC South and are only one win away from matching their 2003 total. If that's not enough reason for excitement, consider that Falcons have not trailed in a game.
"I didn't know that," Mora said Monday before dismissing the information.
"I don't think of it like that," he said. "You have to put the blinders on."
And so Mora fitted his team for blinders as well.
"We've had a little bit of success at 4-0, but in the grand scheme of things, 4-0 could lead to 4-12," said strong safety Bryan Scott. "It's a great start but it's a long season."
"The 4-0 start is thrown out now," added defensive end Patrick Kerney, who has seven sacks in four games, a half-sack more than he had in 16 last season.
The Falcons, who play host to Detroit next Sunday, have never been 5-0.
The early success was not expected. Quarterback Michael Vick had to adjust to the West Coast offence and the defence, which ranked last in the league in 2003, returned to a 4-3 scheme.
The Falcons have won when Vick was the dominant player on the field, but the last two weeks they have won without relying solely on Vick.
"It feels good," said Vick of the increased balance on offence. "That's why you have to have a total team effort. We get that type of effort and it takes a lot off my shoulders and the coach's shoulders. Things just run smoothly."
Still, Vick has been the player who sets the tone early in games.
He has led the Falcons to at least one first-quarter score in every game. In the first halves of the four games, he has completed 68.9 per cent of his passes for 438 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
The win over the defending NFC champion Panthers provided the most convincing evidence thus far that the strong start is no fluke.
Leading only 13-10 after three quarters, the Falcons outscored the Panthers 14-0 in the fourth quarter. The Falcons have outscored opponents 27-7 in the first quarter and 38-16 in the final quarter.
Kevin Mathis gave the Falcons a 20-10 lead by returning an interception for a touchdown, and T.J. Duckett wrapped up the win with a four-yard scoring run. Duckett celebrated in the end zone by kneeling and pounding the imaginary final nails in Carolina's coffin.
The Falcons rank second in the NFC in scoring and second in scoring defense with 49 points allowed, their lowest total through four games since 1977.
Before returning to work at the Falcons practice facility Monday, Mora said he "got to hang out with my son, Trey, for two hours on his second birthday."
"That was much more fun than the win," Mora said.
Even so, Mora couldn't fully remove himself from his 4-0 start. Asked what present he gave his son, Mora said, "I got him a win."
