New head coach Bobby Petrino and his offensive staff spent the offseason in Atlanta implementing a new offensive system and working with starting quarterback Michael Vick. However, with Vick's playing status for 2007 uncertain, the team now turns its attention to backup Joey Harrington. The question now is what will the Falcons' offense look like with Harrington under center rather than Vick.
Harrington
Petrino and the Falcons are looking to improve a passing offense that finished dead last in the NFL last season at just 148.2 yards per game. Petrino is known for his excellent preparation, creative offensive schemes and play-calling ability when attacking opposing defenses. He loves to spread the field with an assortment of formations and shifts to create mismatches and exploit weaknesses on the outside. His offenses have put up impressive numbers and scored a lot of points.
Harrington is the starter for now and he will be on the fast track to learning Petrino's complicated system. Picked third overall by Detroit in the 2002 draft, Harrington struggled as a starter, both with the Lions and during a brief tenure in Miami last season, due to his inconsistency as a passer and decision-maker. The best coaches in the NFL know how to put their players in positions to succeed, and Petrino and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave must find ways to play to Harrington's strengths for the Falcons to improve on offense. This season will tell us a lot about how well this staff can develop quarterbacks.
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