Petrino's offense may help Vick, Horn

Filed in archive NFL on May 15, 2007

Courtesy AtlantaFalcons.com

In four seasons as head football coach for the Louisville Cardinals, Bobby Petrino's quarterbacks completed 65.1 percent of their passes.

In a six-year career as the quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, Michael Vick has completed less than 54 percent of his passes.

Now, with Petrino taking over as Atlanta's new coach, something has got to give, and Falcons fans are certainly hoping that it's Vick and his less-than-stellar play.

Petrino is bringing one of football's most electrifying offenses to Atlanta, but can electricity be generated with the players he's inherited?

For his part, Petrino says he believes in Vick. He also believes in wide receiver Joe Horn, the 35-year-old New Orleans Saints castoff.

Petrino likes big strong running backs, though, and Atlanta counters with runt Warrick Dunn and smallish speedster Jerious Norwood.

On the other hand, Petrino's offense features tight ends, and the Falcons have one of the NFL's best in Alge Crumpler.

So, it remains to be seen, if Vick and Horn will be the same inaccurate and tired players respectively that they've been in recent years, or if Bobby Petrino can turn both into stars, while making Atlanta a winner.