As the Terrell Owens’s situation continues to hinder Eagles training camp, a far greater threat has developed in Atlanta as Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has threatened the team by saying he wants to throw the ball more this season.

            “I want to prove I’m a real quarterback,” said Vick, menacingly. “Anyone who thinks all I can do is run is going to be surprised by how many balls I throw down the field this year. Just wait and see.”

            That type of frightening coming from their star player all off-season and into training camp has set the Falcons organization and their fans into a state of panic.

            “No one is really sure why Michael is talking like that,” said head coach Jim Mora. “God knows we don’t want him to throw the ball unless there is absolutely, positively no other option. And even then it’s probably best he take a sack. We’ve stressed it to him over and over again: ‘Mike, don’t throw the ball if you want to have any chance of winning the game.’ He knows better than to behave like this.”

            The talk from Vick – who finished 21^st in passer rating last season, 26^th in passing yards and 27^th in completion percentage while rushing for 902 yards – has excited Atlanta’s NFC rivals and forced the Falcons to begin scrambling for a resolution.

            One theory circulating in the organization is that Vick is bent on self-destruction after a year that saw his brother get arrested and suspended from Virginia Tech, the Falcons fold in the conference championship game, and the world learn that Vick has herpes.

            “Sometimes when people experience struggles they become destructive and turn to things like bulimia, self-mutilation, or drugs,” said Falcons team physician, Dr. Leslie Manfred. “In Michael’s case, he may be looking to destroy himself and those around him with this insane idea of passing more. But we’re adamant about getting him counseling to help save him – and the Falcons.”

Others believe Vick is threatening the franchise to get a larger contract, but Falcons owner Arthur Blank can’t imagine that is the case since he signed a 10-year, $130 million contract extension just last December. But regardless, Blank says he is willing to pay any price to prevent Vick from delivering on his promise to pass more.

            “When I first heard him talking about wanting to throw more during the off-season, I thought it was just harmless kidding,” said Blank. “But the scary part is that he seems really serious about it. Every day in practice he’s standing in the pocket chucking it all over the place – off water coolers, coaches, into the ground – but almost never into a receiver’s hands, of course. And the whole time the coaches are screaming: ‘Don’t stand in the pocket! Run, Michael, run! Please, for the love of God, run!’”

            Blank and Mora have scheduled a meeting with Vick and his agent for Monday morning in hopes of resolving the problem and restoring Vick to a run-first, pass-an-extremely-distant-second quarterback.

            “If they want a bigger contract or something, that’s fine. That can be understood and dealt with,” said Blank. “But to threaten the entire organization like this is not the way it should have been handled.”