Should Michael Vick be the Eagles starter after his performance in Week 1? That is the question that many, if not millions of people are asking. The answer is a decisive YES.
While it is true, that yes, Donovan McNabb was dumped during the off-season in favor of Kevin Kolb; it is indisputable that the circumstances after Week 1 now ask for a different QB to be under center for the remainder of the season.
What are these circumstances you ask? Well, they are 3 fold.
Number 1: Leonard Weaver, the star Fullback is out for the season due to a torn ACL. That will seriously hinder the running game, leaving the less mobile QB Kolb vulnerable to defense’s who will not respect the running game.
Number 2: Jamaal Jackson, the starting center of the offensive line is out due to torn biceps on his right arm. This only re-enforces the idea that defense’s will respect the passing game less. How many teams can afford to lose their starting fullback, the primary run blocker as well as their next best run blocker, the center? Considering the fact that it’s only Week 2, this is a HUGE blow to the Philadelphia Offense.
Number 3, and lastly, the Eagles 1st game of the season can essentially be broken down into 2 games. The first, being the first half with Kolb under center, and the second, with Vick under center.
During the first half with Kolb under center, the Eagles offense was non existent. After 30 minutes of play Kolb had a total of 24 passing yards. 24! He also led his team to a total of 3 points. A gigantic 3 points. (Note that those 24 yards came within the last 2 minutes of the first half).
Then, in the second half came Michael Vick. Vick threw for 175 yards, ran for 103, led his team to 17 points and scored numerous first downs with his ability to scramble and get a first down when all signs pointed to him getting sacked. Vick is explosive. That’s undeniable. Every football fan knows that Vick has the rare ability that few people in the league have. That ability is to make something out of nothing. Only a select few have this quality.
Many pundits will cry foul over this and exclaim that “Well, the Packers were not prepared to face Vick, that’s why he did so well”. To answer that, I have two rebuttals. First being, how much tape could the Packers possibly of had on Kolb? He has 2 starts in his entire career. Second, this is not the first time that Vick has shredded a defense for 100+ rushing and 100+ passing yards. Vick was out on the field outrunning defensive backs. I repeat, outrunning defensive backs! DB’s are supposed to be the fastest players on defense. They need to have the speed to follow Wide Receivers without knowing the routes yet still deflect balls and grab INT’s. At some point people need to acknowledge that it’s not just coincidence. At some point people need to admit that the man has skill. And an incredible amount of it at that.
Yes, I understand that Andy Reid has committed to Kevin Kolb who is the “future” of the team, and that it may “kill” his confidence to bench him right now, but the NFL is a win now league. And given the circumstances, Michael Vick gives the Eagles the best chance to win RIGHT NOW. Especially when you’re starting fullback and starting center go down. When the situation is that critical, the team needs someone behind center who can avoid rushes when the protection breaks down. Kevin Kolb, the traditional stand in the pocket, stationary QB, is not that man.
Also, let’s not forget that Vick is only 29 years old, which is still very young. Once you factor in that he spent 2 years removed from the brutal contact of the NFL, you realize that his body is not as beat up as the everyday 29 year old QB in this league. The fact is, Vick most likely has many, and I mean many, years left in him. So why can’t Vick be the “future” of the team?
Now, let’s look at Vick’s career win-loss record as a starter. 38-28-1. That’s 10 games over .500 in a 16 game season. Mighty impressive. How many quarterbacks in today’s league can say that they boast a career record of 10 games over .500 in only 67 career starts? Not many.
The fact is; Vick is a winner. Always has been. He was a winner at his alma mater, Virginia Tech, where he posted a 22-2 record as a starter.
He was the first QB to go into Green Bay during the playoffs and win. Something no one else had done at the time.
He led the Atlanta Falcons to the Conference Final in 2004. Something only 1 other Falcons QB had done.
At the end of the day, the NFL is not about who has the better stats. It’s about wins. A perfect example would be the 2009 Tennessee Titans. The year previous, in 2008, a stationary QB in Kerry Collins led the team to a 13-3 record. Then, in 2009, he went 0-6. Finally, the coach Jeff Fisher decided that enough was enough and put in Vince Young, a QB who was cut from the same cloth as Michael Vick. What happened? The Titans went 8-2 the rest of the season. Vince Young had inferior passing stats compared to the rest of the QB’s in the league, but it didn’t matter. Vince Young won Football games. Just like Vick. Young, similar to Vick, has an outstanding college record. He even has a national title. Also like Vick, he is no where near being the best passer in the league. But on Sunday, do they win football games? Yes. They. Do.
In the end, is that not what professional sports is all about?
Thanks for reading and feel free to comment below!
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Cheers,
Ryan
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