Reid Fischer's World of Rants

It comes as no surprise that Michael Vick has found an NFL team.  To say otherwise would have been ridiculous, for everyone knew that Vick was going to latch on somewhere.  The question was, where?  The answer to that question is a surprise for me, for I did not see Vick in Philadelphia.  That being said I can’t say for sure that I had any clue where he ended up.  I was absolutely certain he wouldn’t be a starter right away if at all this year, so that opened up a plethora of teams as possibilities.  I was reasonably certain that there would only be a handful of coaches who would say no to him outright without a look.  Even though he hasn’t played in two years, those involved in the game know without a doubt that he is a unique talent.  I would even go as far to say that he was the most exciting player in the game when he was playing.  Not the best player by any means, but most exciting.  Coaches remember that talent and therefore we knew he would end up somewhere.  The question now is, what to expect out of him in Philadelphia?

The Eagles obviously are set at quarterback with Donovan McNabb, so we know right off the bat that Vick will not be in the starting lineup.  Let’s also remember that Vick is suspended by the commissioner until week six at the earliest (although he’ll be allowed to play in preseason).  Once week six rolls around, Roger Goodell still has to pull a trigger on full reinstatement.  Let’s assume for a moment that happens and Vick is allowed to play.  I think the biggest thing that Vick brings to the table is the ability to make plays with his feet.  That was always a much stronger part of his game than his ability to throw the football.  Given that, I think there are some very intriguing possibilities for the Eagles, and if they work, it could vault them to favorite status in the NFC.

Imagine for a moment the Eagles lining up in the following formation: McNabb in the shotgun, flanked by Brian Westbrook on one side and Vick on the other.  Just that alone can cause nightmares for a defense, because all three are very athletic and can make defenders miss in the open field.  Imagine being a defender and trying to figure out if it’s going to be Vick or Westbrook getting the football, or will it be McNabb trying to make something happen instead?  This is all assuming of course that we’re talking about the Michael Vick before his football exile.  Assuming that though for the moment, this could make the Eagles offense very exciting and tough to stop.  There could also be Wildcat possibilities with Vick throwing on occasion even while McNabb is on the field.  Factor in the other explosive weapons on the Eagles offense, including DeSean Jackson and rookie Jeremy Maclin, and Philadelphia could be lighting up the scoreboard often this season.  Then again, Vick may not be near the same player and could be a complete non-factor, in which case the Eagles still have a pretty darn good team that has to be rated toward the top of the NFC.  If Vick can be productive however, it could prove to be the tipping point for the Eagles.

I’ve heard a lot of chatter that Vick should not be allowed to play, and I think that is hogwash.  He’s been out of the game for two years without pay so he has certainly paid a stiff penalty.   I absolutely don’t condone what he did, but many other players in multiple sports have been back in the game after as bad or worse.  Besides, if Tony Dungy is in his corner (Dungy has been very active in working with Vick and in essence campaigning for him), that is good enough for me.  I just hope Vick doesn’t tear apart the Broncos defense when the Broncos play in Philadelphia on Dec. 27.  I still have vivid memories of Vick shredding the Broncos on Halloween in 2004, as the Broncos surrendered a franchise record 567 total yards.