Photo courtesy of NFL.com
Everyone does it. When the NFL schedule gets released, every fan grabs his or her team's schedule, plays analyst and starts penciling in wins and losses. I think all Eagles fans put down an L against the Colts for their Week 9 matchup. Between memories of Peyton Manning torching the Eagles every time he's faced them and the uncertainty of the true ability of supposed starter Kevin Kolb, putting an L next to this matchup was an understandable prediction. Then the season unfolded and the reins of the offense were handed over to Michael Vick.
Everyone remembers the "Old" Michael Vick. The one who ran all over the Florida State Seminoles in the Sugar Bowl, the one who led the Atlanta Falcons to a historic playoff victory in Lambeau Field and made highlight reel after highlight reel, week in and week out. We all thought that was the Old Mike Vick. And it was. The "New" Michael Vick has turned out to be all those things and then some, and his play has Eagles fans ready for a playoff push in the second half of the season.
In the three complete games that Vick has started and played, the Eagles are 3-0 and Vick has committed 0 turnovers. Statistically, he is having his best passing season with a 105.3 QB rating, a 60% completion percentage and a 7-0 TD to INT ratio. He looks like he's gained a step as opposed to losing one in his two years away from the game. Under the tutelage of Andy Reid he has turned into a more complete quarterback but still has retained his explosive burst as a runner and uses it to his advantage when necessary. He's helping this Philadelphia offense, which is filled with fast, skilled playmakers, reach it's full potential.
When he tore apart the Lions and the Jaguars after being superb in relief against the Packers, there were doubters. Then he won Player of the Month honors and there were still doubters. What would he do against a good team? Could he go against a good quarterback and win? We thought he would get that chance Week 4 against Washington and Donovan McNabb, but an early injury knocked Vick out of the game and deprived the fans of what was setting up to be another explosive performance and an Eagles win. Vick sat out three games while the Eagles kept pace and went 2-1 behind Kevin Kolb. Kolb was solid in those three games, but the offense lacked the explosiveness it thrived on when Vick was under center.
Vick returned to action to face Peyton Manning and the Colts in a huge matchup for the team and for Vick. Vick outplayed Manning, had a mistake free game, and made big plays with his legs and with his arm whenever he needed to. Vick had silenced his critics for at least another week.
This was the biggest game in the true comeback season of Michael Vick. In a year when people questioned if he still had it, he has shown, repeatedly, that he has it and then some. A brutal second half schedule will test the limits of Vick and the Eagles but the team and the city are confident every time Number Seven trots out onto the field.
Vick and the Eagles get another shot at the Redskins this week on Monday Night Football against their old friend Donovan McNabb. The Michael Vick Experience will look to make up for the missed opportunity in Week 4. There was talk in September of Vick being an MVP candidate early in the season. While his time out derailed that talk for a while, with more performances like the one this past weekend and wins against tough opponents, it would be hard to argue with his resume this season. Not bad Mike, not bad at all.
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