Why I Don't Like Vick

I have never been a big fan of Michael Vick- and I think this first play-off game in 2002- was deterministic of things to come. Frankly, until he matures into a player that can complete some passes- this is the ceiling for him. Eventually each year, he will run into a quality defense that can confidently cover his wide outs with three/four guys- and then focus on both stopping the run overall and Vick himself- particularly outside the pocket.

Vick is a plus for a "bad offense". Since the status quo run & pass isn't working well, why not let Vick generate some big plays and bonus first downs with his unique capabilities. But big point production- or even modest success against quality defenses- entails successfully throwing the ball frequently and competently. Vick generates too many incompletions/turnovers to justify the "frequent part"- and since a dozen completions are problematic at times- the competent part isn't there either. And on this bitter cold night, Vick's negatives were on ful display:

(PHILADELPHIA, PA) The bottom line on the Atlanta game was the play of the quarterbacks. I tiresomely lectured here last week that most commentators were missing the point of the QB relationship. Vick may be a better quarterback than a banged up Donovan McNabb- but that is not the point last Sunday. On a frigid day that means everything, McNabb was obviously more likely to not only refuse to throw the key pick, but also more likely to throw the key TD pass.

The final score was 20-6, but it really was McNabb 2-0 over Vick. The Eagles first touchdown was the result of a horrible throw by Vick (off his back foot, across the field, on his own 20)- a throw returned by Taylor for the score: minus one point for Vick. The second half was a desperate struggle between an increasingly exhausted Eagles defense and a valiant harried Vick- the meanest type of mean, very physical, a struggle in the bitter cold night.

When McNabb took the field with 8 minutes left, his team nursing a 13-6 lead, the announcers in their warm booth were yelping about Atlanta momentum. Things were in fact looking increasingly dim. But damn if Donovan didn't complete a 3rd and 14 with a smart throw to his tailback (you know that's not the first or second option on 3rd and forever), and then he coverts a 3rd and 7. However, it was his play 4th and 1 that showed why he is the most valuable player to his team the past three years.... dropping back to throw, getting pressure, he clearly had Pinkston wide open for a short quick throw and the first down... and Freeman had beaten the other CB as well.

Under that kind of pressure, every other QB is the league makes the throw to one of those two guys, gets the first down. And that is good quarterbacking. But McNabb says to himself, "Wait a minute. If the corners have those two guys, and they're blitzing, then somewhere out there, somewhere, Thrash, my best wide out, is one-on-one with a safety!" You can almost see the cruel grin that must have flashed across his lips as he looked off his first two options. He rolled a bit to his right, and threw that strike. Thrash easily eluded the safety (the ever stupidly talkative Robinson), and forty yards later- point, game, set and match- Donovan McNabb. Atlanta's defense played hard, smart and physical the whole second half- made one mistake- and it cost them the game. And a guy who can make that one mistake the difference Sunday after Sunday is a real asset- even if he does spray the ball around at times.

So next Sunday, the Vet will get one more, one last chance, to shine. One veteran NFL player said this year: "This place is like a knife fight in a dark alley. Sometimes you look around and you're not sure you're going to make it out of here in one piece." Now, that's home field advantage people.