Starship

As Eagles’ fans and the press continue to be agog at the play of Michael Vick, I am a pretty lonely camper up in Section 204 at the Linc. Never have I felt so disconnected from the status quo- watching people tout for MVP a quarterback who, this season, has yet to complete more than 21 passes or throw for more than 300 yards.

Hardly Drew Brees, right? (ed. note: Brees completed more passes in his worst start this season than Vick has in his best start) Sunday, the intelligentsia assured the masses that Vick’s performance was outstanding (again, MVP is routinely floated around).

I agree, that is about as good as Vick can play. But that is just it. After an early, first minute TD set up by a 70 yard run by LeSean McCoy, the Eagles went the rest on the game with only one more touchdown. Heaven knows what sort of plaudits will be rained down on Vick when the Eagles manage to score three touchdowns, or two in a single half?

Vick has efficiently moved the team in spots- but faced for the first time with a decent defense, he struggled in the red zone. If he can’t use his legs, he isn’t efficient enough as a passer to move the ball in tight near the goal.

That is Michael Vick as a passer though. Vick has 72 career starts and five games with a very routine twenty-one or more completions (again, Brees is nine-for-nine on that stat this season). He can dazzle with his legs on occasion- but to get big number scoring like New Orleans, Indianapolis and New England.... At some point, your quarterback needs to be able to throw the ball everywhere on the field. And Vick categorically is problematic.

Ultimately, the Eagles are going to run into a team that will force Vick to beat them throwing – and his “great day” Sunday, 17 for 29, 218 yards is not good enough for more than two TDs routinely. A team cannot win big in this League with that sort of routine production from the quarterback.

Worse, they have chained Kevin Kolb to then bench- a guy who has been NFC Player of the Week twice in six starts. What does he have to do to get a sustained look? Be the best offensive player in the League four times in six starts? five times? fight some dogs?

I point this stuff out to my fellow season ticket holder. He looks at me like I’m nuts. “Launch Starship Vick” is what passes for rational discourse in Philadelphia right now. If Donovan McNabb produced the sort of red zone performance Vick put up there this week, the earth along Columbus Avenue would open up to swallow him.