It aint easy being brilliant...

The Philladelphia Eagles, the pre-season, media proclaimed “Dream Team” in reference to all of the talent that they were bringing to the team, are 1-2.

Of those two losses, in consecutive weeks, Eagles QB Michael Vick has failed to finish both.

Let’s take a quick look at a small list of things that make the electrifying Vick a little more injury prone, than most…

1. Michael Vick, in a day where most top level QB’s are between 6’3 and 6’6 and weigh anywhere from 225 to 250 pounds, is LISTED as 6’0 and 215 pounds. BOTH numbers are being quite generous. To give you an example of where Vick’s sie ranks him amongst NFL QB elites, Peyton Manning is 6’5 230, Ben Roetlisberger is 6’5 241, Tom Brady is 6’4 221, and though not quite an NFL elite YET, Panthers rookie sensation Cam Newton is 6’5 248. Hell, Michael Vick is even small when compared to other QB’s that are considered “mobile.” Again Ben Roethlisberger is 6’5 241, Donovan McNabb is 6’2 240, Cam Newton is 6’5 248, and Vince Young is 6’5 232. And of the mobile QB’s, Michael Vick is THE most mobile. BY FAR. Over his 10 year NFL career, Michael Vick has 4,783 yards on 677 attempts for 32 TD’s.
2. Michael Vick does not slide. EVER. It simply is NOT his style. I don’t think that he could do it if he practiced it for 8 hours a day, every day. Michael Vick does not look for the first down marker, get there and slide to avoid a hit. He is EXTREMELY confident in his ability to get more yard than required for the first down. He is EXTREMELY confident in his ability to take it all the way to the house. And why wouldn’t he be?? This is what we as football fans, LOVE about Michael Vick. But to be perfectly honest, he needs to start sliding, or running out of bounds. There is a reason that NFL running backs generally hit the ceiling at 30-32. They take TONS of punishment. They turn, change directions, spin, and get hit on nearly every play. And for the most part, those guys are WAY bigger than Michael Vick.
3. Michael Vick does not “throw the ball away.” Another thing we love about his style of play. Where as Tom Brady or Peyton Manning would see that nobody is open, throw the ball away, and live to fight another down. That is a language Michael Vick simply does not speak. If a guy is not open, he looks for a quick lane, and hauls ass in hopes of getting the 1st down with his feet. It has worked quite well for him during his playing days, but is leaving him out there to be hit, more and more often.
4. Finally, a point that I haven’t heard many bring up, when the Eagles signed Michael Vick to that huge $100 million dollar deal in the offseason, you HAVE to believe that the Eagles have preached to Vick to stay in the pocket and throw more often in hopes of limiting the hits that he takes in the open field, thus limiting the amount of injuries that he may suffer. Quick reminder…both the concussion he suffered in Week 2 and the bruised non throwing hand that he suffered yesterday were suffered IN THE POCKET, not moving around, TRYING TO THROW A PASS. The Eagles plan for protecting their $100 million dollar investment ARE NOT WORKING.

Bottom line, with Vick’s physical limitations in regards to his size, I simply do not think it is in the Eagles best interest to beat it into his head that you want him to stay in the pocket and make the throws even with 300 pound lineman and blitzing linebackers bearing down on him. If you’re the Eagles, you didn’t give Vick the $100 million dollar deal for his pin point, Tom Brady like accuracy. You gave it to him because of his ability to make things happen, elictrify the crowd, and extend plays. If you liked THAT Michael Vick enough to give him a $100 million contract, why would you wanna change him??

Bottom line, if the Eagles are going to beat ANYTHING into his head, it should NOT be to stand in the pocket and take hits. It should be to make the throw if it is there, run if it is not, and for the love of Eagles fans, slide or get out of bounds!!

Why the Eagles think that a man that is smaller than me is safer standing still and taking hits from 300 pound lineman, and linebackers who are three times stronger and just as fast as he is, rather than pssibly taking hits from corners who are the same sie as him, and half of them can’t tackle anyway, is WAY beyond me.