Michael Vick's Role with Eagles' Offense Needs Adjustments

Any other year, a preseason game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars would not have a significant impact for the fans.

However, last night’s matchup may have been one of the most hyped-up preseason games fans have seen in years, since Michael Vick was making his debut with the Eagles after spending 18 months in prison for his involvement with running a dogfighting operation.

Vick’s first game back since Dec. 31, 2006 was the complete opposite of what most people expected—which may have been a great thing.

There were protesters outside the stadium before the game, but not nearly the amount everyone expected. There were plenty of fans wearing No. 7 jerseys—even though some said “Garcia” on the back—to show their support for Vick and welcome him to the City of Brotherly Love.

Instead of a stadium divided on how they felt about Vick between cheers and boos, he received a standing ovation from fans as he made his first appearance on the field during the second play of offense for the Eagles.

Even though he was only on the field for six plays, Vick was still the man of the hour at Lincoln Financial Field. Each play, fans would anxiously wait in their seats to see if No. 7 was making his way from the sidelines to the center of the field in hope of seeing an exciting play that so many of us are used to seeing from Vick.

He may have only completed four passes for 19 yards, but it was all the Eagles needed from Vick, considering he hasn’t played in the NFL for two years.

Overall, Vick had a successful return with the Eagles and did everything he was asked to do to help the Eagles win the game.

Even though the night seemed to be focused on Vick’s return, there was still a football game to be played between the Eagles and Jaguars. Even though the Eagles ended up winning 33-32, the team still has a lot to work on—both on offense and defense—if they look to be contenders in the 2009 season.

Quarterback Donovan McNabb finished 21-for-36, throwing for 244 yards and one touchdown as he played most of the first three quarters. However, he managed two key turnovers that could have resulted in points for the Eagles (he threw one backwards pass while on the Jaguars’ one-yard line that resulted in a fumble that was returned for a touchdown).

At one point, a group of Philadelphia fans began the “We Want Vick” chant after watching McNabb struggle at certain points during the game. Despite his struggles, it’s hard to blame McNabb for his performance when the entire offense looked inconsistent.

If the Eagles want to effectively use both Vick and McNabb in the upcoming 2009 season, head coach Andy Reid needs to figure out a system that will work well for everyone, especially McNabb.

In the game against the Jaguars, Reid used Vick for random plays instead of allowing him to play an entire series on his own.

There were cases where McNabb got into a rhythm on offense, only to be sidelined so Vick could step in. When McNabb returned to the field for the next play, his rhythm was off again and the Eagles offense would look horrendous.

Using McNabb and Vick on offense has a lot of potential for the 2009 season, and it could confuse opposing defenses who wouldn't know what to expect from the Eagles each week.

However, Reid needs to figure out an effective system that maintains offensive rhythm if the Eagles want to take advantage of Vick in the upcoming season.

Otherwise, the Eagles offense will be in for a long 2009 season, especially if they play the way they did in the first half of last night’s game.

Dan Parzych is the Eagles Fan Voice on NFLTouchdown.com

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