Philadelphia Eagles: What Michael Vick Must Do to Bounce Back in 2012

Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback Michael Vick followed up an MVP-worthy 2010 season with a sub-par 2011 campaign and will need to make a few adjustments for next year in order to get back to that MVP level.

To be fair, a lot of Vick's disappointing season falls on the play of his teammates. The offensive line couldn't hold off pass rushers and DeSean Jackson wasn't always giving a full effort. Vick also played more than a few games injured.

But the bottom line is, Vick wasn't as dominant as everybody expected him to be and he wasn't able to lead the Eagles to anything better than and 8-8 record. Here are a few things that Vick needs to adjust in his game to bounce back for 2012.

1. Be More Cerebral

The best quarterbacks in today's game don't win games because of their athletic ability. It does help to have a strong, accurate arm and quick feet, but the best are the best because of their brains, not their limbs.

Vick might not have the same skill set as Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, but he needs to be as similar to them as possible in their cerebral approach to the game.

It's not like Vick isn't capable of it either. In the Sunday night game against the Dallas Cowboys last year, he saw through all of Rob Ryan's schemes and the defense's pre-snap adjustments.

It allowed him to complete 75 percent of his passes, throw for 279 yards and two touchdowns without any interceptions, and earn him a passer rating of 129.9. He even added 50 yards on the ground to complement LeSean McCoy's 185.

This all came against a defense that may have been a little overrated at the time but was by no means soft. Vick defeated them by trusting what he saw, not by depending on his athletic ability. If Vick can become more cerebral in the pocket next season, we will see more of what we saw against the Cowboys and in 2010.

2. Eliminate Turnovers

Turnovers are what haunted Brett Favre his entire career, what Eli Manning's baggage was before 2011 and what drove Vick down last season. Vick often had to get rid of the ball before he wanted to due to poor pass blocking. That led to a career-high 14 interceptions.

But it wasn't just the interceptions. Vick also had a career-high seven fumbles as a rusher. He had to take off running more often than he wanted to and didn't always keep the ball safe.

What Vick, the ultimate play extender, needs to learn is that sometimes extending the play isn't the best option. If the choice is between taking a sack or forcing the ball into an impossible window, he needs to take the sack. If he is deciding between going for that extra yard or sliding to avoid taking a hit, he needs to avoid the hit—which leads me to my next point.

3. Take Fewer Hits

The ever-present concern with Vick is that he can go down with an injury at any moment. In 2011 alone he had a concussion, neck injury, bone bruise in his wrist and broken ribs. Simply having Vick on the field is valuable, as defenses have to game plan around his dual-threat ability and can never commit too many players to one facet of his game at one time.

Vick can't be on the field forcing that if he's injured.

The best way for Vick to avoid injury is for him to take fewer hits, which he can do by sliding more. Not only does it make him less susceptible to huge licks, it will help him cut down on the turnovers. Also, defenders will be penalized more for hitting him while he's sliding than while he's running out of bounds.

Vick always complains that officials don't give him the protection he needs as a quarterback. Maybe it's time that he starts acting more like a quarterback when he runs. The effort he gives is always commendable and will get people fired up, but nothing will take that fire away quicker than seeing the trainers out on the field.

Vick has arguably the highest ceiling of any player in the NFL. One day, Cam Newton might hold that title, but there is currently no player in the league with the explosiveness or myriad of weapons that Vick has. What has always held Vick back is his incorrect use of those weapons.

In 2010, we finally saw everything come together in the perfect system with the perfect coaching and the perfect situation all-around. In 2011, changes were made and Vick couldn't adjust to those changes quickly enough to be as dynamic of a player as he was the previous year.

With Andy Reid keeping the same offensive coaches around for next season, and with a whole offseason to prepare this time, it's getting closer and closer to the perfect situation Vick needs to reach his potential. If Vick is able to make the changes listed above, he will not only bounce back in 2012—he will bounce ahead and lead the Eagles on the deep playoff run everybody knows they are capable of.