Michael Vick: Why Eagles Superstar Must Trust His Arm More in 2012

Following his release from prison, Michael Vick was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles. The move sparked plenty of controversy amongst the fanbase and animal activist groups.

In 2009, Vick spent most of his time on the bench studying behind Donovan McNabb. In 2010, Vick showed that he could be a consistently great quarterback leading the Eagles to an unexpected postseason berth.

However, 2011 was truly a disaster for the entire Eagles organization. During the lockout-shortened offseason, the Eagles made a splash by signing nearly every great free agent available. This plan inevitably backfired as the Eagles finished the season with a mediocre record of 8-8.

The offense never seemed to click as it did in 2010. Sure, LeSean McCoy was magnificent, and the offensive line really became a solid unit, but the offense as a whole never reached its true potential.

DeSean Jackson was often pouting about his contract situation and seemed disinterested for a significant portion of the season. It "should" be expected that he acts more maturely and has a bounce-back season following his lucrative contract extension.

Jeremy Maclin also had a down year. He showed up late to camp and was 10 pounds underweight. It was later revealed that Maclin had been plagued by an offseason cancer scare which cost him a majority of his training program. He struggled for portions of the season and was plagued by nagging injuries. Maclin should be expected to be in great shape for the start of camp and be a key to the Eagles' success in 2012. 

Above all, Vick was his own worst enemy last season. Sure, not having your best receivers most of the season hurts a lot. That still doesn't change the fact that Vick was extremely erratic in 2011.

He had a career high in turnovers and put himself in harms way many times. 

The Eagles can't afford to lose Vick for an extended period of time in 2012. It is imperative that he stays healthy and on the field. The ability to run is partially why Michael Vick is such a unique talent, but he should be careful not to abuse his skill set.

Vick needs to sit back in the pocket and deliver the ball to the Eagles playmakers. Even with the loss of Jason Peters, the Eagles still have a solid offensive line. Vick should sit back, read the coverage and make the easy reads. With a healthy Maclin and focused Jackson, there is no telling what this offense can do.

I'm not suggesting Vick should stop running completely, but he should save it for when other teams aren't expecting it. Vick also has McCoy and Brent Celek to help the cause. If Vick can stay in the pocket and trust his arm, he is going to put up some huge numbers and the Eagles are going to win a lot of football games in 2012.