Michael Vick and His New Role in Philly

National Football Post

 

“Our imagination is stretched to the utmost, not, as in fiction, to imagine things which are not really there, but just to comprehend those things which are there.”

—Richard Feynman, “The Character of Physical Law” (1965)

 

Michael Vick and the Eagles

It didn’t take the Eagles long to get Michael Vick on the field, and it didn’t take long for Eagles fans to applaud. Now, as we all know, the applause and reaction of the Eagles faithful can be temporary, but for the most part Vick was accepted.

(I know, Dr. Mike, not everyone is on board. I hear you—very loudly, very clearly.)

What needs to happen now is that Vick the player must find a role in the regular offense. Football is not a bunch of trick plays or gadgets; it’s a power game that requires good pad level, good fundamentals, and sound principles.

Gadgets don’t win—sound football wins. Trick plays are nice, but they are not your bread and butter, and the more I watched the Birds on offense Thursday night, the more I thought they were looking to trick the Jags rather than beat the Jags.

Choosing when and how to use Vick will be easier in the regular season when the full game plan can be installed and the flow of the game is much smoother.

Donovan McNabb agrees with having a flow, or in his words, a rhythm.

“I think that's very important in a game, whether it's in the regular season or the preseason, to get that rhythm going,” he said. “If you're going to show different looks, make sure it's the right time. That's what the preseason is for, to make sure you know when that time is, and we'll get that time together.”

McNabb wanted Vick, but he did not want all the gadgets. He wants to run the offense and to fit Vick in accordingly, which to me has always been the greatest challenge. This is a work in progress, and I never believed it would happen overnight. It’s going to take time, strategy, and practice to get this right.

The Eagles’ offensive line is not where it needs to be in terms of its ability to control the line of scrimmage or have a cohesive unit.

The one thing that was very clear to me was that no matter what role Vick may have this season, no matter if and when Shawn Andrews comes back, the driving force in the Eagles’ offense is running back Brian Westbrook.

LeSean McCoy did what I expected him to do last night, which is not protect very well, and almost got McNabb killed. Forget the runs with McCoy. If he can’t play in terms of knowing how to protect and being able to execute, he will struggle to find a role on the team this year.

Without Westbrook, this collection of nickel running backs and nickel tight ends who can’t block will not work. At some point this season, the Eagles are going to have to find a tight end who can run block and pass protect. Trust me on this.

The Eagles are still tinkering with how to use Vick and how to get the line in sync, but they have time. Bill Walsh wanted to improve the team in September so that they could win games in December. That’s the challenge that awaits the Birds.

And I didn’t even address the defense.

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