Philadelphia Eagles-Minnesota Vikings Showed Limitations of Michael Vick Craze

Let's face facts. Michael Vick is a bit like Doug Flutie. Eastern Establishment press favorite, undersized and a scrambler caused by little ability to see over larger linemen. While Flutie never tore into dogs like Vick, he had a chance at redemption when he came to the NFL after his work in the Canadian Football League.

There is one major way in which Vick differs. Flutie lasted twenty years by doing his CFL gig and having periodic time off. Vick will not last more than another year.

The Vick phenomenon is a hard one to consider. Maybe it is because Philadelphia is too close to Washington, D.C., which has not had a football team worth considering since Jorgensen but is full of politicians. Maybe it is because of Donovan McNabb, an Eagles cast-off with little to recommend him these days despite Eastern Establishment press promotion.

In the end, Vick is neither fun or very entertaining. McNabb was better at both. And he lasted much longer because he is much bigger.

Let's start with several NFL truths about Vick.

His size is a major detraction, requiring scrambling. Without time to scramble, he becomes less than average. No great quarterback will ever be six-feet tall again. They cannot see over their own linemen, require much quicker looks around blocking lanes, and are limited to moving out of the pocket in order to throw long strikes down-field.

His past is a load. Abusing almost every child's favorite pet is not something parents want their children doing. When will the NFL and its most popular writers learn?

Maybe never. As long as someone other than Tom Brady is available to put up in his place, as long as a single quarter of football makes a quick reputation in the most influential blogs, we will have the Michael Vicks of the NFL before us. People just like the underdog. Or overdog as the case may be.

Imagine after the Eagles-Vikings game claiming that Vick is worthy of the Pro Bowl. It is like saying that winning quarterbacks who have proven their worth are somehow lesser lights because of a partial season playing quarterback with one great quarter.

Vick is also a short-lived player for another reason. Youth was served, according to the Sunday Night Football crew doing the game, because Vick was a few key offensive players' idol when they were growing up.

What about the veterans? And for that matter, how long will Andy Reid last as Eagles coach by staying with quarterbacks beyond their time? Or going for those who are average at best?

Vick is in the NFL's top five quarterbacks so far. It will be interesting to see how he fares against Dallas, if indeed he plays much with little on the line. Whatever happens, bets here are that Aaron Rodgers, who should have been the starting NFC Pro Bowl quarterback, will end up with better numbers.