Vick's Flash-in-the-Pan 2010 Season Worst Thing to Happen to Eagles in 10 Years

Michael Vick's 2010 season launched him into the same conversation as other quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.

Vick's tremendous numbers matched with the Eagles' big-play offense had everyone lining up to crown them as Super Bowl favorites. The potential of a completely healthy season from Vick matched with offensive weapons like DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy had Eagles fans drooling.

Turns out expectations may have been set a bit too high. 

As we know now, the Eagles did not live up to their Super Bowl-caliber talent. Philadelphia is currently sitting at 6-8 which puts them third in the NFC East. While the door is not completely shut on making the playoffs, their chances are slim.

Vick currently has a 59.9 completion percentage with 2,675 passing yards and 13 touchdowns. He also has 13 interceptions and a quarterback rating of 80.6. Vick does have an additional 576 rushing yards, but only one rushing touchdown this season.

Vick's ability to stay healthy has always plagued him. He missed three straight games from Weeks 11 to 13 this week. The Eagles went 1-2 in that stretch. 

It is clear that Vick is nowhere near what his 2010 form suggested he could be. His performance has been a complete letdown.

The problem is that 2010 season will go on to haunt the Eagles for years to come. 

After Vick's huge year, the Eagles chose to commit to him for a six-year, $100 million deal that came with $40 million guaranteed. Philadelphia invested their long-term success in the arm and legs of Michael Vick. 

Not only has this disappointing year set the Eagles back, but how long will this contract haunt them? When will they make the call to move on from Michael Vick and start over again?

These are the kinds of questions the organization will have to ask itself. 

Vick is 31-years-old and not getting any younger. With age he will continue to suffer more injuries and his best asset—his speed—will continue to diminish. 

Unlike other quarterbacks who rely more on their arms, Vick's effectiveness will continue to decrease unless he significantly improves his accuracy as a passer. At this point in his career, I just don't see that happening. 

A contract of this magnitude can set a franchise back for years. The money that the Eagles have tied in to Vick can prevent them from drafting a quarterback in the first round or signing a big free agent. Football teams just can't afford to be paying two players franchise quarterback money. 

It is possible that 2011 is the fluke year. Maybe Michael Vick is more of the 2010 quarterback, but just had a string of bad luck this year. While I feel like this is unlikely, we won't truly know until we see what the Eagles look like in 2012. 

However, if Philadelphia doesn't manage to turn it around next year, they could be in for a long road recovering from the mistake of getting caught up in the hype of Michael Vick's 2010 campaign.