Stephen A. Smith: Vick Needs To Get His Game Back
If Michael Vick were a running back, perhaps we’d all have reasons for optimism. His quickness has returned to mesmerizing status. His elusiveness appears as if it isn’t too far behind, either. It’s the combination of such things that leaves a defender simultaneously transfixed and petrified. He’s too perplexed to anticipate and is ultimately left helpless and resigned to accepting the superiority of an individual on a plane above himself.
That was life for Michael Vick years ago, when he starred for the Atlanta Falcons. Despite having spent 18 months in a federal penitentiary and two full seasons out of the NFL for running a dogfighting ring, it was suppose to be Vick now. But as the Eagles get set to embark upon the post-Donovan McNabb era in just a couple of weeks, desperate for a quarterback – not a running back – who can elevate them above contender status, they’ve been left wondering whether Vick could be a waterboy with any degree of precision.
Sound cruel? Check out the videotape, and then get back to me.
The same Vick who completed just six passes (in 13 attempts) and passed for a measly 86 yards all of last season has already managed to punish Eagles fans with thoughts of whether he’ll even be able to muster those numbers once this season begins.
Last week vs. the Cincinnati Bengals, Vick registered more interceptions (two) than completed passes (1). He was sacked three times, as well. He looked so anemic, so pathetic, so inept, he actually left quite a few folks wondering if he was ever granted yard privileges during all of his time at Leavenworth.
He’s thrown the football so badly, you wonder if he threw at all for two years.
“I’m not going to go that far,” one NFC player told me recently, still one of the many players holding out hope that Vick can return to form, not wanting to appear too critical. “Mike’s got talent. He’s an electrifying athlete, and people expect great things from him because of it. But it takes time to get your game back. And you have to remember, it was always his athletic ability we marveled over, not his ability to be an accurate passer, necessarily. That’s huge when you’re asking dudes, basically, to replace D-Nabb.”
Yeah, yeah! We know that responsibility has been placed on the shoulders of the Golden Child: Kevin Kolb. The reality, however, is that Vick needs to step up.
One reason is because this is the NFL, a game as physical as it comes. The other reason would be the play of the Eagles’ offensive line, which still needs some work. Combine all of that with just two career starts by Kolb, some third-stringer named Mike Kafka, and what you have sandwiched between is a former star in Vick being paid about $5.2 million this season. He’s desperate to shine so he won’t have to look for a real 9-to-5 gig come 2011 – one that would pay him far less than what he’s making now.
When I spoke to Vick a few months ago, he personally told me: “My goal is to be a starter in this league. I still believe I have a lot left, that I can contribute on a very high level in this league. I’m just waiting for the opportunity to shine.”
The 2009 season had expired at the time. So had that $1.6 million salary he pocketed last season. A reality show on Black Entertainment Television was about to begin, along with a season devoid of the specter of being McNabb’s backup.
All the dominoes were falling in place, regardless of the faith the Eagles were displaying in Kolb. All Vick had to do was play well.
Fast forward to now, and apparently that was asking too much of the former No. 1 overall pick. One could make the argument that Vick is worse off that he was last season, without even taking into account his idiotic decision of having a birthday party – open to the public, for a fee – in a hometown rife with former boys who helped get him sent to Leavenworth in the first place.
McNabb is gone. There’s a guy in Kolb with two career starts on his resume, and Vick looks as if he can barely compete with a career backup.
Kolb throws better than Vick. He looks as if he has more of a command of the offense than Vick. The players clearly are more comfortable and confident with Kolb than Vick. And it appears as if there was never a thought about Vick being a starter ahead of him.
Sure, we’ve heard head coach Andy Reid say, “Mike’s coming along. He’ll be fine.” After all, it was just one preseason game. But if there were significant problems, to the point that Vick has officially regressed to scrub status, a show of hands from anyone who thinks Reid would ever let us know?
Thought so!
“When my moment comes, I’m going to do what I do,” I recall Vick vowing. “Everyone knows what I’m capable of when I’m on my game.”
True. Except now, instead of wondering when Vick will find his game, we’re wondering if he still has one. As a quarterback.
A Running back? That may be a different story. He is the Eagles’ leading rusher thus far.
You can check out more from Stephen A. Smith at www.stephena.com.
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