Michael Vick’s First Step Back

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There will finally be a Michael Vick sighting in the NFL this week.

Philadelphia plays host to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night. The Eagles, who had only 23 rushing yards in losing to the Colts last week, are listed as a 7.5-point favorite at BetOnline, with a posted total of 37.

Unquestionably that number reflects the announced appearance of Vick, who signed with the Eagles somewhat unexpectedly, as many had expected the Patriots and Seahawks to have more interest.

Many have questioned the wisdom of Philadelphia in signing Vick, in particular Gary Myers of the New York Daily News (a former commentator on HBO’s "Inside the NFL"), who wrote, "If his skills haven’t eroded, Vick can be a dangerous player. But the risk for the Eagles is that his presence is a constant distraction and blows up their season."

There is also a little concern on the part of observers that the signing of Vick now makes for a very convenient alternative for fickle Eagle fans to clamor for if things are not going well for incumbent quarterback Donovan McNabb. If you recall, McNabb was yanked out of a game against the Baltimore Ravens last year, in very embarrassing fashion I might add, while Kevin Kolb was inserted into the game. The question was brought up during a recent Fox telecast whether McNabb was even consulted before the team signed Vick. My understanding is that Vick actually lobbied management to sign the guy. Well, I guess when you read quotes like this – "I pretty much lobbied to get him, because I believe everybody deserves a second chance" – it’s not difficult to come to that understanding.

What I’m wondering about is how a guy like Kolb, who was being groomed very carefully as a successor to McNabb, feels about the possibility of being inactive for much of the schedule. He was looking for an opportunity to grow into the job, and with McNabb’s contract expiring after 2010, may have been in line for it, but not if Vick impresses.

Coach Andy Reid has stressed that Kolb is still the #2 quarterback, and in fact A.J. Feeley is the third-stringer, but Kolb has been sitting with a knee injury, so the situation is not something that has to be dealt with immediately. However, if the Eagles go into games with three quarterbacks, one of which is officially "inactive," if that third-string QB goes in the game, it means neither of the others can, as per NFL rules.

Reid said that he planned to have Vick on the field during the first three quarters of the game, so he will be in there with the starters. He could also be out there in the same lineup as Donovan McNabb, if the Eagles are running a special package like the "Wildcat," and that would mean that he can be a wideout or a wingback of some kind.

Generally, though, one would figure Vick was brought in to be a specialty piece of some kind. Running a spread package would seem to be something natural for him to engage in, and a player like Vick, if he could regain some of the form he had before he was arrested, has the skill set that would fit in with that formation very well. He was, indeed, the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for over a thousand yards in a season. Think of him as an upper-class Patrick White, if you will.

That is, if he gets with the program and stays there.

I would caution Eagles fans about a couple of things, however.

Remember that when he was active with the Falcons, Vick was rather vocal in interviews about his diminishing desire to run with the ball. He cited the wear-and-tear he was sustaining from the punishment inflicted by NFL defenders, and wanted to become more of a conventional signal-caller. Also, at one point when Jim Mora Jr. installed a West Coast offense, Vick did not take to it. Apparently Reid, a disciple of the Bill Walsh coaching tree, doesn’t think it will that much of a problem for him.