The myth behind Vick's 2011 injuries
Update: Lots of good feeback on this post, so I answered some questions in a second post.
The myth behind Vick's 2011 injuries
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
Update: Lots of good feeback on this post, so I answered some questions in a second post.
***
I was doing some research over the weekend for an offseason project and came across a couple Michael Vick nuggets worth sharing.
As we approach mini-camps, OTAs and eventually training camp, there will be a lot written and said about Vick's injuries and how his ability to stay healthy will go a long way in determining the Eagles' success in 2012.
For the record, I agree with that part.
But the rest of the narrative might focus on Vick's "reckless" play. You might hear that he missed three games last year and failed to finish two more. And that those injuries occurred because Vick too often left the pocket, scrambled or refused to slide.
That notion, I discovered, is a bit misguided.
I went back and looked at Vick's injuries from a year ago. By my count, there were four significant ones reported by the team: the concussion that knocked him out of the Falcons game; the bruised right hand that knocked him out of the first Giants meeting; the finger injury against the 49ers; and the two broken ribs against the Cardinals that caused him to miss the next three games.
Here's a breakdown of what happened on the four plays where Vick is believed to have sustained those injuries.
Concussion: Vick dropped back and completed a 9-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin. But LeSean McCoy did a poor job of picking up blitzing Falcons safety William Moore on Vick's front side. Moore hit Vick, who spun around and bumped into right tackle Todd Herremans. He left the game with a concussion. But this injury had nothing to do with Vick being reckless. He executed the play well, and his teammate (McCoy) didn’t do his job. It was also a freak injury. Vick did not suffer the concussion because he was hit by Moore. It happened because he collided with his own right tackle.
Bruised right hand: The Eagles ran a play-action fake against the Giants, and Vick delivered a beautiful 23-yard completion to Maclin. This was not a designed roll-out, but rather, Vick stayed in the pocket. Giants defensive lineman Chris Canty nailed him right under the chin with his helmet. A penalty could have been called on the play, but the refs didn't throw a flag, causing Vick to publicly complain about receiving unfair treatment in his post-game press conference. But again, Vick was in the pocket and completed a pass on the play.
Injured finger: By now, you may be starting to sense a pattern. Against San Francisco, Vick stood in the pocket and delivered a 7-yard completion to McCoy. But 49ers defensive lineman Justin Smith got some pressure against Jason Peters around the edge and hit Vick's finger as he released the football. The play occurred in the second quarter, but Vick completed 30 of 46 passes for 416 yards in the game.
Broken ribs: And finally, Andy Reid said Vick sustained two broken ribs on the second play of the Cardinals game when linebacker Daryl Washington came untouched on Vick's front side and nailed him as he got rid of the ball to Brent Celek for a 13-yard gain. Vick went on to play perhaps his worst game as an Eagle, completing just 16 of 34 passes for 128 yards and a pair of interceptions.
Four injuries on four plays. And in each instance, Vick not only was in the pocket, but he completed the pass.
Don't get me wrong. Vick needs to do his best to avoid unnecessary hits. He needs take care of his body and the football for the Eagles' offense to be successful.
But any suggestion that the injuries he sustained in 2011 were due to him leaving the pocket, running recklessly or not sliding are off-base.
You can follow me on Twitter or become a fan of Moving the Chains on Facebook.
You're failing to assume that the actual hits causing injury weren't the figurative "straw that broke the camel's back." You don't think all the hits he took while scrambling -- and not sliding -- didn't accumulate damage? What about the year before, when he got his ribs broken running vs. the Redskins?— IgglesFan79- Oh and shiel please continue to ^ (fail to assume)^ for those of us who appreciate facts.keep up the good work— Sean s.
- Face facts,this guy is NOT a SB wining QB and will miss at least 4 games again this year.AR and vick will NEVER EVER win a SB as tandem or seperatly.— sewell guy
- Where are the facts? Since you think you know so much, this article is on myth of his injuries last year, you moron needs to go back to junior high and take a reading comprehension class you go so far off topic. This article is not on personal opinions and assumptions. It is on facts, you trolls should learn how to understand what you read before you comment or do you even bother to try and read? SMH what a bunch of losers! — Blessed8251
- 2 playoff wins in a decade of starting football, he stinks. — Sidewinder7
- @Sidewinder7 If I were you I would be very careful about saying someone stinks, I get the feeling you ain't smelling to good yourself. — charmaine
- Sewell guy the cleaners called and said ur giants jersey is ready.— Sean s.
- Look at 2010 vick.hes had a great year and a not so great year and suddenly he cant win a sbowl.i guess eli has never had a bad season?— Sean s.
- The bottom line is, the guy gets hurt every year. Put whatever spin you want on it, slice it any way you can, blame whoever you want and the end result is the same.......... He misses games.— Geno D
- Thank you Sheil! I have been saying this for a year. Every time Vick got injured last year he was in the pocket!!! He was doing what the coaches asked him to do and the line, and/or his backs got him hurt by missing blocks. In some cases (as in the Cardinals game) guys came in completely untouched. Any QB would get hurt under those circumstances.— kingsolomonsmind
- And they say the "freaks come out at night"hell they come out in the daytime too. I knew by just looking at the title of this article that freaks like GenoD and IggesFan79 would be here, the others will be here shortly. IgglesFan79 can't even stay on the right year, I guess he forgot last year 2010 season Vick wasn't even suppose to be the starter, that was Kevin Kolbs job, but as usual Kolb's job ended up with him holding the clipboard, making millions all while someone else is doing his job. I'll say it again the "freaks" come out in the daytime too.— charmaine
- @Charmaine yes these freaks crawl from their rocks as soon as they see Vicks name. If they spent as much time clean up Philly as they do trolling Vick it would be a better city, but then there would be no place for these freaks. You hit the nail right on the head, they are freaks that have no clue. — Blessed8251
- Sheil...interesting point. Make a sprint quarterback into a pocket passer may be one reason why our quarterback is at risk. Did we not try to confine McNabb this way too? Why can we not let people with specific skills, do what they do best...without making them do things that challenge them , make them less effective,and place them more at risk? I thought coaches were to help their players improve without sacrificing their skills or their bodies?— envirojoe55
- @envirojoe... i agree with you on #5, but a lot of that was on him, too, in terms of not wanting to be seen as stereotypical, and therefore giving up the very thing that set him apart (see SB game for the most egregious example of that).
w/ vick, however, i'm generally cool with the direction he's been given by andy and marty. in ATL, after reeves left, the quality of the qb coaching and offensive coordination was so dismal that he was not put in positions to use his whole skillset. they were content to give him extremely basic routes (with receivers who could not get open OR catch) and tell him to look to his 1st or 2nd read, and take off).
what i'd like to see for vick and the offense this year is deeper drops, a la brees, on known passing downs, to create more passing AND running lanes, and to spread the field more and make defenses cover the whole field. we had a catch-22 when the line was playing poorly in that you'd max protect, but then you'd have less receivers in the route, and that allowed for more rushers.
we have a ton of guys who are dangerous in space. and vick has the arm to go deep playside AND to the backside of the field. vick doesn't have the same burst as he used to where he not only outran, but outran the ANGLES of dbs in this league. but he can still burn teams with his legs also.
if they spread the offense, and he's disciplined to know where the voids are, and take a quick 5 to 10 yds even if nothing is open downfield, or drop the ball off to celek or shady running away from a linebacker (let them run the crossing stuff, not desean who doesn't want to be hit), we will drive defenses crazy— poetx - Don't agree with the #5 reference. Reid had McNabb throw 50 times that game which was way off. If memory serves right Reid called 11 run plays. Blame McNabb if you like but Reid blew that SB with the pass happy play calling. When we went up by 2 TD's Reid should have been running Westbrook down New England's throat. It keeps that D on the field and it keeps your QB and defense fresh.
Follow
Sheil on Twitter. And become
a fan of Moving the Chains on Facebook.
Download our NEW iPhone/Android app for even more Birds
coverage, including app-exclusive videos and analysis. Download it here.
