Why Vick probably doesn't fit Kelly's vision
The problem with the Eagles keeping Michael Vick for 2013
Why Vick probably doesn't fit Kelly's vision
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
We still are in the guessing stage, about pretty much everything when it comes to the Eagles and new coach Chip Kelly. Tops on the list of questions might be the quarterback. We all know that Michael Vick and Nick Foles are under contract, but that Vick can be released without any financial obligations to the Eagles if it is done in the first three days after the Super Bowl.
Who will it be?
Maybe Foles.
But probably not Vick.
This is just a surmise, of course, but it comes from Kelly’s own words. Someone attended a coaching clinic where Kelly was a featured speaker, and published his presentation. Here are three statements, lifted from that presentation. The subject was quarterbacks.
One:
“In a quarterback, I look for a quarterback who can run and not a running back who can throw. I want the quarterback who can beat you with his arm. If the defense forces him to run, he can do it effectively. We are not a Tim Tebow type of quarterback team. I am not going to run the quarterback 20 times on power runs. If I had a Tim Tebow, I might change my mind. You do not find the 6-4, 240-pound, 4.6 quarterbacks too many times.”
Two:
“In our attitude, every sack is the quarterback’s fault. It is not a sack if the quarterback throws the ball away. Nobody ever lost a game on an incomplete pass. Throw the ball away, and give us another opportunity to make a first down.”
Three:
“The job of a quarterback is simple. He has to ‘let it happen, and not make it happen.’ We want to move forward. That is a concept you have to make your team understand. The cardinal sin at our place is the quarterback sack. We want the ball out of the quarterback’s hands in 1.5 seconds. That does not mean holding the ball until 2.5, waiting for someone to get open.”
One, two, three. Does anybody see how that possibly adds up to Michael Vick quarterbacking the Eagles in 2013? He is the antithesis of most of these Kelly statements. He holds the ball forever, waiting for someone to get open, always looking for the big play, always reluctant to settle. As a result, he gets sacked a lot and hit more than almost any quarterback playing the game.
If not Vick, then Foles? One sentence, quoted above, sticks out as his problem: “If the defense forces him to run, he can do it effectively.”
The realities of the situation might force Kelly to compromise his vision in the first season -- we will all see about that, and soon enough. But it is hard to imagine the fundamental compromise that would be required if Vick were to be Kelly’s quarterback. I mean, when was the last time you saw Vick play and thought he was just letting it happen and not trying to make it happen? Ever?
Again, it is fundamental -- and we all have seen that Vick is too old to change. Given that, it seems obvious that the only question is whether the Eagles retain his rights after the Super Bowl in order to trade him.
Just cut him already, was never good.— Sidewinder7- Cataldi interviewed Kelly on his show last week, and Kelly said that his QB has to be a good decision maker, so it was assumed that pretty much ruled Vick out.— watsonmr
- I hear what all of you guys are saying. I can't see Vick being the QB this season. What I can't decide is if he has any trade value. My gut says he doesn't, but you never know what other teams are thinking until you ask.— rich hofmann
- non-story ...even Reid wasn't going to keep Vick— warbiscuit
- He did not just suck on the Eagles- he sucked on the Falcons. Interceptions and fumbles in the Playoffs in both games against the Eagles in multiple seasons killed the Falcons. Goodbye and good luck somewhere else.— Bermar
- Quarterback in Philly isn't the problem, it's protecting the Quarterback. Whether you want to accept it or not the Eagles don't have the physical personnel up front and, if Peters is not capable or returning 100% and Kelly doesn't commit to drafting a book end tackle this is just another wasted year. For crying out loud, there's a starting Guard on the Eagles Offensive line that was picked up at his local 7/11 convenience store.
— Dexter - I just cannot understand how there is any question, really, as to the starting QB will be as it is so obvious that it will be foles and he will be the man for the next several years. You guys just have not be listening to Coach Kelly when he talks about Foles. He absolutely loves the guy having played against him three times at Oregon and seeing him post 10 TD's against 2 INT's and averaging 385 yards a game. He said that they hit Foles every which way they could but he just kept coming at them. He was very impressed with how tough and accurate Foles is under pressure. He loves Foles character and leadership and with Kelly's mind, Foles will be the next Tom Brady. All you anti-Foles idiots ought to open your ears and your eyes and see the match that exists between these two.— jersey mark
- Just cut him and move on— Ssteve115
- Basically, Vick sucks. Won't win anything with him.— Bartleby
- Reasonable people realize Vick has never been a good NFL QB. However,the Vick lovers will always have an excuse for this loser....bad "O" line, bad coach, bad receivers, blah, blah, blah. You see, it's never been Vick's fault. C'mon, he's won two playoff games in twelve years ( two of which were spent in the slammer)What more do you want? The man is a "Pro Bowler", which makes me laugh. The QBs elected to the game always pass on it, and then the scrubeenies who replace them are suddenly "Pro Bowlers". LOL. Vick is a never was and a never will be. Only the blind reverse racists see it otherwise. In reality he couldn't carry McNabb's or Cunningham's jock.— baabyrrej
- DUMP VICK..Vick is an old shot loser...just dump Vick NOW and get some fresh young QB to build this team back up.— jim35
- Sounds a lot more like Foles than Vick...that is for sure.— greenblood4200
- Anybody think Alex Smith might be a good fit?— klbloom1
- Vick is definately the best option for the Eagles. His performance over the last two seasons is not the best measure of his potential. As we were old over and over, it takes a QB two years to learn the offense that Reid ran and that's if they have an off season. During Vick's first season as a starter, there was no offseason. Additionally, he was asked to make alignment calls for the offensive live. A ridiculous situation. Vick gets his first off season but they bring in a new offensive line coach with new schemes and terminology. Kelce was supposed to make the calls to take that off Vick. Kelce gets injured and Vick has to take on that responsibility. Even though Vick had years of experience, he had none reading defenses and going through progressions. A ridiculous situation for Vick. There does remain questions about Vick's commitment to doing the off field work required but that seemed to be resolved last year. If I were Kelly, I'd tell Vick that he needs to demonstrate that he can get Kelly's scheme down cold on paper by March 13 or he's done. Give him a couple of seasons to get the offense down while preparing a replacement. Foles isn't ready and can be the future replacement or get traded. Dixon can work with both Vick and Foles and be the backup.— MikeP
