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.
- How many bad seasons in a row will "one of the best quaterbacks in the league" have? He sucked the whole 2nd half of 2010, he sucked all of 2011 and 2012 when he was healthy enough to play. He brings most injuries on himself by running like a running back (except he has the build of a punter) and he holds the ball way too long. And the great quaterbacks in this league also work with bad O lines all the time. Vick is shot. I guess according to a lot of people on here that makes me a racist somehow.
— jak55555 - I agree 100% with the approach that every sack is the QBs fault, with the exception if someone comes free/untouched from the interior line. I recall hearing Jimmy Johnson preach that approach in 1989 when his Cowboys and Troy Aikman were losing every game.
In any case, it's absurd to think a new coach out of college is going to hitch his wagon to a 33 year old project who can't stay on the field. Unfortunately, Vick isn't getting any better, stronger, bigger, faster as he ages.— jtj10 - Hey Vick apologists, it's about winning Super Bowls. Not just being competitive every year. Vick can't read defenses or hit his targets in stride consistently. It's that simple. He'll never win a Super Bowl. That's all that matters. Next QB please.— bdd5014
- I don't know if Kelly sees Foles as a top-notch starter, but like Eli Manning or Tom Brady, Foles is perfectly capable of running up the middle if the defense leaves it wide open. In the NFL, the defense forces a QB to run by devoting a lot of guys to coverage, usually leaving the middle open if the TE goes deep and the defensive tackles are blocked wide. If there is single coverage, the passing QB will pass, which is what Kelly wants.
If Kelly is an offensive wizard, he should have no trouble designing an offense with Foles, McCoy, Jackson, Celek, Brown, et. al., provided he gets the line together. I suspect he's a smart guy, and knows that Foles is one of the best QBs currently available, in the draft or through free agent signing. He knew this before he took the job.
I'll be a little surprised if Mike Vick starts next year, anywhere. His ability to read defenses has not improved enough to compensate for an aging running back's body.— armchairGM - Every sack is the QB fault?
Tell Coach Kelly we lived thru Bernard Williams and Antone Davis.— 1000hugs - Oh lord, people still think Vick is good. And to call out Philly for not liking him because hes black, ugh, weve been over this aplenty. Thats why Philly has supported black QBs since, I dunno, Randall in the 80s? Oh and to put down Foles to make Vick seem adequate isnt saying much. Foles may stink, we dont know, dont care, the jury is out on Vick. Kelly is smart, he wants his career to last so he wont choose Vick. Oh and Tebow won more playoff games than Manning as a Bronco, haha, love that stat. No Tebow fan just funny. He prob said that to not bash Tebow anymore than hes already bashed.— peteike
- ehill40, Vick is not one of the best quarterbacks in the league. I went through the list of teams, and being fairly generous, I have him at 15, which makes him average at best.The main reason I don't think he will be back is the money. He does not want to redo his contract and the Eagles, with all their needs, don't want to commit $15million (i Think that's the number)to a guy who is no longer, if he ever was an "elite" quarterback. My guess is they go with Foles to start this year and look for someone who can do all of the things in Kelly's system.— John Klink
- Thanks for your reasoned response John Klink. I don't think the Eagles should committ 15 mil, nor does Vick. I suspect his own pride got the best of him and time will bring a reasoned perspective. With so much supporting evidence around the league, its clear that all of Andy's backups qbs were merely elite system performers, including Foles. I guess the questions are 1)Who makes the transition easiest for Kelly and 2)Somewhat entertaining for the fans as the team searchs for long term solution through the draft. I'll still pull for them and read the commentary week to week. judging by the number of passionate posts, I won't be alone. — ehill40
- Why is it that if someone does not like Vick they are racist?
The only reason ANY team signs Mike7Vick for 2013 will be to increase jersey sales.— 1000hugs - The same reason why you're racist if you don't like the way Obama is destroying...I mean running the country!
The high and mighty people who are actually racist keep telling us we have to like him simply because of the color of his skin, not his record on the field (to paraphrase MLK)!
I don't want Vick to be the QB because he's an aging, slowing player (gets caught by 325-pound D-linemen now!) with poor accuracy. He can't hit a receiver in stride, he always has to wait until they stop and turn around before he throws. He could be black, white, brown, purple, or clear, and I wouldn't want him in an Eagles uniform!— gdibig - "let it happen, and not make it happen."
Yea that counts Vick out of the conversation.— CoettaGarner25 - racist only because its ibg aka allword2 most likely aka lpboys most likely panthro most likely all the rest of these people who only root for him because welp because he is black. most likely they are all the same person so thats why its always a racist thing they or he are baiting us to react to thier dumb comments. they or he have no life what so ever and this is fun to them. they have eyes they hate the rookie only because he is white because other than that he and vick were pretty much identical though vick had more time and an offseason to work with his starters and the main issue he is not a rookie but still like to compare to make themselves feel better... vick is the man noone will ever be as great as him!!!! lol— defroe
- All 'we' and 'us'. No 'me' and 'I' (i.e., I have to do a better job there). I'm liking this guy.— JohnnyL
- if i was foles i would spend the offseason with a coach from track and field sports. get those legs moving faster.— Evil Overlord
- I have huge concerns for any coach that would consider Vick as his starter...as I did with Reid when he brought him to our team. Desperate desperate move that led to this teams downfall. All the best to Kelly retooling this entire team. Get rid of the trash...start with 7— RealizticFan
