Sitting Pretty
Vick’s jaw-dropping play spurs talk of playoffs and a new deal.
A day after Michael Vick had arguably the greatest game by a quarterback in Eagles history, questions remained about what his elevated play means for the future.
Does the seemingly unstoppable Vick camouflage the Eagles' various flaws and catapult them into the conversation as a legitimate Super Bowl contender?
Is there any way the Eagles don't bring Vick back next season as the face of their franchise? And if they choose to do so, will they lock him up with a contract extension soon?
Exactly how great was his performance in the Eagles' 59-28 shellacking of the Redskins on Monday night?
The Pro Football Hall of Fame thought it was special; it requested Vick's game jersey on Tuesday, and the Eagles will ship it to Canton, Ohio, according to a team spokesman. Vick became the first NFL player in history to throw for more than 300 yards, run for more than 50, toss four touchdowns, and run for two scores in a game.
The honors did not end with the Hall. Vick was named NFC offensive player of the week for the second week in a row. He became the first quarterback to win the award in successive weeks since Randall Cunningham did it for the Vikings in 1998.
Speaking of the former Eagles great, he is the only quarterback in league history to have more career rushing yards than Vick, who passed Steve Young to move into second place Monday night. Cunningham finished his career with 4,928. Vick trails with 4,295.
Vick has dropped jaws with his scrambling ability, but it's the improvement in his passing that has him among the midseason candidates for the Most Valuable Player award. Against Washington, Vick completed 20 of 28 passes for 333 yards and four touchdowns. His 115.1 passer rating is tops in the league, far ahead of Jacksonville's David Garrard (104.9).
In 153 pass attempts this season, Vick has yet to throw an interception.
"I'm in a comfortable position right now," Vick told radio station WIP-AM (610) on Tuesday. "My confidence is through the roof. But I know not every game is going to be like yesterday."
The Eagles are 6-3 and tied atop the NFC East with the New York Giants, who are next on the schedule with a Sunday night showdown at Lincoln Financial Field. Vick and the Eagles have yet to face a Giants defense that has knocked five quarterbacks from games this season.
"We're ready for them," Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson said Monday after the game. "We're both 6-3. I'm aware that they'll be coming into our house fired up after they lost to the Cowboys. We know what we have at stake."
The Eagles will face a potent offense led by quarterback Eli Manning. The Giants are one of two teams ranked ahead of them in yards. They average 409.8 yards a game, the Eagles 400.2, and the Chargers lead the league with 420.2.
A victory over the Giants would solidify the Eagles as a playoff-bound team and one that could go far into the postseason. Vick, his teammates say, has made the seemingly impossible possible.
"If he plays like he did [Monday night]," safety Quintin Mikell said, "it's going to be tough for anybody to stop us."
The Redskins employed a spy to keep tabs on Vick, but it was all for naught. The quarterback simply outran safety LaRon Landry whenever he chose to dash for his 80 yards on the ground.
Vick clearly outplayed Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb, who had signed a five-year contract extension earlier in the day. Despite eye-popping initial figures - a deal worth upward of $88.5 million with $40 million of it guaranteed - McNabb is assured of only $3.75 million, according to various reports.
Still, if McNabb is worth even a third of the highest estimates, how much could Vick, who is signed only through this season, command on the open market? Eagles coach Andy Reid was flummoxed briefly by the question Sunday night and avoided giving an answer with a joke.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and Vick's agent, Joel Segal, have declined to comment about a possible extension. Sources told The Inquirer last week that the two sides have yet to talk.
"Obviously I don't have control over the situation," Vick said. "I can't put the pen in our general manager's hands or the [team] president's hand and say, 'Look, I want a new deal, let's sign it right now.' I think it will happen, if it's going to happen, when it's supposed to."
So does that mean he wants to come back next season and play for the Eagles?
"I wouldn't mind being here in Philadelphia," Vick said.