Ashley Fox: Vick just continues to build MVP case

LANDOVER, Md. - Michael Vick was sick. There's no other way to put it.

What he did to the Redskins should be against Roger Goodell's rules. In the Eagles' 59-28 win, it was as if Vick were playing a video game Monday night, controlling the defenders, making them run in slow motion as he blew past them for big gains and touchdowns.

There should have been a mercy rule in place. It would have been the gentlemanly thing for Vick to take himself out of the game after the score got to be 52-21 on one of the at least 10 all-time career highlight plays he made on the night.

"I could have never envisioned this," Vick said. "All this is paramount for me, but at the same time it's somewhat surprising."

"He made some plays today that I haven't seen a quarterback make in a long time," Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said. "That was a big-time game."

Vick was that good. He was the best anyone has seen this season and continued to build his case that not only is he the NFL's most valuable player - but he is deserving of a big contract extension from the Eagles.

If Donovan McNabb is worthy of a five-year, $78 million deal that reportedly included significant guaranteed money, what is Vick, who is three years younger, worth? Ninety million? A hundred million? More?

With New York losing at home Sunday to Dallas and the Eagles already having beaten Atlanta, give me a team that's got a better chance to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl? Green Bay? Chicago? New Orleans?

The Eagles have flaws, but when Vick orchestrates a 28-0 first quarter with a statistically perfect performance, what do those flaws matter? When you steal a team's heart, what does it matter if you have issues at corner?

The Eagles jumped on the Indianapolis last week in the first quarter, but had to settle for a few field goals when touchdowns would have put the Colts in a huge hole. They didn't make that mistake Monday night. Full throttle. No mercy. It was as if Vick had said, "I'm doing this, are you with me?" and the Eagles responded with a resounding: "Yes!"

Just look at the numbers. Vick had a 158.3 passer rating in the first quarter, McNabb had a 2.8. Vick's first pass of the game was a bomb to DeSean Jackson that went for 88 yards and was the longest first play from scrimmage in team history, not to mention a career throw by Vick and a career catch by Jackson.

The Eagles scored four touchdowns in the first quarter, including two Vick passes and one run, and the Redskins couldn't get a first down. The Eagles had 280 yards of offense, the Redskins had 23. The Eagles had 181 passing yards, the Redskins had six.

It was complete domination, a performance that will go down in the franchise's record book. You almost felt bad for the Redskins' defenders, who were left strewed on the field, gasping for air and watching Vick from behind.

"It may look easy, but it's hard," Vick said.

Said Eagles coach Andy Reid: "He was in charge out there."

And let's get this straight: The man isn't going to slide. Let's just stop talking about it. When he scrambled for the end zone on the Eagles' second possession, he dove, head first, into the end zone, even though there were Redskins defenders all around him and the last time he tried that move two Washington defensive backs cracked his rib cartilage.

No matter. Go for the score. Go for the win. No regrets.

Vick's final numbers: 20 of 28 for 333 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions and a 150.7 passer rating; eight rushes for 80 yards and two touchdowns. So Vick will continue to lead the NFL in passer rating, and he also moved into second place all time in rushing yards for a quarterback, ahead of Steve Young and trailing Randall Cunningham.

One of Vick's slickest plays came in the third quarter, with the Eagles comfortably ahead, 45-21. In the shotgun, Vick moved to his right, saw his receivers were all covered, bought some time, stopped quickly, almost slipped, squared his shoulders and fired a strike to Jason Avant in the back of the end zone. The touchdown gave the Eagles a 52-21 lead, and Vick immediately raised his arms in the air.

Replays showed that Avant's heel appeared to step out of bounds, but the Redskins had no challenges left and so the score stood.

It was one of those plays like McNabb scrambling around in Dallas a few years back. A great player making a great play.

And it was hard to think looking at those 6-3 Eagles who are tied with the New York Giants atop the NFC East that there won't be more of that. More Vick greatness. More big wins.

After the Redskins beat the Eagles in October, McNabb told his teammates in the locker room this: "Everybody makes mistakes in their lives, and they made one last year."

The Eagles' only mistake was not recognizing earlier that Vick was going to be the man. But really, who could have predicted a performance, and a season, like this?