Michael Vick has been putting out hits for over a decade. Unfortunately, he also took a few hits too many while living a rock star lifestyle on and off the field. While he’s reformed his personal life, Vick stills plays it fast and loose with the football. However, after Vick’s hamstring tore like a snapped guitar string, his backup stole the mic and banged out a few classics.
In his second start of the season Foles made a statement and dropped the mic by throwing an NFL record seven touchdowns in three quarters.
Just as Lionel Ritchie used to sing backup for The Commodores, Philly’s high-profile offense may have had themselves a star in their background all along. Last weekend was Foles’ "Hello" moment. After two weeks, it’s become apparent that Foles was the quarterback Chip Kelly came to Philly looking for.
Kelly’s offense was supposed to take advantage of Vick’s athleticism better than Reid, Mora or Reeves ever could. However, a hamstring injury that’s kept him playing musical chairs with the bench has forced the Eagles to give Foles an opportunity.
Scores of Eagles fans have to be impressed by what they’re witnessing from Foles. However, there was one Eagle who was more conflicted than the Dolphins locker room.
Aside from his brief federal lock-up and a single season as Donovan McNabb’s backup, Mike Vick has been a starting quarterback.
He got by on natural talent for his first act, became a more studious pocket passer in Philly and was fortunate to get paired with an offensive genius running an offense that presumable would be a perfect fit.
Lock Foles up and throw away the key, because he may be snuffing out Vick’s career as an NFL starting quarterback. Lost amid the fervor over the possibility of Philadelphia winning the NFC East is the reality that Vick is that this may be his last chance to run an offense as a non-emergency starter.
Foles is usurping Vick’s spot for the rest of 2013 and beyond. We got so caught up in the exhilaration of the run aspect of their zone read scheme, we assumed Kelly’s opulent offense would implode without Vick firing laser passes downfield like Thor tosses hammers and pedaling around frozen defenders.
Kelly maintains that he won’t decide on a full-time starter until Vick and Foles are healthy at the exact same time. He shouldn’t have to.
In three starts, Foles has a 63 percent completion percentage, a league-leading 9.2 yards per attempt and 16 touchdowns to 0 interceptions. Vick also put up Jay Gatsby numbers in Kelly’s offense and lit the runway for a few cross-country touchdown drives, but he also had issues with interceptions and fumbles as if he rubbed his hands through Lionel Ritchie’s jheri curl juice before every snap.
Eventually, he just became a punch-drunk quarterback who couldn’t stand up straight in the pocket without bruising his vertebrae.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that Foles is the answer, but before the upcoming quarterback draft, Kelly has to evaluate his second-year signal caller. For Vick, 2013 represents more than just the end of his exorbitant paydays. Vick's next job should either be as a Foles' backup or as a clipboard holder elsewhere. Vick used to have the revolution speed output to outrun any defense in league. He wasn't just fast on the gridiron. Vick was ahead of his time. However, 13 years after he ran roughshod all over Florida State’s defense in the Sugar Bowl national title game, Vick’s finally been horsecollared from behind by time and his backup quarterback.
