The Vick Era in Philadelphia

When the Philadelphia Eagles took the field in Detroit on Sunday, they relied on quarterback Michael Vick to help lead them to their first win of the 2010 season. Sunday was Vick’s first start in the National Football League since he played for the Atlanta Falcons in 2006. After the 2006 season, Vick served eighteen-months in jail for his alleged role in a dog fighting operation. Although Vick had not started as quarterback since 2006, when he took the first snap versus the Lions it seemed as if he never skipped a beat. Vick went twenty-one of thirty-four, throwing for two-hundred and eighty-four yards along with two touchdown passes and thirty-seven rushing yards. Although Vick led the Eagles to a thirty-five to thirty-two victory over the Lions, Andy Reid announced Monday that Kevin Kolb, injured for Sunday’s game versus the Lions, would start versus the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday. Despite Vick’s comments saying that he was okay with Kolb being the starter in Philadelphia, most Eagles fans believe that Vick should start in Jacksonville. During the Reid/McNabb era in Philadelphia, Andy Reid stuck by Donavan even when he was in a slump and the team was losing. With Andy Reid’s commitment to his starting quarterback, even if Vick won consecutive games for the Eagles, Reid would still start Kevin Kolb when he was healthy. Kevin Kolb’s debut as starter for the Eagles started out on the wrong note as he went five for ten for twenty-four passing yards before leaving the game with a concussion. In the second half, Michael Vick led the Eagles to a late comeback throwing for one-hundred and seventy-five yards, but it wasn’t enough as the Green Bay Packers held on for the win. Vick’s recent success should have earned him the starting quarterback position, but when Sunday comes around he will find himself back on the bench. It’s wrong that Andy Reid will not start Vick this Sunday or most likely any other Sunday this season if Kevin Kolb remains healthy. Most teams want to ride the winning quarterback or the player in any position that is leading their team to victory, but during the Reid era the Eagles have never done this. The Eagles still haven’t won a Super Bowl championship and will not under Andy Reid if he doesn’t change his coaching style.