Certainly, Michael Vick isn't the only player in the National Football League with an inflated view of his worth. The NFL is, in a lot of ways, an ego-driven league. Having confidence is a good thing. But sometimes, that confidence spirals out of control and it begins to border on absurdity. Observe Michael Vick:
"Tom Brady, Peyton [Manning], Donovan [McNabb]... they all throw from the pocket, make the right decisions, do the right things. I'm up there with Peyton and Brady and Donovan. I think I'm there with that group [as a passer]. But I don't feel I get the credit I deserve as far as what I do and the impact I have on my team.''I'll grant him that he might not get the credit that he deserves for the impact he has on his team. I'm not saying he's right, but there's at least an argument to be made. It's hard to quantify the value of his running ability vs. the relative lack of value of his passing ability.
But to compare himself as a passer to Brady, Manning, and McNabb? Is delusional psychosis a side effect of Valtrex?
I mean, he has a passer rating of 66.0 right now. For comparison's sake, McNabb's is 104.8, Manning's is 95.6, and even Brady, in the worst statistical year of his career, is 82.6. Vick is down there with Joey Harrington, Brett Favre, and Charlie Frye. I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt, but if he can't even get his rating up to the Jon Kitna/J.P. Losman range, then ... I just don't know what to tell him.
In order to improve something, you've first got to admit the shortcoming. Someone may be in denial.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
"Is delusional psychosis a side effect of Valtrex?"
That's bloody genius, yo.
Dude, you're taking that quote out of context. The whole "Inside the NFL" segment was about how the offensive system in Atlanta does not allow Vick the same freedom as Manning, Brady etc. So he can never grow into a QB like them. What Vick was saying here is that he has the same abilities as those guys (which I don't think is an outrageous statement) but not the same opportunities and freedom. Right now he is being used basically an option QB in a college offense.
While McNabb had Reid to guide and teach him, Brady had Weis/Belichick and Manning comes from a family of QBs, Mora (a defensive coach) just wants to ride Vick, as a runner and 3rd and long passer, for as many wins as possible. They don't trust him and aren't interested in investing in his growth. As they pointed out in the show, you can understand the point by comparing him to Eli Manning (someone noone can contend came into the league as a great decision maker). Eli, now in his third year, was given the opportunity to fail and grow as a QB/signal caller, and his improvement has been steady and widely apparent. For example, Eli is given two plays every down which he can choose from and audible. Vick on the other hand, now in his sixth year, is not given the same freedom. Hand the ball off. Bootleg, draw, and occasionally throw to a bunch of scrub receivers. Not surprisingly his growth has been stagnant.
This I think is more of a testament to Mora’s system than Vick, who showed immense growth as a passer in his time under Dan Reeves; culminating in his thumping of Favre and the Packers in a playoff game in Green Bay (back when it still meant something). The following year Vick got injured and the Falcons tanked, and Reeves got fired. Vick has since plateaued. And now Mora, trying to save his own job, is using Vick as a workhorse in a system which will get Atlanta some wins, but never allow Vick to reach his true potential which is the highest of any QB to play the game.
I think this is one of the saddest stories in sports, cause you have a transcendent athlete unlike one we've ever seen, who is withering away slowly and without much fanfare. If Mora continues with this offensive philosophy Vick will undoubtedly suffer a major injury which he’ll never recover from. And we’ll all talk about that guy Mike Vick who kind of came and went. He was like a lot of those “athletic QBs” they’ll say. Made poor decisions, threw inaccurately, and could never win the big one. “But man could he run.”
"I feel like I'm at a stage where I can almost do it all. I want to continue to run the football and make plays and be a threat with my legs, you know, but I just feel that the game is easier when you're throwing the football. That's the fun part of it. You've just got to be given the opportunity.
"When Reeves was here, I was 50 yards shy of 3,000 yards passing, and I was among top 15 in passing in NFL. Coach Reeves, he believed in me and gave me a chance to throw the football."
Actually, Vick threw for 2,936 yards in 2002, and he was ranked 18th in the league in passer rating.
VICK: "I always think about that, Cris. I always think, if I played in Indianapolis, what type of effect would I have on that team? Or what would I be able to do different? It's something I wish I could do for just one week."
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It is hard to read that stuff without the outside world thinking it is a total slam on his teammates.
If you are a QB, you are supposed to be a leader, and you don't trash your coaches and teammates like that publicly, even if you are non-delusional and can actually throw the rock with accuracy.
Michael Vick is a good player. He is the only outstanding member of the Atlanta Falcons. The trouble is he can't physically stand up to doing it all him self as a scrambler.
Great Valtrex comment...I'm sure Ron Mexico wouldn't appreciate it but he's probably busy trying to hit the broad side of a barn somewhere.
To be an NFL quarterback, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO THROW THE FOOTBALL. Michael Vick is a terrible quarterback. What is there left to discuss? He can't throw with any accuracy, he has no touch on his passes -- maybe he's really right-handed? -- and he does not have the huddle presence of the other quality QBs he dares compare himself to...he can't really believe what he said.
To Sohrab,
This is the SAME offensive system that Steve Young had when he was at SF. Knapp came from SF. Steve Young stated on TV, that this system was the same and the only difference is that he was under center and Vick is in the shotgun.
Michael Vick is having a really bad year. Here are some of his numbers:
Michael Vick (2005 Salary Cap #: $7,995,607 per Year, 7th Highest QB in 2005)
#1 QB taken in 2001 Draft (#1 Overall)
2006 To Date (Wk 6)
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Passing Yards/Game: 135.2
Running Yards/Game: 80.2
Passing TD's: 3
Rushing TD's: 3
Interceptions: 3
Sacks: 18 (-106 yards)
Fumbles: 5 (1 lost)
QB Rating: 66% (Career 75%)
Passing Completion %: 50.4 % (Career 53%)
Note: I believe this is year three of the new west coast offense installed by Knapp (started in 2004)
For Comparison
Drew Brees (2005 Salary Cap #'s, $8,082,070 per year, 6th Highest QB in 2005)
#2 QB taken in 2001 Draft (#32 Overall)
2006 To Date (Wk 6)
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Passing Yards/Game: 251.5
Running Yards/Game: -1.2
Passing TD's: 8
Rushing TD's: 0
Interceptions: 4
Sacks: 6 (-37 yards)
Fumbles: 4 (2 lost)
QB Rating: 92.8% (Career 85.7%)
Passing Completion: 66.7 % (Career 62.6%)
Note: Played for the Chargers last year; playing for a new coach, a new team (the New Orleans Saints) and a set of new RECIEVERS this year.
Also, one more thing; here's an article from the Sporting News regarding last year when he was TRYING to pass more (http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?p=1271083#1271083):
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He knew all of that, too, but he would look at the lists of best quarterbacks and his name never seemed to be around the top. He heard what was being said. You can't win consistently with a quarterback who runs this much. You certainly can't win on those days when the rushing game is controlled and he's forced to pass. And you'll see. He won't last if he keeps exposing himself like this in the open field as an inviting lure for ravenous defenders.
So he listened and decided to heed. Last season, he tried to be more like the Mannings and Bradys and Palmers of the NFL world. The runs were still there, of course, but in his mind, he could only be like them if he embraced the pocket more enthusiastically and refused to bolt from pressure so quickly. How about that day against the Dolphins: 22-of-31, 228 yards, a 102.6 passer rating -- good enough for him to tell the world: Who says I can't be a pocket passer?
"I don't know what the hell I was thinking, to be honest," says Vick about his mind-set a year ago. He knows all too well the results of this image-reshaping. Two injuries (knee, hamstring) and an 8-8 season in which the Falcons lost six of their last eight -- including an embarrassing final-game loss to the Panthers in which he admits he didn't push himself. He made his third Pro Bowl, but it was a hollow achievement.
"It was something I wanted to do," he says about his attempted style remake. "I mean, I knew people were saying that the only way you are going to be perceived as a (great) quarterback is by staying in the pocket. I run a 4.2, a 4.3 40. Why would I feed into that?"
His answer: No more feeding. If the frenzy over his style is to continue, he won't partake.
"I am sick of people trying to tell me how to play my game," he says. "Saying this is right or this is wrong and saying, 'You need to do this or that' to be a complete quarterback. Whatever you want to say, whatever you want to think, whatever theory you have, I got mine. And that is to be me."
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Vick can't decide on what he wants to be: a passing QB or a running QB. He needs to emulate Steve Young (a GREAT running QB with GREAT passing accuracy), learn to actually READ a defense and make freak'n plays with his arm (and his brain).
Look at Brady this year, he has NO good wide recievers, a rookie running back and yet, he still gets it done.
Several good points, especially those about Steve Young....same offense, same coordinator, Vick simply doesn't get it. I am from the Atlanta area and have observed Vick's antics for several years now. Its clear that Vick's opinion of himself and who he should be changes from week to week and that when the plan fails, its always the coach, the offensive gameplan, coordinator or the receivers. He will take some 'faux-blame' every now and then but its clear that Vick doesn't think any of the failures are his fault. Remember two years ago when Vick was quoted as saying he didn't need to have a high QB rating or be a pocket passer, as long as he, 'he', won games. And last winter/spring there were several reports coming from Falcons camp that the Falcons were going to revamp the offense around Vick and his abilities. In fact, Vick was quoted several times last winter stating that this 2006 offense would finally be 'the' offense where he would be able to 'show off his unique abilities' and that it would focus on the run, NOT the pass, and that past offenses were forcing him to be a pocket passer and that's just not him.
So I guess after two losses, a modest failure, Vick has changed his tune, claims he can be a pocket passer of the Manning ilk, and blaming coaches, receivers and whomever else for making him run the ball. I have a hard time believing, after watching him so much, that it isn't his choice to tuck the ball(or wave it around) and run with it on many of those plays. Anyway, I predict Vick tries to pass the ball a few games, runs up his interception count and goes straight back to running it. I also predict that the Falcons will either lose Schaub or lose a pretty good coaching staff(my opinion) or lose both by the end of this season. We'll have a prolific option QB though! Woo hoo.
I think Vick gets lots of praise from across the league. His peers I believe do rank him very high as a dangerous offensive threat. The media froths over the guy. He is on the cover of major sports publications and is fawned over. I would venture to say that he gets MORE props, more positive attention that he is due based on what he has (and hasn't) done by now, his 6th year. This attention is due mostly to his fantastic ability to run the ball. Vick is probably the best running QB ever!! But he is a mere pedestrian passer. He is in no way comparable to Steve Young who could run AND pass, evidenced by his career all-time best passer rating. Vick's numbers speak for themself. IF he can win by running then by all means go for it. Winning is what matters. On that note, since Vick began playing the Falcons have gone 7-9, 9-6-1, 5-11, 11-5, and 8-8. Basically played .500 ball. So he really needs to START winning, consistently, to deserve the hype he gets. Yes, he is a dangerous, scary, opponent to face. But how well has this served Atlanta? With all that Vick brings to the table they can only muster .500 in the Vick era? If he doesn't develop a competent passing game he will continue to be an electrifying runner who toils to a .500 career record and will essentially become an after thought. Relegated to that pantheon of former No. 1 overall picks who never realized their true potential, as a winner.
Now this is just one man's opinion. Take heart that the NFL, announcers, media outlets and sports publications continue to fawn over the guy! And that should be comforting each January when watching other (winning) players chase a ring in the playoffs.
P.S. Peyton Manning is a consistent winner (okay, maybe not the "big" one, but his team is in the playoffs EVERY year). If Vick won like Manning, no one would question whether it was running or passing that got him there. Until he can win consistently, his running, while amazing, will continue to be just a curiosity. He already gets Manning like hype, somehow, without the wins!