When Mike Vick signed his new contract in 2011, I felt it was a huge risk. Vick and the Eagles agreed on a 6 year contract worth $100 million dollars, including around $40 million guaranteed. A lot of money to throw at a player who had 1 good season, risky isn’t the word.

Stupid, is more like it. When Vick joined the Eagles in 2009, he was taken in under their wings, and was playing in moderation as the 3rd string QB behind notorious Donovan “we never will like you in Philly no matter what you do for our franchise” McNabb and the 25 year old, Kevin Kolb. Then in an instant in 2010, McNabb is out, and then Kolb is shipped out as well in 2011. Everything becomes about Vick. Vick had a great season in 2010, with his 3018 passing YDs, 63% completion rate, 21 TDs, and only 6 ints.

Then of course, the “dream team” saying that haunted them after Vince Young opened his mouth in 2011. And at the end of that year, the Eagles sat at 8-8, and Vick was middling, just throwing 18 TDs and 14 ints in which the Eagles didn’t make the playoffs after all the chatter and the big off season signings.

Vick resigned for 6 years at $100 million dollars, was extreme. After 1 good season, I would have wanted to see more, personally. Now they have Vick struggling to keep the ball on offense, and getting buried behind an awful offensive line. Every part of the blame can’t go to them though; Vick has been dawdling getting rid of the ball and doesn’t seem responsive to defenses coming at him, raising his personal turnover total for the season to 11 already, with 5 fumbles and 6 picks. He is playing irresponsible, especially when choosing not to slide and protect the football. Their season so far has been lucky, and I have been waiting for the day that all of the mistakes were going to cost them, and it is and will continue to.

Vick still has confidence in his legs to bail him out of trouble. Even now, at 32 yrs old, and many, many hits, he’s not just fighting opponents on the field, but time and age. Age slows everyone, and his ability to read defense seems to be regressing again, throwing deep downfield into double coverages, and overthrowing his guys constantly. What made Mike Vick splendid to watch, was his skill to escape players and extend the play, he was by no means a great QB on the field, doing conventional QB things. He began to go in that direction in 2010, and I was pleased to see what he could perhaps become for Philadelphia.

The Eagles overcommitted to Vick, the Eagles will not be winning any Super bowls with him leading the team the way he is playing. They need to make heaps of adjustments, clearly number 1 is keeping the ball moving largely through running the ball with Shady McCoy, he is without a doubt their best offensive weapon, and they need to realize this.

If the Eagles are looking to be a Super bowl team, then Vick needs to clean up his act quickly. After the contract they gave him, until he is 37 years old, mind you, even just 1 Super bowl win might make the contract valid. It’s a new era, players are faster, he’s not getting younger, and windows are in fact, getting smaller in Philly.

Written by TonyK of VegasTopDogs.com