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Sports Columnist Bernie Miklasz
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
01/17/2010
Michael Vick served 19 months in federal prison for his role in running an extremely cruel and heinous dogfighting ring. If you believe Vick deserves additional penalties, then imagine the punishment he'd receive by playing quarterback for the Rams.
It could happen, if the Philadelphia Eagles decide to release or trade Vick after deciding not to pick up his option for 2010. Vick was a part-time quarterback and designated wildcat-formation runner for the Eagles this season. Considering his long layoff and two years out of the game, Vick played pretty well. Moreover, Eagles coaches praised Vick's dedication and the positive changes he made in his life. But it would be costly to keep Vick as a backup, and Vick would prefer being a No. 1 quarterback elsewhere.
The Rams need a starting quarterback. The Rams need a lot of things, as evidenced by their 6-42 record and last-place NFL ranking in points scored over the last three seasons.
So yes, there is a fit. And there are some obvious connections in play here. Rams GM Billy Devaney was part of the Atlanta organization during Vick's career there and visited Vick in prison. Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur are former assistants to Eagles coach Andy Reid and they trust his judgment. If Reid recommends Vick, Spagnuolo will listen.
Vick may have other, more appealing, options. Several NFL teams are on the lookout for starting quarterbacks and Vick's stock is up after his positive experience in Philadelphia.
"I tried to be the best ambassador that I could be in the community," Vick told Philadelphia reporters. "And that won't stop. I'll continue to do that, and I'll continue to work hard."
If the Rams get the chance to land Vick, would the relationship work?
There's Vick, the quarterback. Would he be effective? And then there's Vick as a high-profile figure. Would Rams fans accept his arrival or be offended by his presence? Recently I set up an unscientific poll on my "Five Minutes" blog at STLtoday.com. I posed a simple question: Yes or no on Vick as the Rams' QB?
Of the 10,551 respondents, 62 percent were in favor of Vick becoming a Ram.
I've heard from Rams fans who insist they'll cancel their season tickets if Vick is signed. And there's little doubt the Rams would face some passionate, vociferous anti-Vick protests. But I've also heard from fans who say the addition of Vick would motivate them to keep their tickets. They're tired of the dull football and believe Vick would bring excitement to games.
Those opposing Vick probably would be more visible and louder than those who support him. Some of the initial anti-Vick sentiment would fade, just as it did in Philadelphia.
OK, now what about Vick as a quarterback? It probably is worthless to measure his passing stats against those put up by classic pocket passers. But let's take a look, anyway:
During Vick's five seasons (2002-2006) as the starter in Atlanta, he was one of 31 NFL quarterbacks with at least 1,000 passing attempts over that time. And among those 31 QBs, he ranked 25th in passer rating (76.7) and 30th in completion percentage (54.4 percent). His touchdown pass-interception ratio was around 16th. Vick didn't have great wide receivers in Atlanta and often used the tight end. Vick, however, did connect on more bombs — passes of 41 or more yards — than all but two NFL quarterbacks from 2002-2006.
Vick's effectiveness had to do with his mobility and overall ability to make plays after scrambling the defense out of position. In his five seasons as a starter, Vick ranked 19th in the NFL in rushing yards (3,570), averaged 7.2 yards per run and galloped for 20 touchdowns. He ran for 204 first downs and had 141 runs of more than 10 yards.
There was a minus to all of that scrambling. Over Vick's five-year run as the Falcons starter only four NFL quarterbacks were sacked more times. Vick lost 1,040 yards on 166 sacks and often was criticized for not getting the pass away on time. Because of his running ability Vick would hold on to the ball, thinking he could escape the pass rush. Many times he did. But he got trapped a lot, too.
This season Vick said he's developed into a more complete quarterback and credited Eagles starter Donovan McNabb with teaching him the importance of extra preparation.
"I feel like I'm probably better than I ever was in my career, as far as the mental aspect of the game," Vick told Philadelphia reporters.
Vick would give the Rams more of a perimeter-based attack, and that would help considering the way defenses are clustering between the tackles to stuff Rams running back Steven Jackson. In theory Vick would create an outside threat, the defense would have to respect it, and that would open room for Jackson. But is Vick still quick? He'll be 30 by the start of the 2010 season.
Now that I've tried to display both sides of the Vick debate, here's my opinion:
Vick would be an upgrade, at least until the Rams draft and develop a young quarterback to take over.
The Rams have a severe shortage of playmakers, and Vick is a playmaker. The Rams are boring, and Vick is anything but dull. Pro football is supposed to be entertainment, and Vick is a charismatic performer. The Rams must create some sizzle, and Vick would have people buzzing about the franchise again. Pro and con.
Vick might not immediately transform the Rams into a winner, but at least he'd make them relevant again. Whether you love him or hate him, Vick is a compelling reason to watch the games.
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
01/17/2010
Michael Vick served 19 months in federal prison for his role in running an extremely cruel and heinous dogfighting ring. If you believe Vick deserves additional penalties, then imagine the punishment he'd receive by playing quarterback for the Rams.
It could happen, if the Philadelphia Eagles decide to release or trade Vick after deciding not to pick up his option for 2010. Vick was a part-time quarterback and designated wildcat-formation runner for the Eagles this season. Considering his long layoff and two years out of the game, Vick played pretty well. Moreover, Eagles coaches praised Vick's dedication and the positive changes he made in his life. But it would be costly to keep Vick as a backup, and Vick would prefer being a No. 1 quarterback elsewhere.
The Rams need a starting quarterback. The Rams need a lot of things, as evidenced by their 6-42 record and last-place NFL ranking in points scored over the last three seasons.
So yes, there is a fit. And there are some obvious connections in play here. Rams GM Billy Devaney was part of the Atlanta organization during Vick's career there and visited Vick in prison. Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur are former assistants to Eagles coach Andy Reid and they trust his judgment. If Reid recommends Vick, Spagnuolo will listen.
Vick may have other, more appealing, options. Several NFL teams are on the lookout for starting quarterbacks and Vick's stock is up after his positive experience in Philadelphia.
"I tried to be the best ambassador that I could be in the community," Vick told Philadelphia reporters. "And that won't stop. I'll continue to do that, and I'll continue to work hard."
If the Rams get the chance to land Vick, would the relationship work?
There's Vick, the quarterback. Would he be effective? And then there's Vick as a high-profile figure. Would Rams fans accept his arrival or be offended by his presence? Recently I set up an unscientific poll on my "Five Minutes" blog at STLtoday.com. I posed a simple question: Yes or no on Vick as the Rams' QB?
Of the 10,551 respondents, 62 percent were in favor of Vick becoming a Ram.
I've heard from Rams fans who insist they'll cancel their season tickets if Vick is signed. And there's little doubt the Rams would face some passionate, vociferous anti-Vick protests. But I've also heard from fans who say the addition of Vick would motivate them to keep their tickets. They're tired of the dull football and believe Vick would bring excitement to games.
Those opposing Vick probably would be more visible and louder than those who support him. Some of the initial anti-Vick sentiment would fade, just as it did in Philadelphia.
OK, now what about Vick as a quarterback? It probably is worthless to measure his passing stats against those put up by classic pocket passers. But let's take a look, anyway:
During Vick's five seasons (2002-2006) as the starter in Atlanta, he was one of 31 NFL quarterbacks with at least 1,000 passing attempts over that time. And among those 31 QBs, he ranked 25th in passer rating (76.7) and 30th in completion percentage (54.4 percent). His touchdown pass-interception ratio was around 16th. Vick didn't have great wide receivers in Atlanta and often used the tight end. Vick, however, did connect on more bombs — passes of 41 or more yards — than all but two NFL quarterbacks from 2002-2006.
Vick's effectiveness had to do with his mobility and overall ability to make plays after scrambling the defense out of position. In his five seasons as a starter, Vick ranked 19th in the NFL in rushing yards (3,570), averaged 7.2 yards per run and galloped for 20 touchdowns. He ran for 204 first downs and had 141 runs of more than 10 yards.
There was a minus to all of that scrambling. Over Vick's five-year run as the Falcons starter only four NFL quarterbacks were sacked more times. Vick lost 1,040 yards on 166 sacks and often was criticized for not getting the pass away on time. Because of his running ability Vick would hold on to the ball, thinking he could escape the pass rush. Many times he did. But he got trapped a lot, too.
This season Vick said he's developed into a more complete quarterback and credited Eagles starter Donovan McNabb with teaching him the importance of extra preparation.
"I feel like I'm probably better than I ever was in my career, as far as the mental aspect of the game," Vick told Philadelphia reporters.
Vick would give the Rams more of a perimeter-based attack, and that would help considering the way defenses are clustering between the tackles to stuff Rams running back Steven Jackson. In theory Vick would create an outside threat, the defense would have to respect it, and that would open room for Jackson. But is Vick still quick? He'll be 30 by the start of the 2010 season.
Now that I've tried to display both sides of the Vick debate, here's my opinion:
Vick would be an upgrade, at least until the Rams draft and develop a young quarterback to take over.
The Rams have a severe shortage of playmakers, and Vick is a playmaker. The Rams are boring, and Vick is anything but dull. Pro football is supposed to be entertainment, and Vick is a charismatic performer. The Rams must create some sizzle, and Vick would have people buzzing about the franchise again. Pro and con.
Vick might not immediately transform the Rams into a winner, but at least he'd make them relevant again. Whether you love him or hate him, Vick is a compelling reason to watch the games.
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