Could Vick Be Featured In Sub-Packages?

Michael Vick believes he is 100 percent healthy now and is expected to be active against the Cardinals this Sunday. Nick Foles is the starter, but could there still be a role for Vick?

“Yeah, I wouldn’t reveal any schematics for the game in terms of how we’re going to sub the players,” said offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. “But Mike’s preparing himself to play in whatever situation he goes on the field. He’ll do a good job.”

Chip Kelly does not believe in a two-quarterback system. But might he call on Vick in specific situations?

“That’s totally up to Coach Kelly. I’m just going to be ready if I need to go in,” said Vick. “As of right now, I’m just trying to have a general understanding of what we’re trying to do and working hard each and every day.”

Vick is on board with the idea, though.

“I get paid to play football. And if I am asked to play a certain role or have some different responsibilities, then I’m open to it,” he said.

Vick: Arians has a point

Bruce Arians offered some potential bulletin board material during his conference call with the Philadelphia media Wednesday by calling the read option a “great college offense.”

Kelly, of course, utilizes the read option a decent amount.

The question directed at Arians was about players like RGIII and Colin Kaepernick, who have seen a dip in production this season while running offenses that feature the read option.

“I still think it’s a great offense. It’s a great college offense when you put a great athlete back there,” said Arians. “But when you’re facing great athletes, with the speed that’s in the NFL who are chasing these guys, unless you’re superhuman, you’re going to get hurt sooner or later—not hurt, but beat up and bruised up, and you don’t want your quarterback feeling bruised up when he’s trying to throw and be accurate.”

That quote did not sit well with everyone in the Eagles’ locker room. Vick, though, understood where the Arizona head coach was coming from.

“It works in college, but that’s not the basis of our game. It’s not the basis of what we do,” said Vick. “There is merit to what he said. A lot of coaches don’t want to put their players in harm’s way. You have to pick and choose your spots. [The read option is] primarily in this league for the running back, to get him on inside zone runs or outside zone runs, and if the defense crashes down you just pull it. You don’t see [quarterbacks] having 15,20 carries in the NFL.”

To Vick’s point, he was averaging around six rushes per game before he got hurt, and not all of them were option runs. That’s about the same number of attempts per game that he had each of the last two season under Andy Reid. In 2010, he averaged over eight rushes per game.

The quarterbacks aren’t a featured element of the run game in this offense, but they are asked to pull it when the situation calls for it.

“It’s not just based on the read option,” said Vick of Kelly’s system. “It’s a variety of things that helps make this offense go.”