Vick rejuvenated? - After doing the unthinkable this past offseason by trading away Donovan McNabb who spent 10-years at the helm of the Eagles Quarterback position, Philadelphia head coach Andy Reid thought for sure he struck gold with back-up QB Kevin Kolb. After filling in for the injured McNabb in two games last season, Kolb became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 300 yards in each of his first two career starts. But in his debut as the Eagles number one QB, Kolb was anything but golden. Surviving only two quarters in the Eagles 2010 season opener at home against the highly favored Green Bay Packers, Kolb finished with only 24 passing yards on 5 of 10 passing attempts before sustaining a concussion after being tackled from behind by Pro Bowl linebacker Clay Matthews.
Not only did the injury mean Kolb would sit out the rest of the game, but it also meant back-up QB Michael Vick would get a shot. While filling in for Kolb during the second half, Vick amassed 175 passing yards along with a touchdown. The Eagles eventually lost the game by a score of 27-20. Although Vick looked good passing the ball, his biggest impression was how he ran with the ball, including a 31-yard run that led to a touchdown several plays later. But with all the contributions in week 1, coach Reid still wasn't convinced Vick was ready to take over the starting job. In an interview that followed just days after the loss, Reid made it clear that Kolb was still the man despite being benched for week 2 for precautionary reasons. With all eyes on Vick in week 2, he proved week 1 was no fluke by answering with another stellar performance, compiling 284 passing yards and throwing for 2 touchdowns to defeat the Detroit Lions, 35-32.
Once again, Reid wasn't convinced as Vick was scheduled to return back to the bench in favor of Kolb. When first receiving the news, I began brainstorming what Vick had to do in order to earn both the starting job and the trust of coach Reid. I was also beginning to think he and Kolb had a thing for one another. Finally the sun came out of the clouds as coach Reid reconsidered his decision and decided Vick will be the starter for week 3 this Sunday at Jacksonville. The reversal of Reid's decision comes less than 24 hours after telling the media that Kolb was still the starter despite Vick leading the Eagles to their first victory of the year. Last season, Kolb won both the starting job and Reid over by having two good games when filling in for McNabb. So now that Vick has done the same, it's only fair that he remains the starter at least until he has a bad game. It's also uncertain if Kolb is 100% healthy, therefore Vick starting another game makes all the sense in the world.
With all the issues that have surrounded the Eagles and the QB situation, is it too early for the Eagles front-office to begin kicking themselves for getting rid of McNabb and trading him within the division? Some believe so now that Vick has stepped it up. Whether or not you're included in that list of believers, rumor has it that trade talks regarding Kolb are beginning to surface. But is it a bad time to jump the gun and trade away the QB Philly dished an extension to this past offseason? There's way too many question marks regarding the Eagles future at the quarterback position and with Vick scheduled to be a free agent at the end of this season, it's unlikely the Eagles will commit to bring him back next year if they can barely trust him to start now. Not to mention he'll be looking for a lucrative contract that assures him the starting job. Trading away Vick in place of Kolb would sound a bit more rational considering his value is high at the moment, but has he truly earned the starting role or has he just been fortunate to have played 6 quarters against questionable defenses?
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