Quarterback Michael Vick's ability to shake down defenses with his legs as well as dazzle with his arm makes him arguably the most exciting player in the sport right now.
However, every time Vick runs with the football there's potential for taking a hit. And for a quarterback who is 6-0, 215 pounds, the Eagles don't want Vick taking unnecessary hits. Vick already missed three-plus games this season due to a rib cartilages injury suffered in Week 4 against Washington when he was sandwiched between two defenders in an attempt to dive for the goal line.
After Thursday's 34-24 win over the Texans, Vick said that he felt good physically. The Texans defense was credited with four quarterback hits, but that doesn't include the 10 carries Vick had rushing the ball.
"I'm used to taking hits. It's not that bad. They may look harder than what they seem but it's not that bad," Vick said. "If I take one and I lay down, then I took a good one. I'm a pretty tough guy I feel like for the most part, so I try to bounce back whenever I can."
But Vick's head coach is concerned that opponents may try to get an extra hit when Vick does indeed run the ball. Vick does not know how to slide, so he won't just give himself up at the end of a play. That allows a defender to try and sneak a potential lick in there even after Vick is already on the ground. Even though his quarterback has a penchant for running with the ball, Andy Reid wants to make sure that the rules for protecting quarterbacks continue to extend to Vick even if he is churning out yards with his legs and not his arm.
"It bothers me to be honest with you. That bothers me. I see the same thing you're seeing and it bothers me," Reid said when asked about late hits on Vick. "He does run, but he's still the quarterback and you can't treat him like he's a running back there. That's not what the rules state."
Reid said that he will contact whoever he has to with the league to address his concerns.
When the Eagles play in Dallas on December 12, it will be interesting to see if there's any extra attention paid to Vick when he runs by the referees.
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 4:40 p.m., December 3
