Head coach Andy Reid vividly recalled Michael Vick's performance in the 2009 preseason finale against the New York Jets. Reid said that Vick was "stumbling all over the place" and "had a hard time controlling the football."
Just a little over a year later, Vick is in the midst of the best performance of his career. He has attempted 118 consecutive passes without throwing an interception, dating back to last season. He has accumulated a QB rating of 100-or-more in three straight games for the first time in his career. In fact, Vick's QB rating of 110.2 is third-best in the entire NFL and only Indy's Peyton Manning boasts a better TD-to-INT ratio.
How did Vick's game improve so drastically over the last year? It started with his work ethic. Reid said that they usually have to "kick him out of the building" because he's there all of the time. In fact, Vick was at the NovaCare Complex on Monday to do some film study.
Vick has also improved his mechanics. During his tenure with the Atlanta Falcons, Vick was never known as an accurate quarterback. His best completion percentage for an entire season was 56.4 percent in 2004, the year he took the Falcons to the NFC title game. So far this season, Vick has completed nearly 61 percent of his passes.
"He's worked very hard on that all the way from the feet to the arms and the shoulders," Reid said. "What that does is it increases your accuracy and consistency."
At the same time, Vick is still the electrifying highlight-reel machine. To cap off Sunday's 28-3 win over the Jaguars, a game in which Vick accounted for four touchdowns, Vick rushed for a 17-yard touchdown. Vick has 170 rushing yards in the three games this season.
"I want him to take the offense and put his personality on it. That creates a Michael Vick part of this offense," Reid said. "You don't want to stifle their abilities and personality."
The Eagles are 2-1 to start the season. The Eagles have the fourth-highest scoring offense in the NFL. The red zone, a troublesome area in the past, has been a delight for the team with an 87.5 success rate, tops in the NFL. And a big reason for all of that is the evolution of Vick.
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 1:00 p.m., September 27
