If quarterback Michael Vick had played for Buddy Ryan's Eagles in the late '80s, he likely would have been lauded as one of the best practice players to ever put on a red quarterback jersey. Why practice, in particular? Because Vick has proven throughout his 10-year career that he simply has the number of defenses coached by members of the Ryan football family.
In four career games against Buddy's sons, Jets head coach Rex Ryan and Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, the dynamic signal-caller has a 104.9 passer rating, outscoring those teams 124-60 en route to a 3-1 record. If we look only at his results as an Eagle, the numbers are even more impressive.
This season, Vick has faced both Ryan brothers, winning each game by an average of 26.5 points. The Pro Bowl quarterback had a mean quarterback rating of 119.8 in the two games, and it would have been nearly ten points higher if not for a meaningless Hail Mary interception at the end of the first half of last Sunday's win over the Jets.
When asked about his success against the Ryans, Vick indicated that, although the twin brothers have a great deal in common with one another, their defenses each pose unique challenges.
"They definitely do some similar things," said Vick. "But their defenses are still different in a lot of ways. Most importantly, they're two complicated and tough schemes."
With the Eagles preparing for a trip to Big D to face the Cowboys Saturday on Christmas Eve, the 2010 Comeback Player of the Year knows he'll need to be excellent if the Eagles are to become the comeback team of this season.
"Playing two really good defenses back to back means that we are going to have our hands full," he said. "I don't know, specifically, how Dallas is going to adjust this second time around, but I do know that they will definitely be prepared. We will be, too, so it will be a good game."
The fate of the Eagles season will rest on the shoulders of the Ryan twins this weekend. To stay alive in the playoff hunt, not only must Vick lead the Eagles to the team's seventh win of the season against Rob's Dallas defense, but Rex's Jets must beat the New York Giants at their shared home, MetLife Stadium.
With four games to go, there is only one scenario that will make the Eagles would-be dream season a reality- win out and hope the Giants lose this week and win next. Michael Vick knows that he and his teammates cannot focus on what the other teams must do, though. The only thing they can control is their own half of the equation.
"We just have to take our show on the road and keep playing, hard, fast, fundamentally sound football," he said. "We keep an eye on what's going on in those games, but we really are just focusing on our own games. If we don't win, none of this even matters. It's a tough task, but we're up to the challenge."
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