For the first time the 2010 season, Michael Vick will have a new center snapping him the ball in a game Sunday when the Eagles take on the Arizona Cardinals. With Jason Kelce out for the year, Vick will receive the snap from Dallas Reynolds moving forward. Fortunately, if the second half of last week's win over the Baltimore Ravens is any indication, the succession plan at center should make for a smooth transition.
Reynolds, who had never taken an offensive snap in a regular season before, was able to step right onto the field and help Vick and the rest of the Eagles cap off their dramatic comeback. Joining Reynolds as an injury replacement on the offensive line that day was Demetress Bell, who stepped in for the injured King Dunlap. With Dunlap still recovering from that hamstring injury, Bell may very well join Reynolds once again on Sunday -- which is just fine with Vick.
"Our guys did a great job of stepping in and coming in and playing with confidence," Vick said Wednesday. "I don't think we missed a beat. I think everybody was into the game, into the flow, and understood what was at stake. It was more of the reason that they came in and played as well as they did."
Moving ahead, Vick expects Reynolds and Bell to be even more comfortable with an admittedly short week of practice under the belts.
"Dallas has a full week to prepare," Vick said. "Arizona poses different threats on defense and they do different things. I think Dallas is doing a great job ... We've just got to keep it going. The guys just have to step up and play."
The offensive line will have their work cut out for them, though, as the Cardinals bring a pressure-heavy defense that is tied for fourth in the league with 7.0 sacks over the first two games.
"The Arizona defense is good and they pose a lot of different challenges," said Vick. "They have a great scheme and they do some different things that can create penetration on the offensive line. They have a great group of guys over there on the defensive side of the ball. We just have to make sure that we take care of that and hopefully everything else will take care of itself."
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