I have seen a couple of other pieces come out that follow up on things we have blogged about recently.
First, when the guys at NFL.com reflected on Pro Bowl roster snubs, the first name they mentioned was Aaron Rodgers. I think they are right, of course, and neither their commentary nor my indignation changes anything. Still, it’s cathartic to listen to.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the Eagles’ stunning loss at home to the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday Night, you can see that people are starting to jump off the Vick bandwagon just a bit -- or at least distance themselves from it. Andrew Perloff at SI.com made these pointed observations about Vick’s game:
Teams are starting to focus on harassing Vick so he doesn't have time to make long throws to DeSean Jackson. And they know Andy Reid isn't going to turn to the running game to take pressure off Vick.
The Giants were successful at disrupting Vick's rhythm for three quarters last week. The Vikings did an even better job rushing Vick and making sure he didn't have time to find receivers. Minnesota sacked Vick six times and hit him hard on several scrambles.
Not surprisingly, Vick's numbers have begun to dip. He didn't throw an interception in his first seven games. He's thrown six in his last five games, and should have had at least two more Tuesday. Vikings defenders Lito Sheppard and Frank Walker dropped near-perfect interception opportunities.
The turnovers could pose a problem in the wild-card round. The Eagles will likely play the Packers or Giants -- two teams that can get after the quarterback. New York's defense would be eager to get another shot at Vick. And Green Bay would have a much better game plan than it did in Week 1, when Vick shined as Kevin Kolb's replacement.
Looking down the road, the Eagles have to worry about making a sizeable investment in a 29-year-old quarterback who will always take off downfield --despite his improvement as a pocket passer. And Vick showed once again he doesn't know how to slide or get rid of the ball to avoid a hit.
Furthermore, on ESPN2’s “First and Ten,” Skip Bayless was making the argument that Vick has actually regressed. While others were saying that of course he could not maintain the level and pace with which he began the season, Bayless was insisting that Vick has taken steps backwards -- poor reads, antsy in the pocket, too many turnovers, etc.
In the rest of life, they say that you can’t fight city hall. In Pro Bowl voting, though, it seems that you can’t fight hype.
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