The Eagle Rises

A couple of months ago I did a piece on Michael Vick and how he has gone from being an outcast to starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.  At the time, the fact that he was starting at all was newsworthy enough.  Fast forward to week 12 in the NFL and it's evident Vick is more than a starter, he's a legitimate candidate for NFL MVP.

After three-quarters of a season, Vick leads the NFL in passer rating, hasn't thrown a single interception, and has the Eagles on top of the NFC east.  In a league of uncertainty where anything can happen on any given Sunday, it seems Vick's dominance is the only guarantee.  There is one performance in particular from this season that has football fans and bandwagon climbers alike foaming at the mouth clamoring to buy his jersey.

On a Monday night game against the Redskins,  Vick tarred and feathered the Washington defense and managed to make an NFL team look like they should still be playing Pop Warner.  In a 59-28 rout, Vick scored three touchdowns (2 passes, 1 run).... IN THE FIRST QUARTER.  By midway through the second, the score was 35-0 and Vick still wasn't done.  Like he did so many times before his incarceration, Vick was the epitome of a dual threat and torched the defense with his arm and his legs on his way to scoring three more touchdowns.

 It's amazing what a little motivation and coming out of a dark place can do.

At this time three years ago Michael Vick was in a bad place.  Bankrupt and on trial for dog fighting charges, Vick had gone from all-pro quarterback to being public enemy number one with no end in sight.  In a span of a few months, the former first round draft pick went from being the face of the league to laughing stock. One minute he's leading the league in jersey sales and the next thing you animal activists are burning his uniform in  front of a courthouse.  Since his release from prison,  Vick has made all of the right moves.  From studying with Tony Dungy to working with the Humane Society, Vick is doing a phenomenal job staying out of the limelight and scrambling away from any bad press.

In that game against the Redskins, Vick ultimately finished with 333 passing yards, 4 passing touchdowns, 80 rushing yards, and 2 rushing touchdowns.  Although Vick is lighting up the scoreboard, the biggest difference seems to be is that he finally has a clear head.  Instead of making a big fuss with off the field activities, he's letting out all he has on the field.  If the Eagles continue to win and Vick continues to dominate, Vick will no doubt be a front-runner for Most Valuable Player, but today's Michael Vick probably isn't too concerned about that.

As he continues to run on the road to redemption and public acceptance, the Michael Vick of today probably cares more about being a More Valuable Person.