Philadelphia Eagles seek protection for quarterback Michael Vick from hits
Lately, anything you hear from a team or players about the league and its stance on player safety has been criticism. The league has faced accusation after accusation alleging favouritism, short sightedness and even hypocrisy.
Steelers have been the one who have come out most strongly against the league. Pittsburgh’s James Harrison has been fined 4 times worth $125,000. Teammate Hine Ward accused the league of hypocrisy and said that the league was not concerned with safety but
primarily with generating more revenues. Linebacker James Farrior said that league’s new emphasis was on protecting ‘the franchise guys, the guys making the big bucks, the guys everybody comes to see,’ the quarterbacks. He said that a quarterbacks’ star power
fills the stands and the league is not pleased when someone like James Harrison hits them too hard.
Defensive players have also accused the league of ignoring hits that they face despite being just as serious. The perception is that the offense gets a free hand because more production from the offense means more viewership and attendance which obviously
means more revenues.
In the midst of all that one team has come out in support of the league and its stance on player safety, its the Philadelphia Eagles.
Eagles could be thought of as the exact opposite of the Steelers. Pittsburgh have a strong defence and beating up the quarterbacks and the runners is how they win the game. Eagles on the other hand have a week offense and rely more on the offense to make
big plays. If the league puts a stop to, or cuts down hits on the quarterbacks, it works out well for Philadelphia but not so much for Pittsburgh.
Eagles’ coach Andy Reid has seen enough of his quarterback being thrown around by one defence or the other. “He does run, but he's still the quarterback . . . you can't treat him like he's a running back there. That's not what the rules state,” Reid said.
Vick himself wasn’t happy about it either. He said that he had been hit time and time again after he had already released the ball. “I'm getting my face mask pulled, I'm getting hit in the head, the calls are not being made.”
This Thursday, Vick received a ferocious hit in the start of the first quarter and was harassed throughout the game. However, he continued to play on despite the punishment and led the Eagles to victory. Vick said that he felt he was treated unfairly. Time
and time again he would look towards the game officials expecting to see a flag but it was never thrown. “And I see other quarterbacks standing in the pocket - the minute they get touched there's a flag on the field," Vick said.
Vick has a tendency to move around the field while he looks at his receivers and runs more often than most quarterbacks. He said that the officials were not throwing the flags because of his mobility. Vick said that he had not complained but was getting
tired of being thrown to the ground. Vick also expressed concern that unless the officials take note of the hits coming down on him, the defences would continue doing that.
Vick has been sacked just once but hit numerous times over the past three weeks by the New York Giants, the Chicago Bears and this Thursday by the Houston Texans. The quarterback is extremely resilient and can take hits. “I am used to taking hits,” Vick
said adding that he was tough enough to withstand the punishment. “I bounce back when I can. There's no science to getting hit, or protecting yourself.”
Andy Reid said that he would deal with the people he must, to make sure that Vick gets the protection guaranteed to him in the rules. However, he declined to confirm if he had filed a complaint with the league.
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