NY Jets Friday Spotlight: Michael Vick

Welcome back to the Friday Spotlight.  Here we spotlight one key player for each game of the season, hopefully putting a different player in the spotlight each week.  Today's player in the spotlight is Michael Vick.  Could it have been anyone else?

Vick, a 6' 0", 215 pound, 34 year old quarterback, was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons with the 1st overall pick in the first round of the 2001 draft.  After sitting most of his rookie year, Smith took over the starting job in Atlanta in his second year and immediately earned Pro Bowl honors, the first of three such such honors in a four year stretch.  Vick is the fastest and most prolific running quarterback to ever play the game, but his passing has been average at best over the course of his career.  After a mediocre 2006 campaign with the Falcons, Vick ran into trouble with the law and was eventually convicted of animal cruelty and other charges relating to the mistreatment and killing of dogs in connection with a dog fighting ring.  Vick served his time in prison as a convicted felon and was released by the Falcons.  Upon his release from prison Vick was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as a backup in 2009.  In 2010 Vick got his chance to start and made the most of it with a magical run, notching career highs in virtually every statistical category and earning his final Pro Bowl honor.  After 2010 Vick returned to his usual performance levels as an average NFL passer who added value by being the best running quarterback in the game.  He struggled with turnovers, he struggled with numerous injuries, and his numbers gradually declined year by year.  The Eagles let him go after the 2013 season and the Jets signed Vick as a free agent in 2014 and brought him in to backup Geno Smith.  With Smith struggling badly Vick has earned one final shot as a starting quarterback.  This Sunday will be his first start as a NY Jet.

Here are Vick's career passing statistics:

With the season all but over at 1-7 and Geno Smith struggling so badly the Jets could no longer justify starting him, the Jets have turned to Michael Vick in an effort to stabilize the position and possibly light a spark under the team for the last half of the season.   The Jets go on the road, in a very loud and inhospitable environment in Kansas City, to face a very good Chiefs passing defense.  The Chiefs play bend but don't break defense.  They generate few turnovers but have an excellent pass rush led by edge rushers Justin Houston and Tamba Hali.  The Chiefs offense is extremely conservative, low risk, dink and dunk football, with a heavy dose of running.  They rarely make a big play but also rarely turn the ball over.  The Chiefs generally don't beat themselves, so to have a chance against them the Jets will have to follow suit and avoid turning the ball over.  If Vick can stop the bleeding, play relatively mistake free football, protect the ball and make good decisions, the Jets do not need him to carry the load on offense. In fact the best case scenario has Vick passing only so much as is needed to keep the Chiefs' defense honest and make them pay if they try to stack the box against the Jets' running game.  If Vick can manage that, and make some plays as a runner while avoiding costly turnovers, the Jets can win this game.

That of course is a big if, as Vick has had turnover troubles all of his career.  He does not protect the ball well when he runs, he fumbles an excessive amount, and he throws too many interceptions.  Nonetheless Vick represents an upgrade in the turnover department from Geno, and against a Chiefs' defense that generates very few turnovers Vick stands a fighting chance of playing relatively  mistake free football.  On the other hand, another game with multiple turnovers will almost surely result in another loss by the Jets and a 1-8 record.

The Jets are mainly playing for pride and next year's contracts at this point, as the playoffs are already out of reach.  If Vick is to have a future with the Jets, and perhaps even a future in the NFL, he will need to take advantage of these last eight games to show people he can still play at a solid level.  This is the starting opportunity Vick has been waiting for.  This is his time to jump start the Jets' offense and provide a desperately needed spark.  This is the time Michael Vick must produce a relatively mistake free game and show he deserves to start the rest of the way.    If Vick can play a solid game, protect the football, provide something in the running game, and provide enough passing acumen to make the Chiefs pay if they try to stack the box, the Jets have an opportunity to pull off a major upset on Sunday.   If on the other hand Vick proves no better than Geno at protecting the football or making the passing game a weapon, if he folds under the pressure of facing a fierce Chiefs' pass rush, if he fails to provide a spark or get the offense running smoothly, then the Jets can expect yet another lopsided loss on Sunday, and Vick may lose his final chance to start in this league.   These last eight games may be Vick's final opportunity as a starting quarterback in the NFL.  This is Vick's time in the spotlight.  Let's hope Vick turns back the clock and shines come Sunday afternoon.