As any NFL online wager observer, or any sports fan for that matter, knows the two most dangerous words for an NFL coach are: Quarterback Controversy. And as much as Philadelphia Eagles’ head coach Andy Reid tries to down play the issue and even spin it into a positive there is no way of hiding the fact that that his worst nightmare has come true: a full-blown QB Controversy has sprung up right under his nose.This is certainly not what the coach had in mind heading into the NFL online wagering regular season.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. He taken all the precautions necessary to ensure this didn’t happen. Reid, in fact, had made a very difficult decision this past offseason, and highly criticized decision, to ship off Pro Bowl QB Donovan McNabb (and best player in Eagles franchise history) to division rival Washington in order to give the keys to the franchise to young QB Kevin Kolb.
With McNabb’s departure to the Skins Kolb became the man, the future of the franchise and Philly was the last place that anyone expected an NFL online wager QB controversy to spring up in 2010.
But then came a concussion in the Kolb’s first half of Kolb’s NFL debut.
And then came Michael Vick.
The former All Pro QB turned dog fighter has been in Reid’s own words “brilliant” over the past two games. In 6 quarters of NFL online wager action he’s thrown for 459 yards, ran for 140 more on the ground (which amazingly enough is the 14th best total in the NFL right now), thrown 3 TDs and 0 INTs –one less than Kolb’s career TD total in a game and a half.
Vicks 105.5 QB Rating is as good as it’s ever been and he will start for the team this Sunday while a fully recovered Kolb stews on the sidelines. Part of job here is two second guess coaches from the comfort of our office days after the fact. And the decision to start Vick certainly deserves scrutiny after handing Kolb the franchise in the offseason and then effectively taking them back after just 2 quarters of action through no fault of his own.
But Vick gives the Eagles the best chance to win right now because of his scrambling ability behind a very porous Philly O-line. The highly immobile Kolb would be killed if lined up behind center against a Jacksonville pass rush and when examined in this light Reid’s decision is a good one.