By Michael Tapia
(NewsOne) – Once upon a time David proved something very important by defeating Goliath. Michael Vick did the same by beating Peyton Manning during week 9; it is called making a statement. It is no secret that Manning is the best quarterback in the league and that many doubted Vick after being absent from the game for two seasons.
After a well-publicized animal abuse scandal that cost Vick the 2007 and 2008 seasons, many questioned his ability to be successful upon his return to the league in 2009. On the other hand, Manning was on his way to claiming the best quarterback in the league title after Tom Brady suffered a season ending knee injury in the first week of the 2008 season. With Tom Brady winning three Super Bowls but with Manning winning the 2007 Super Bowl a lot of speculation was emerging on who was the better of the two. Meanwhile the comparison between Brady and Manning was at its peak some were discarding any possibility of seeing Vick in the NFL again. Many barely gave Vick a remote chance of returning to the league as a back up and that based on political correctness.
During week 9 Vick’s Eagles hosted Manning’s Colts, coming into the game Philadelphia had a 4-3 record while Indianapolis stood at 5-2. The odds favored Manning’s team over Vick’s by a three-point difference and reasonably so with the type of arm that Manning features and the offensive cast that supports him.
What makes Manning so tamed around the league as the best pocket quarterback is the accuracy and power with which he completes his passes, which is undeniably above the competition. Sure, there are more accurate passers in the league and more powerful arms but none possess that combination to the degree that Manning does. To make things more difficult for the competition he uses every option that the game gives him, exposing his tactical skills and vision of the field when executing audibles. Many experts would describe Manning as a football architect.
Conversely, Vick stood out for a very peculiar style of play called the “wildcat formation”. Vick is regarded as the best rush quarterback in the league due to his speed and scrambling skills. The wildcat formation has given Vick the ability to create plays for himself when his teammates are not a viable option and thus the respect of many supporters of non-traditional styles of play. Before Vick came into the league, the game had not seen a quarterback as eloquent as him in the open field, but there are advocates of the traditional pocket quarterback style that are reluctant to credit his accomplishments.
After Manning’s and Vick’s week 9 meeting concluded, Vick came out on top. Once again Michael Vick proved why he belonged in the sport, despite his problems off the field, and his alternative style of play. Vick had defeated the best quarterback in the league and defied the odds by putting his team on top with a 26-24 score. Not only did Vick proved himself to those who doubt him but he expose the beauty that sports and this country stand for – because you never know what can happen everyone deserves a second chance.
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