Michael Vick Will Recapture Rushing Success in Chip Kelly's Spread Offense

By Joe Doris
Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

As Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick’s lengthy NFL career has progressed, there has been an obvious and worrisome regression in his rushing production and escapability in recent years.

Ever since Vick came into the NFL in 2001, he has been known for his super-human speed and elusiveness that allows him to escape the clutches of defenders in a way that had never before been witnessed at the professional level. Nowadays, with the likes of Washington Redskins QB Robert Griffin III (RGIII) and Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson, the dynamic of a speedster QB is almost becoming common-place.

So, with Vick’s rushing numbers plummeting massively over the past few seasons, it seems as if his career may be in great jeopardy considering he was never one of the most accurate passers.

Well, deh-deh-deh-deh, here comes Chip Kelly to the rescue.

After a brilliant tenure at the University of Oregon, the Eagles lured Kelly onto the NFL stage this off-season by naming the offensive genius their head coach. Kelly is famous around the game of football for his innovative and highly lethal system of spread-option attack.

And now that Kelly and the Eagles have decided to bring Vick back for another go-of-it, the veteran QB is in the perfect position to thrive. With RB LeSean McCoy alongside Vick in the Birds’ backfield, choosing who to pursue on option plays is going to be a ridiculously tall task for opposing defenders.

Even though Vick has clearly lost his step to some degree and is nowhere near the runner he once was when he scampered for 1,039 yards with the Atlanta Falcons in 2006 (NFL QB record), he will be able to rack up rushing yards in 2013 due solely to the defensive indecision that Kelly’s play-calling creates.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t expect Vick to make another ‘run’ at history, or even match the production of the almighty RGIII for that matter.

But with Kelly now at the helm, Vick has a great opportunity to recapture his youth and give the Eagles a legitimate shot at post-season contention.

 

Please follow Joe on Twitter @Joe_RantNFL for all Eagles/NFL insight.

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