John Geliebter – USA TODAY Sports
The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback competition is over.
Whether or not head coach Chip Kelly believes that or announces a starting quarterback for opening night against the Washington Redskins on September 9, it’s all but irrelevant at this point.
Michael Vick was tremendous, in control and looked more comfortable than he has in years, during his three series’ of work in the first half of Thursday’s 14-9 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Vick finished 9-10 for 105 yards and a jump ball interception on the final play of the first half, good for a passer rating of 70.8. The 12-year veteran also added a 20-yard run while leading the Birds on a touchdown drive.
Through two preseason games, Vick is 13-15 for 1999 yards.
Meanwhile, there’s Nick Foles who by and large has also looked good during his two series’ of work to start the game. The second-year quarterback completed 6-of-8 passes for 53 yards and ran for a touchdown. But Foles also added an interception that was all too reminiscent of the turnovers that have come to define Vick in his career.
Perhaps Foles’ biggest asset in this highly scrutinized position battle is his ability to make sound decisions and do so with repetitive accuracy. On the first-quarter interception, Foles forced the ball into coverage rather than throwing it away and giving his team another chance in the red zone.
As much promise as there is in Foles’ youth and potential, Vick’s performance these first two preseason games cannot be overlooked.
We still may not know who Chip Kelly’s starting quarterback of choice is and may not until after the team’s next preseason contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars on August 24, but Vick sure has made a strong case for himself.
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