Michael Vick has long been praised for his unusual athleticism, but his ability to read defenses has generated criticism. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback says his detractors don't know what they're talking about.
"I'm really tempted right now to just say 'no comment' to that because, like I said a second ago, you don't last 12 years in the NFL not being able to read the defense," Vick told WPEN-FM on Saturday, via Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com. "Those people who are talking and saying that are just ignorant, and they know nothing about football. Unless they turn on the film and watch my game and see what goes on, then they'll replace those comments with the right comments."
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Not everyone is spouting off without watching film. Plenty take the time to assess what they see first, and Vick isn't unfairly targeted when he's cited for holding the ball too long. Still, that's another observation Vick disagrees with, saying, "But it's incorrect. Without getting sensitive about it, it's incorrect. So I'd rather not talk about it."
Vick ranked 28th in completion percentage last season and 26th in yards per attempt. His 10 interceptions and 11 fumbles were a headache for the Eagles' offense. Greg Cosell of NFL Films has logged countless hours viewing game film and sees lingering issues with Vick's career arc.
"Vick is a transcendent athlete, capable of extraordinary throws and runs at any given moment. Yet he always leaves you wanting more," Cosell said on "The Shutdown Corner Podcast" last May. "The reason, in simplest terms: Vick is not, to this day, an accomplished passer. He remains a week-to-week player with little stability or continuity to his game. He's always dangerous, at times dazzling, but seldom consistent."
Vick probably doesn't agree with that assessment, either, but for a player who hasn't started 16 games in a season since 2006, there's no such thing as a free pass.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
