Michael Vick thinks the Philadelphia Eagles have a chance to develop into a dynasty. Let the hysteria ensue!
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But before you overreact like some of the country’s top media outlets have chosen to do, actually understand what Vick was saying is a far cry from the nonsense backup Vince Young spewed last season which declared the Eagles as the NFL’s “dream team” only to watch them fail to make the playoffs for the first time since 2007.
Should Vick have avoided dropping a label like “dynasty” after what happened last season? Only because we as sports fans enjoy twisting every statement a player makes into some farfetched, irrational idea for the sake of ridicule.
What Vick did was speak his mind and he did so with confidence, not in an arrogant belief that his team was the cream of the crop. He simply stated that with the talent they have the Eagles can be one of the league’s very best and, if they can keep focused, could become an NFL dynasty—the first since the Patriots of the early 2000’s.
And here’s the kicker—Vick is right.
The Eagles can become a dynasty. Much like every other team in the NFL can. But unlike most other teams in the NFL, the Eagles have the talent, the coach and the ambition to achieve such an accomplishment.
Here are four reasons why:
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LeSean McCoy
More so than Michael Vick, Desean Jackson or any of the Eagles’ defensive superstars, Shady McCoy is the glue that holds the entire machine together. In the NFL today, there is no question the passing game should succeed, even if with an average Vick slinging the pigskin, but McCoy’s success with the football in his hands will open up big opportunities for the offense.
McCoy is your classic, all-around back in the mold of Marshall Faulk. He is able to do anything asked of him and has done so for Andy Reid without any gripes.
Not many backs can do everything as well as McCoy and none did it as well as he did in 2011—McCoy rushed for 1,309 yards, caught for 315 yards and scored 23 total touchdowns. With a new contract to his name, McCoy is going to want to have an even bigger year to prove he deserves the hefty dollar Philly will be paying him.
As long as he can stay healthy and play at such a high level, McCoy will be a huge factor in the Eagles’ success.
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A Healthy Vick
While McCoy may be what makes everything work, Michael Vick fuels the Eagles’ fire. He is the leader and captain of this team full of talent and potential.
As evidenced in 2011, the Eagles cannot win without Vick. They need No. 7 on the field at all times and they need him at 100 percent. They simply cannot be successful and certainly cannot become a dynasty without their quarterback there for every game, every week on every play.
Right now, Vick is healthy and that’s a good thing for Philadelphia. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee he will stay that way.
Vick has vowed to do all he can to stay on the field this season and that includes letting that extra yard go until the next play.
As long as he’s healthy, there’s no reason the Eagles cannot be successful. Compete for a championship. Compete for multiple championships.
Right now, Vick is healthy. But this is the offseason. If Vick can stay healthy, the Eagles will stay competitive. They can vie to be the NFL’s best and they can strive to become the dynasty they certainly have the potential to become.
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A Vicious Pass Rush
In 2011, the Eagles finished tied for first in the NFL with 50 sacks. Then they added fearsome rookie pass rushers Fletcher Cox and Vinny Curry.
For most successful teams—and especially the dynasties which Vick and the Eagles aspired to become—a dominant pass rush is a key component in their triumph. Coming into the 2012 NFL season and going forward, there may be no more dangerous pass rush than the one the Eagles will be boasting.
In an NFC East division that has some of the NFL’s best pass rushers, the Eagles can make an argument that they have the best unit. They are able to get after the quarterback from every angle and will make things difficult for opposing quarterbacks in the division and throughout the league.
With a positive pass rush, the pressure should be lifted from the Eagles secondary which struggled mightily in 2011. Asante Samuel now out of the mix, Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and the Eagles’ young safety group will have their work cut out for them with some of the NFL’s best receivers on the schedule, but a stellar pass rush will deliver a boost to a strong secondary group on paper.
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Adept Leadership
Many would argue that Andy Reid is an overrated head coach in the NFL. With all the success he has been able to have in Philadelphia, they have always seemed to fall short in big spots.
However, Andy has always been able to get the most out of his players, consistently finishing atop the NFC East during his 13-year tenure in Philadelphia. His six NFC Championship Appearances and a three-point loss in Super Bowl XXXIX to the New England Patriots show a penchant for success, even if the 54-year-old head coach has yet to get his hands on the Lombardi Trophy.
The Eagles are always going to be successful under Andy, but his ability as a leader for his group of young men is unparalleled. The talent found on the Eagles roster is unquestionable, but it is Andy Reid’s capacity as a coach and leader to the talent is what gives them the best opportunity to play up to their potential and enables them the possibility of ever developing into a dynasty in the NFL.
The Eagles still require a lot of work to get to that point, however, something Vick noted in his interview with CSNPhilly.com’s Derrick Gunn. But the Eagles have the talent capable of developing into an NFL dynasty and the right man at the helm to lead them in their endeavors.
Of course, that doesn’t mean the Eagles ever will. But they have a chance.
Louis Musto writes on the NFC East, NFL in general and pop culture at GridironGrit.com. Follow @LouisMusto and @GridironGrit on Twitter!
