With Kevin Kolb still working through the effects of the concussion he suffered last Sunday, it seemed unlikely he would be available to start at quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
Not to mention that backup QB Michael Vick played so much better when he was in the game, accumulating 278 yards of total offense. Compare that to Kolb completing 5-of-10 passes for 24 yards before getting hurt.
Nonetheless, the Eagles officially declared Kolb out for Sunday’s game, as he still hasn’t satisfactorily passed the concussion tests now required by the NFL. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report that Vick will start at quarterback for the Eagles. It will be Vick’s first NFL start since 2006. (You might remember Vick got into a little bit of trouble off the field.)
That could present some problems for the Lions’ defense, as Vick demonstrated last week with this slick run against the Packers.
Vick reminded us how good he can really be with his performance, presenting a dual threat that virtually no other quarterback in the NFL can match. Even if the Lions play sufficient pass coverage, Vick can still run for the first down. And if Detroit tries to counter that by keeping more defenders in the box, that leaves receivers open against one-on-one matchups.
How often is playing an opponent with a backup quarterback actually a worse development for a team? That might be where the Lions find themselves on Sunday.