Michael Vick Shines In Season Opener; Quarterback Controversy in Philadelphia? (VIDEO)

After Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback Kevin Kolb left the game at halftime due to a concussion on Sunday, Michael Vick took over and played well in the season opening loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Vick ran for 103 yards on 11 carries, leading the team in rushing, while throwing for 175 and a touchdown.

In the third quarter and down 20-3, Vick scrambled in the pocket and turned a broken play into a 31-yard gain, moving the ball to Green Bay's two-yard-line. That play led to a rushing touchdown by LeSean McCoy, cutting the lead to 10.

Despite the solid performance from Vick, Eagles head coach Andy Reid insisted that there is no quarterback controversy between Vick and Kolb.

However, Rich Hofmann of Philadelphia Daily News said he has heard that before from Reid.

Kolb was 5-for-10 with 24 passing yards before he got tackled and injured by Clay Matthews. He completed two short passes after the hit, but didn't play for the entire second half.

Scroll down to watch Vick's 31-yard-run.

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Comments

[EvitaLuisa]

12:55 AM on 09/20/2010

The sports radio talk special:  You just knew Michael Vick was going to light up the Lions.  That way, we could have the most possible Philadelphia angst, drama, and hatred directed towards coach Andy Reid this week. Reid said before the game Kevin Kolb would start in Week Three, and Vick was careful to say after the game it was Kolb's team.  But Vick's superlative performance for a second straight week has made him the people's choice. 

[cre8ive]

11:38 PM on 09/15/2010

Okay, already! MV has served his time. He should be allowed to make a living doing what he does. People keep whining about what we're teaching our children when we cheer for Vick. How about we're teaching them to take responsibility when they screw up, and that they shouldn't let failure, even a HUGE failure, end their lives. Those are better lessons than 1) it's okay to disrespect women (and even abuse or sexually assault them), 2) cheating and steroids are okay as long as you don't get caught, and 3) it doesn't matter if you signed a contract. You shouldn't have to show up at practice if you don't feel like it.

[frank day]

01:34 AM on 09/16/2010

Its called Football. Not, bepoliticallycorrectBall.

All of you whiners who want to pursue an agenda through athletics, Please find another sport.
Let the rest of us enjoy the world's greatest sport.

[miastella]

07:18 PM on 09/15/2010

Mixing Vick's moral compass with his work ability is specious reasoning. However, I wasn't happy when AR invited him to Philly to redeem himself. It's just as distracting as many of these entries prove. It's a shame that a man who is really not a good example personally gets to carry the mantle of the city's football team. More unfortunately, I think he may be the only one who can do it given the poor jugement on management's part. I have little thought that Kolb is going to suddenly come back from his headache and play great ball!

[Leto II]

11:58 PM on 09/14/2010

The Eagles were on their way to a 7-9 season with Kolb. With Vick, they'll be 8-8. A QB controversy after week 1 is never a good situation for a team. It's distracting and divisive. People who want Vick to start just want those 2-3 exciting plays where he breaks the pocket and scrambles for a nice gain. But what about the rest of the game where he only completes 50% of his passes? The Eagles need a QB who will utilize the talents of Jackson, Celek and McCoy. Vick is only known for making himself look good with his athleticism and running. Although that's exciting for fans to watch, his running (rather than passing) alienates the other skill players.

The fact is, it doesn't matter who the QB is. The Eagles aren't making the playoffs.

[frank day]

01:36 AM on 09/16/2010

Sure, why should we want to watch an exciting athlete energize a mediocre team.
Much more important for everyone to 'feel good' and get along.

[Leto II]

10:25 AM on 09/17/2010

The most exciting player on the Eagles is Desean Jackson. He can score 50+ yard TDs on any given play. It will be hard to do that when his QB isn't an accurate passer or worse, doesn't throw at all and wants to take off running on every passing play.

In Atlanta, Vick didn't really have many receiving weapons. Now, he has Maclin, Jackson and Celek who are good receivers. He needs to use them more than he heeds to be 'energizing'.

Undoubtedly, Vick's running is exciting. But the more 'energizing' he is, the greater chance he'll take a big hit. Remember, he did break his leg once and missed most of the season doing what everyone wants to see. In football, the QB is NOT supposed put himself in harms way.

[Sansculotte]

05:20 PM on 09/14/2010

If Vick isn't starting by game 3 - fire the coach.
Michael Vick is a stud!
I

[frank day]

04:18 PM on 09/14/2010

Vick should start.
He was an All-Star for a reason. He's getting his confidence back.

For the h8ters, he paid his dues. He's earned a 2nd chance.

[RusStyles]

04:17 PM on 09/14/2010

It's rare for any athlete to be out of the NFL for two years and make a successful comeback--especially at the QB position. I hope this is just a prelude to even better performances. He's also a good example of how to face up to your mistakes; take your lumps and become a stronger person. Vic could have escaped his reality with drugs. Or allowed himself to get out of shape. He could have become bitter by a less than colorblind judicial system that handed down an unusually harsh sentence...No, he took responsibility; quietly did his time and is now donating resources to PETA...And continue to ignore all the flawless people, who apparently have never needed to seek forgiveness.

[isaiahcrawford]

12:35 PM on 09/14/2010

hes pretty ballin

[PhineasGage730]

05:20 PM on 09/16/2010

Not sure you know how to use that word

[HarukoHaruhara]

11:26 AM on 09/14/2010

He played well and really had Green Bay back on its heels, but I'm sorry, I will never like him or cheer for him.

[PhineasGage730]

05:21 PM on 09/16/2010

Yes, you are sorry. Oh and for the record, who cares!

[HarukoHaruhara]

05:27 PM on 09/16/2010

Do I know you?

[donkeybasketball]

11:16 AM on 09/14/2010

Even with his dog drownings and dog electrocutions... I still like him better than Andy Reid's play calling and time management. Well... maybe I like them equally.

[Tyler Nagy]

11:16 AM on 09/14/2010

they need to start vick for sure, no doubt. obviosly vick is a very good quarterback for rushing and passing. plus a cuncussion dont get better very fast so kolb might be out for a wile.

[rebel9999]

10:05 AM on 09/14/2010

He throws the most perfect spiral. It might not always be on the money for location, but I've never seen him throw a wobley ball. It's always a perfectly tight spiral. He's still fast as lightning.

Philly would be stupid not to start him.

[boscobear]

09:42 AM on 09/14/2010

Watched the entire game and I am not a fan of either football or Vick but when he was on the field, the team played better. If they had played as well as Vick, they would have won. Kolb needs to be on the bench learnig what he needs to do before he gets on the field.

[Loyd Rickey McClary]

09:08 AM on 09/14/2010

Goodness some of you posters need to get over it. Yes what he did was wrong, but it was dogs not people. I swear some of you put animals in a higher regard than people. Nobdoy made a big deal about Dante Stallworth hardly getting anytime for killing that man while drinking and driving. Then again he might not have been of a certain race for some of you to really care. Get over it, he served his time and is back in the league. If God has forgiven him, then who are any of you to judge and still be sour. I thank God everyday that he is not like us, cause if he was then it would be doom for all of us. Let Vick play and get over it, he didnt kill another person or rape someone ie Big Ben so let it go.

[argentino]

10:21 AM on 09/14/2010

You are a fool...

I pray you don't have kids or pets...

Hope your one fan "unfans" you...

[John Garner]

11:40 AM on 09/14/2010

HAHA Fanned

[sheikwil4]

12:47 PM on 09/14/2010

he is right, your unforgiving spirit will cause you to go to h e ll. What if God wasn't a forgiving God. what if he had not sent his son into the world for Adam's sin, which condemned us us to death. We should have a forgiving spirit, if not America would still be in a civil war due to slavery. we as a people have not forgotten, but has moved on for the most part.

[HarukoHaruhara]

11:26 AM on 09/14/2010

“If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.”

-- St. Francis of Assisi

[cindyw]

01:52 PM on 09/14/2010

Absolutely right. Those defending Vick say that we shouldn't elevate animals over people, and I don't, but there's something inherently wrong with a man who could enjoy and profit from watching innocent animals being forced to try and tear each other apart.

[Ty LaRue]

08:45 AM on 09/14/2010

I'm glad Vick showed everyone what he can do, good luck Vick.
But some of these comments are funny. I guess certain people in our society are forgiven for their crimes and certain people are not.

[quayde]

04:05 PM on 09/14/2010

As you probably know this, depends on what color you are that largely determines if you will be forgiven in American society. Some people bankrupt companies, some people start false wars, some people even leave the scene of a car accident and let young girls in a car.

[Debbie338]

11:03 AM on 09/16/2010

Oh, please. You have no idea how much the animal welfare community wishes Vick was white so you could see that the reaction would have been NO different.