Kolb vs. Vick Should Have Happened in Training Camp

Written By Bob Cunningham On Monday, September 20, 2010

Week Three is too late for a quarterback competition.



After Michael Vick's masterful performance over the past game and a half, and Kevin Kolb's disastrous debut, the talk of Vick vs. Kolb has not only taken over the discussion in Philadelphia, but all over the country.

And while it's fun for the national media and the fans of the other 31 NFL teams to go back and forth on what they think the Eagles and Andy Reid should do, the fans in Philly would like to know once and for all who should be the guy under center.

Most fans have a strong opinion one way or another based on what they've seen so far, but there are two concrete ways this all could have been avoided: 1) they could have just kept Donovan McNabb, or 2) had a quarterback competition throughout Training Camp and the preseason.

I suggested the idea back when mini-camps were just getting under way, and it wasn't meant with much enthusiasm.

The arguments made against it varied from "you're an idiot" all the way to something along the lines of "wouldn't it look bad if Reid shipped McNabb away without having a guy behind him he was ready to commit to?"

The answer to both is likely yes, but Reid is setting himself up to look a whole lot worse once Kolb stinks up the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars next Sunday.

He would have been able to save face had he admitted his with Kolb in Training Camp or early in the preseason when it became apparent he couldn't handle being an NFL quarterback.

Vick, to my surprise at the time, would have easily won the competition and would have entered the season as the starter. And from what we saw against the Green Bay Packers, the Birds would have a real shot at sitting atop the NFC East right now at 2-0.

But instead, the team will likely have to sacrifice a few more games and put themselves into a deeper hole before Reid admits his mistake and inserts Vick full-time.

It's still odd to say and goes against everything I thought I knew only a couple months ago, but the improvements Vick has made as a quarterback has been absolutely outstanding. He is much better than he was back when he was in Atlanta, and his presence alone could be enough to will this team to a wild card berth.

The best Kolb can hope for is to lead this team out of a top five draft pick.


Enter your email address to receive the best Philly sports news and analysis on the web!:

Delivered by FeedBurner

For the best in Philadelphia sports, look no further than Belmont.com. They've got you covered for all American sports wagering offering unparalleled customer service and fast payouts to the customers.

DISCLAIMER:

This site is strictly for informational and entertainment purposes, and is in no way affiliated with the National Football League or the Philadelphia Eagles. It also claims no rights to the trademarks of the NFL or Philadelphia Eagles.

2 Minutes to Midnight Green also claims no copyright to any photos used.