There are a lot of things that you can question about Michael Vick, but his confidence isn't one of them. After being ranked 70th on a list of the 100 best players by the NFL Network, the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles took offense. In a radio interview, Vick called his ranking a joke. "I know how good I am and what I bring to the table for my football team," said Vick. "The things that I can do on the football field sometimes can be uncanny, but I give a lot of credit to my coaches and the people around me." While Vick might be a little full of himself, I don't disagree with what he's saying. As a fan, this is the kind of confidence I want to see in the starting quarterback.
Entering the 2011 season some had Vick as one of the five best quarterbacks in the league. I thought that that was a little high at the time but I didn't think Vick would have the turbulent season he had. He definitely deserved a little drop in the rankings, but some of the names listed in front of him are questionable. Cam Newton is a perfect example as he was ranked 40th. He might be a great player one day but he's not on Vick's level yet. The list also includes Tim Tebow, a quarterback that might not even make it onto the football field in 2012. Obviously, no list is perfect so Vick shouldn't worry too much. However, if he wants to use this as motivation then I have no problem with that.
As he said during the interview, Vick can make some amazing plays happen. However, those plays aren't going to help his ranking. If he really wants to move up the list and earn the ranking he feels he deserves, he needs to be a better quarterback. That means that he has to learn to win games with his arm and not his legs. More importantly, he needs to stay healthy and help his team return to the playoffs. If Vick can do that, I have no doubt that he will be ranked higher when this list comes out in 2013. Hopefully this ranking doesn't weight on him for long. But if the chip on his shoulder helps him work a little harder to impress his fellow players, that will only be a good thing for the Eagles. Gaining confidence is the first step toward having a successful season.
Mark Paul is a Philadelphia resident and lifelong Eagles fan.
