When the Steelers signed Michael Vick in late August, it was but a blip on the radar. After all, Ben Roethlisberger is among the most durable quarterbacks in the game and has missed just 11 games due to injury during his 12-year professional career.
But after Mark Barron drilled Big Ben below the knee on a safety blitz during Sunday’s 12-6 win over the Rams, Pittsburgh’s plans are in disarray. The signal-caller was carted off after writhing around on the ground in pain, and was later seen leaving Edward Jones Dome on crutches. CBS Sports reports Roethlisberger will miss at least four weeks with a sprained MCL.
The team was counted on to contend in 2015, but can this version of Michael Vick steer the ship in Roethlisberger’s absence? Bruce Gradkowski was slated to back up Roethlisberger, but underwent surgery to repair a dislocated finger, an injury he suffered in the preseason. That injury necessitated the move to Vick, who is 35 years old and hasn’t resembled a top-flight QB since his 2010 Pro Bowl season with the Eagles.
After starting in just nine games over the last two seasons, Vick is now Pittsburgh’s man for the foreseeable future. And as expected, the early returns are dim. Vick has long had a fumbling problem (a whopping 97 in his career with 43 lost), and let one slip away Sunday that was eventually recovered by Pittsburgh. He no longer scares opposing defenses with his legs and must instead rely on his pocket-passing skills.
Vick won’t have much time to contemplate the big opportunity. The team has a short turnaround and hosts the rival Ravens on Thursday but feels he’s ready.
“I’ve got plenty of confidence; I feel like this is what I was born to do,” said Vick, who owns a career 80.4 passer rating. “I’m not a young guy anymore; I’m a seasoned veteran. It’s a short week, but we’re all professionals. Just got to get in [Monday] and grind. It’s still my normal routine.”
The good news is Vick has the weapons. He has a bona fide top-three receiver in Antonio Brown, a top-three running back in Le’Veon Bell (who returned from a two-game suspension Sunday to rush for 62 yards and one TD along with 70 receiving yards) and will have No2 receiver Martavis Bryant back in two weeks as he returns from his own four-game ban.
Vick also has one of the game’s great coaching minds in Mike Tomlin, and a dependable backup running back with DeAngelo Williams, who shined during the first two games.
But replacing one of the game’s few elite passers is an impossible task. Roethlisberger torched the league last year, passing for 4,952 yards with 32 TDs and nine interceptions. His size makes him hard to bring down and he can sling the deep ball as well as any quarterback in the game. The two-time Super Bowl winner is one of the NFL’s most indispensable players, and if the Steelers are to stay afloat in the AFC North at 2-1, Vick must raise his level of play from Sunday’s outing and a forgettable 2014 season with the Jets.
Vick completed five of six passes for 38 yards after he entered late in the third quarter of Sunday’s win, but they were mostly check-down passes (the exception an up-for-grabs 20-yard loft to Bell that was caught.) He looked skittish at times and generally uncomfortable piloting Todd Haley’s offense, understandable with so few practice reps with the first team.
After the Ravens, the Steelers travel to San Diego, play Arizona at home and are then on the road against Kansas City. There’s not a gimme on that slate, but no one is expecting the electric, dynamic version of Vick to walk through that door; the one that could change the complexion of a game at the drop of a hat.
The 2010 comeback player of the year simply needs to take care of the football, make a few key plays and guide the team back to Roethlisberger in good hands.
If Vick falters, the Steelers will have little to no shot to compete with the division-leading Bengals, who went to 3-0 with an impressive performance against the Ravens (AJ Green exploded for 227 yards and two touchdowns on 10 catches).
And if Vick fails during his last, best chance to rejuvenate his NFL career, he can kiss the game goodbye.
Quote of the week
“I was really baffled by what was said to me, you know? … The response that I got was ‘Cam, you’re not old enough to get that call.’ And them I’m like ‘Jesus, I didn’t think you had had to have seniority to get a personal foul or anything like that.’” —Cam Newton, relaying what he claims referee Ed Hochuli said to him after not calling roughing the passer during the Panthers’ 27-22 win over the Saints.
Newton was trying to buy time with his legs and said the play was “right on the cusp” of a late hit. The fourth-year QB said he was “ticked off” by Hochuli’s response, and had the ref simply missed the call, he would have understood. “Heaven forbid he gets any rookies, they’re going to have a long day, man.” If Cam is right, Marcus Mariota better hope he doesn’t see Hochuli and his 24-inch pythons on the gridiron anytime soon.
Stat of the week
5:37. That’s how long it took Colin Kaepernick to throw not just two interceptions, but two pick sixes. No quarterback had thrown two interceptions returned for a touchdown that quickly since 1925, according to NFL Media’s Gregg Rosenthal. The embattled San Francisco 49ers quarterback would go on to toss two more interceptions during the 47-7 blowout loss to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals, and he generally looked lost throughout the affair.
Kap forced passes, threw off his back foot and elected to go side arm for seemingly no reason at all on occasion. But there’s no viable quarterback on the roster to push him, and coach Jim Tomsula gave the former second-round pick a vote of confidence after the game.
Fantasy player of the week
Devonta Freeman, Falcons. Rookie Tevin Coleman started in the first two games for Atlanta, but was inactive Sunday with a rib injury, leaving the workload to Freeman. The second-year running back responded in a big way, leading the comeback against the Cowboys with 30 rushes for 141 yards and three TDs (he added 52 receiving yards). The Falcons have lacked a ground game for some time, but with two young backs powering the attack, they are 3-0 and atop the AFC South.
How the Patriots cheated this week
New England scored on their first nine possessions in a 51-17 romp over the hapless Jaguars. The 10th and final drive? Victory formation. It sure seemed like Bill Belichick and Co were playing Madden with cheat codes all afternoon, as Tom Brady guided the offense at ease, passing for 358 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Tom Terrific also hit a huge milestone, joining Peyton Manning Dan Marino and Brett Favre in the 400 TD club after a one-yard strike to Danny Amendola. And just like during their 2007 perfect regular season, Brady never left the game despite the lopsided score.
Gif of the week
The worst 2-point conversion ever! pic.twitter.com/4fGoQI2dWR
— SB Nation GIF (@SBNationGIF) September 27, 2015
You can add two-point conversion to the list of things the Titans need to improve this season.
Elsewhere around the league
• Luke McCown was effective in relief of Drew Brees, who missed the first game of his 10-year career with the Saints with a rotator cuff injury. The younger McCown brother threw for 310 yards on 31-of-38 passing and began the game 14-of-14 for 100 yards (nine different targets). However, he threw a game-ending interception, as did brother Josh against Oakland.
• Seahawks rookie Tyler Lockett continues to turn heads. The son of former Chiefs receiver Kevin Lockett scored on a 105-yard kickoff return, the longest in franchise history. The No69 overall pick also has a punt-return TD this season and is already among the game’s most dangerous returners.
Kam Chancellor ended his holdout and helped Seattle secure a 26-0 shutout victory of the Bears to climb to 1-2. Jimmy Graham finally broke out, catching seven balls for 83 yards and one touchdown.
• There were four missed extra-point attempts in Week 3, bringing the season total to 13. Lions kicker Matt Prater had his try blocked Sunday, and Broncos corner Chris Harris picked up the ball, raced down the sideline but was dragged out of bounds at midfield. If Harris made it all the way, it would have been the first defensive extra point scored in NFL history (this is the first year defenses can score off extra-point tries and two-point conversion attempts.)
• Are the Raiders finally climbing out of the cellar? Oakland hasn’t enjoyed a winning season since 2002, but under the directorship of Derek Carr and rookie phenom Amari Cooper, the offense is humming along. The team is 2-1 after a 27-20 victory over the Browns and snapped an 11-game road losing streak. Cooper, the No4 overall pick, has now eclipsed the 100-yard mark in consecutive games.
• Dallas lost its first game without Tony Romo at the helm, but Brandon Weeden was impressive in relief. The former first-round bust set a franchise record with 21 consecutive completions (dating back to last week) and only turned the ball over once. The Cowboys were up 28-17 at the half on the strength of three Joseph Randle TDs, but allowed 25 unanswered points to the Falcons. Big D sits atop the dreadful NFC East at 2-1.
• The Cardinals look like one of the teams to beat early in the season. Carson Palmer directed Arizona to a 47-7 victory over the rival 49ers, passing for 311 yards, and Chris Johnson turned back the clock for 110 yards and two TDs. Bruce Arians’ men are 3-0 for the second consecutive season, the first time the Cards have accomplished the feat since 1923-24.
• Perhaps rumors of Peyton Manning’s demise were exaggerated. Sure, the future Hall of Famer can no longer zip the ball into tight windows, but he makes up for a lack of arm strength with poise and smart decision-making. Manning was effective in Sunday night’s 24-12 win over the Lions, missing on just nine passes for 324 yards, two TDs and one interception.
