Vick Hopes To Make the ‘Magic Happen Again’

Michael Vick is 6-1 lifetime against the Redskins. He completed 62 percent of his throws in those seven games  (six percentage points above his career average) and posted 10 touchdowns to two interceptions, good for a 110.5 quarterback rating.

Is he just comfortable playing against Washington?

“You’re never comfortable playing any team in this league,” said Vick following Wednesday’s practice. “You could play a team that is 1-14 and you could lose that game easily. I guess I just had some good teams that I was surrounded by at the time and we did whatever it took to win. By no means is the Redskins an easy opponent to beat.”

Vick made it look easy back in November of 2010, when he went off en route to a 59-28 Eagles win. He was 20-of-28 for 333 yards with four touchdowns and scored two more times on the ground. It was arguably the best performance of his 10-year career.

“I really don’t think about that game,” said Vick, “because in this league it’s all about what you do the week prior. Anything besides that doesn’t even matter. I appreciate the things I was able to accomplish that night, always want to do it again, wish I could do it week in and week out. I’m appreciative of it but that was so long ago. I’ve got to make that type of magic happen again this year at some point.”

That game was on Monday night at FedEx Field, just like the one coming up on Sept. 9.

Vick did not play in either game against the Redskins last year. He hasn’t faced Washington since the regular-season finale two years ago — a 34-10 Eagles win. Plenty has changed for both teams since then. Vick’s squad has a new coach and new offensive system. The Redskins have a franchise quarterback in place in Robert Griffin III, who credited Vick earlier in the day for helping to pave the way for him. Vick had some kind words for the second-year signal-caller as well.

“I’m a fan of his just like he’s a fan of mine, and it’s great that you have guys that respect what you do,” said Vick. “I just like the way he plays. I like the desire that he brings to the game. I like his intensity, his heart, the way that he carries himself with his teammates. You can tell that everyone within the organization likes him. That’s the type of person, the type of character that you have to have to be a quarterback in this league.”

Can you learn anything from the way he runs the read option?

“Nah, I was running the read option before RGIII started running the read option,” said Vick. “I pretty much know how to do it. The thing I do respect is the way they do it and the way he did it last year and putting his team in position to excel and be successful week in and week out. It’s a dimension that’s been added and he has taken it to another level. A lot of respect to him for that.”

The two will square off for the first time on Monday night. There are a growing number of dual-threat QBs in the league, and Vick takes pride in knowing that he has contributed in some way to the evolution of the position.

“I knew there would be a time where you have teams with multi-dimensional quarterbacks. You look around and you see Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson and RGIII, that’s three premiere quarterbacks around the league who are the top guys for their football team,” he said. “It’s a good thing.”

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