Imagine Michael Vick at his best, not just for a game or for a month or for two months but for an entire season?
Imagine Vick the way he played the first half of last year or the way he played the last month of this year and project it over 16 games?
Imagine how dangerous the Eagles would be if Vick was at his electrifying best every Sunday?
I think it would be unbelievable, Vick said. And that has to be the goal.
All Vick has to show for his first two years as the Eagles starting quarterback is a ton of astonishing plays, astounding passes, remarkable scrambles and little else.
One playoff appearance. No playoff wins. No postseason runs.
Vick turns 32 this summer. He hasnt won a playoff game since 2004. He hasnt survived a full season healthy since 2006.
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Which is the real Vick? The guy who had 19 touchdowns and five interceptions in his first 10 starts as an Eagle -- eight wins and two losses? The guy who had seven TDs and three INTs in this years season-ending four-game winning streak?
Or the guy who threw the season away in the Green Bay playoff game last year with that inexplicable first-down pass to Riley Cooper that Tramon Williams easily intercepted? The guy who had nine TDs and 11 INTs during an eight-game stretch this year in which the Eagles went 2-6? The guy whos 1-4 vs. playoff teams as an Eagles starter -- as many wins as Kevin Kolb and Vince Young each have over playoff teams in relief?
Vick was upbeat and positive this week as he reflected on the 2011 season and said his drive and determination to lead the Eagles to a championship remains as strong as ever.
John Elway won a Super Bowl when he was 37 years old, so not to say that I have a lot of time to play this game because any down could be your last, but ultimately, the goal is to win it each and every year, Vick said. If I play for the next eight years, then I want to win eight straight times.
Obviously, Ive been there before, played in the NFC Championship game and didnt think it was going to be this hard to get back, but now I know. This off-season, I plan to work harder than I have ever worked before. ... I will be right back at it working out and getting myself into playing shape for durability in the next couple of weeks or so. So I really dont have an off-season or an opportunity to take any time off. I just have to dedicate myself to my craft and my position and everything that Ive learned this year, just taking it to the next level, taking it a step further, so Im excited about that.
Vick threw for a career-high 3,303 yards in 13 games this year, and his strong finish gave him 18 touchdowns and 14 interceptions -- 10th-most in the league and most by an Eagle quarterback on fewer than 500 attempts since Ron Jaworski in 1985. Vicks 84.9 passer rating was second-best of his career but far below his 100.2 mark last year.
But the Eagles believe the statistics dont clearly demonstrate how much Vick improved in several key areas, including blitz pickup, coverage recognition and pocket awareness.
They point out that Vick has never had an offseason as the Eagles starter. This will be his first year going through minicamps and training camp as the projected starter. The Eagles believe that will help him find the consistency thats eluded him the last couple years.
I think I made great strides this year, and Im excited about where Im at, Vick said. Im excited about this off-season having the opportunity to go back and look at the game and understand the game and just the learning curve that Ive gone through the past two years and where I can take it now that I have a full off-season under my belt.
Im going to take a week or two off and get away from it, but my off-season is going to start early, and I think thats the way it should be. ... I just hope I dont overload myself. Im so motivated. Mike Kafka and I already talked about our plans and what were going to do with the guys here in the locker room and how intense you wanted to be, how much we know we missed out on this year and how we can compensate for that this year.
Two things are paramount for Vick. Stay healthy and reduce turnovers.
Vick has missed three games in each of the last three years with broken ribs, and he vows that wont happen again. He also committed 18 turnovers this year, twice as many as last year. And he vows that wont happen again, either.
Its all part of becoming a smarter player. Fewer risks. Better decisions.
Vick did commit a couple turnovers in the Eagles season-ending win over the Redskins Sunday, but he did run less than ever the last four games -- just 10 carries for 55 yards, both career lows for any four-game stretch.
I have to be available for 16 games for this team and Ive got to hold myself accountable and got to get away from trying to do too much and understanding that waking up Monday mornings not sore doesnt mean that you didnt go out and give it your all, Vick said. I think it means you played smart.
And I went into the game (Sunday) with that mindset of how I wanted to play in this upcoming season: Protecting the ball, playing smart, not taking unnecessary hits, and being there for my team, and thats what means more to me now than anything.
Next year will be Vicks fourth as an Eagle. In Donovan McNabbs fourth year with the Eagles, he won his fourth playoff game and reached his second NFC Championship Game.
Vick knows the time to talk is over. The time for hype has ended. Next year is a crucial one for him and this franchise. If he fails, that could be the end here for both himself and head coach Andy Reid.
Its right there in front of me, and I know what I need to do, and I know how hard I have to work and how I can pull my teammates along and develop the same mindset with them, he said.
Its exciting for me as well as for them, and they mention it before I even mention it -- When are we going to start working out, or, What are we going to do? over the last couple weeks.
We know what we have here and its only going to get better, and were going to work as hard as we can, because we owe this city a lot, and we owe this organization a lot as players and I fully take on that responsibility and every guy in this locker room does as well.
Soon after the Eagles season ended with a win over the Redskins and a hollow four-game winning streak, Vick vowed that next year will indeed end differently.
You say what you mean, and I wouldnt say anything that I didnt mean, he said. I can hold the weight of my promise, and, hey, if I dont, Im going to give everything that I got trying.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com.