Chalk one up for Big Red

I was nonplussed when the Eagles first signed Michael Vick. I thought they were crazy to rely on him as a back-up this season. I doubted Andy's decision to bench Kolb and name Vick the starter for Jacksonville.

But it sure looks like I was wrong, and Andy was right.

Vick's 2-0 as a starter now, and has put up a passer rating of 100 in three straight games. He's shown an ability to both sustain drives and hit big plays down the field. In spite of the continued struggles of the offensive line, no defense wants to play the Eagles, because Vick can hurt an opponent in so many ways.

I saw some discouraging signs yesterday, with inaccuracy on crossing routes and at least two throws off his back foot. He got the job done, and hopefully these signs were not the start of a long-term trend. It's something to keep an eye on, though.

Meanwhile, the Redskins stumbled against the lowly Rams yesterday, a week before they come to Philly. Interestingly, the Skins struggled mightily in the red zone, kicking three chip shot field goals. Additionally, they were 1-for-10 on third downs. Compare that to the Eagles: they scored two TDs on two trips into the red zone, and converted 38% of their third downs.

In a small sample size like this, coincidence is a strong possibility. But it's something else I'll be watching as the season progresses. At the end of the year, if the Skins are still talking about missed third-down conversions and red zone struggles, perhaps McNabb was the culprit all along.