Audibly Offensive

As the football world descends on Miami for Super Bowl XLIV, there are 30 teams that are already planning their off-season acquisitions and their draft plans.

For one quarterback, he’s planning his re-ascension to the top of the NFL’s food chain just a year and change removed from a stint in prison.

For Michael Vick, it’s not a re-ascension into the top tier. Like Allen Iverson deserved to be an NBA All-Star starter this season, Michael Vick believes he’s as much a “top ten quarterback” in the NFL.

Vick visited the Dan Patrick Radio Show and told the world on live radio that he still feels he is one of the ten best signal callers in the league.

OK, before we even start breaking down the huge weaknesses in Vick’s game, let’s take a look at some of the 32 starting quarterbacks in the league in 2009.

Vick is obviously not better than the two guys playing in Miami this weekend, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. He’s not better than Tom Brady.

Those are givens. But what about the others?

Now, in fairness, we’re only looking at the passer ratings of all 32 starting quarterbacks this season in this comparison and we’re focusing on the top ten.

They are, in order: Brees, Brett Favre, Phillip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton F. Manning, Matt Schaub, Tony Romo, Brady and the now retired Kurt Warner.

In a word. No.

In two words, Hell no.

In several? What in the Blue Hell are you thinking, Michael Vick?

If you ask me, and since you’re reading this… you are, yardage and touchdown passes are misleading because some offenses are built to air it out. The QB Rating levels the playing field.

For Vick to think that he’s worthy of that tier is insulting and laughable. He’s as reckless with his passes as Favre and Tim Tebow combined. While he’s got amazing quickness and speed, his arm lacks the accuracy and depth to be even close to those ten we’ve discussed earlier.

But wait… Warner retired so you have to replace him with Matt Leinart, right? Fine, Eli Manning was 11th best, McNabb was 12th. There you go.

Arguably, those 12 quarterbacks are the best 12 in the game. You can easily make the case that Carson Palmer is a better quarterback, as is Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan.

Michael Vick isn’t even a top 15 quarterback.

Are there teams that can easily benefit from Vick under center as opposed to what they already have? Absolutely. Vick could make an immediate impact on teams like the Bills, Rams, Buccaneers and Panthers.

Vick isn’t deserving of being in that top tier, not because of what he did to earn jail time, but what he’s failed to do when he’s gotten playing time.

-Patrick Swafford / pat@audiblyoffensive.com