Michael Vick will get his first opportunity to start for an NFL team since November of 2014 when he started in three games for the New York Jets.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, headed by Vick, will host the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football, and we may see the mobile quarterback attempting some rushing plays during the prime-time contest. Speaking about his speed, Vick shared this after practicing with the team:
“I didn’t think at 35 I’d still be as quick as I am,” Vick told reporters in the locker room after the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Tuesday’s practice (via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN). “I can still move a little bit.”
To date, Vick has a total of 6,005 rushing yards attained at a amazing rate of 7.0 yards per attempt, ranking 12th in rushing yards overall among active NFL players. We should expect Vick add a few more yards to this total on Thursday.
As for Vick’s preparedness covering for Ben Roethlisberger this week and several more to come, he met for several hours with offensive coordinator Todd Hayley on Monday to review the game plan. Reportedly, Haley was impressed with Vick’s knowledge of the Steelers system.
Vick also stated that his experience in backing up Geno Smith last year has prepared him to know what to expect in the role. Speaking about his mindset coming off of a short week, this is Vick’s mentality:
“Be myself, have fun, play to win.”
If Vick and the Steelers do pull off a win, they’ll force the Ravens into a 0-4 start for the season.