The Steelers' humming offense suffered a severe blow in a Week 3 win over the Rams Sunday, losing QB Ben Roethlisberger for several weeks with a knee injury. The Steelers signed Michael Vick this offseason, and now he will have to take the reins with the pressure of keeping one of the NFL's best offenses flowing.
"I've got plenty of confidence; I feel like this is what I was born to do," Vick said. "I'm not a young guy anymore; I'm a seasoned veteran. It's a short week, but we're all professionals. Just got to get in [Monday] and grind. It's still my normal routine."
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The learning curve is even steeper with Vick taking over on a short week; the Steelers play the Ravens on Thursday night. Head coach Mike Tomlin said that even though there's a game on a short turnaround, he will consider Vick to have had a "full week" to prepare for the game.
"If [Vick] plays next week, he's got a full week of preparation," Tomlin said. "My standard of expectation would be a little different under those circumstances." When asked about the job Vick did in relief of Roethlisberger on Sunday, Tomlin said "[Vick's performance] was above the line today. He got us out of the stadium.''
Tomlin should be more realistic about this scenario. The short turnaround might be considered a full week for Roethlisberger, who is fully immersed in the offense. Vick has only been a Steeler for one month, and in the past he's notably struggled with preparation.
Last season Vick admitted to being unprepared when he was called on to replace Geno Smith vs. the Chargers. "Maybe I didn't prepare or I wasn't prepared, but I'll tell you what, it won't happen again," Vick said.
The problem is in 2012, Vick said similar things when he had just come out of prison and was being given a second chance with the Eagles. He lamented his decision to rely on athletic ability rather than develop his mind as a quarterback.
"(I) probably would have already had a ring on my finger. I would have made a better contribution."
Vick is 35 years old now, so hopefully for the Steelers' sake he's begun practicing what he preaches.
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