Vick returns in big Eagles win
1 of 4. Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks Michael Vick throws a pass during warm-up before the start of the Eagles versus the Kansas City Chiefs NFL football game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 27, 2009.
Credit: Reuters/Tim Shaffer
PHILADELPHIA |
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Michael Vick played his first NFL regular-season game in more than two years on Sunday, helping the Philadelphia Eagles soar to a 34-14 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Vick, released from jail in May after being sentenced in 2007 to 23 months in prison for bankrolling a dog-fighting ring, had limited action as a quarterback and once went in as a wide receiver.
The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback was on the field for 11 plays, rushing once for seven yards and throwing incomplete on two pass attempts. He had not played in a regular-season game since December 2006.
"I thought I played fairly well," Vick told reporters.
"I would by lying if I said I wasn't nervous," he said. "The whole situation causes some butterflies. It was a good thing because I was able to come out and relax."
He took to the field on the second play of the game as a wide receiver, then rushed for seven yards later in the quarter. He handed the ball off on most of his other plays.
"We wanted to get him in and just get him gradually back in with the speed of the game," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "We wanted to knock some of the rust off. We accomplished that."
Vick, 29, said he hoped to have a different feeling when the Eagles play Tampa Bay in two weeks after a bye.
"I won't feel like all eyes were on me like they were today," he said.
"I'm progressing. I'm not regressing, which is a big thing," added Vick, who served 18 months in federal prison.
He was suspended for the first two regular-season games by the NFL but was allowed to compete in the pre-season.
Kevin Kolb started at quarterback for the injured Donovan McNabb and completed 24 of 34 passes for 327 yards and two touchdowns for the Eagles (2-1). He also rushed for a touchdown.
Wide receiver DeSean Jackson had six catches for a career-high 149 yards and a touchdown.
Quarterback Matt Cassel threw for two touchdowns for the Chiefs (0-3).
(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina. Editing by Ed Osmond)
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