The Philadelphia Eagles have enormous expectations once again heading into the 2012 NFL season, and Michael Vick is at the center of it all. Vick needs to stay healthy for the Eagles to have a chance at a championship, and after missing three games due to injury in 2011, he says it's time to protect himself.
According to CSNPhilly.com, Vick knows that protecting himself is in the best interest of everyone involved with the team.
"If you’re not on the field, then you don’t have that chance, said Vick. So I just want to give myself ample opportunity. Praying to God that I can play sixteen games. I know that’s the key to the season. I know deep down in my heart. And even though I believe in the players behind me, the players around me, I know what I can do and I know what I can bring to the table each and every Sunday, so I know it’s paramount that I’m out on the field."
At the age of 32, Vick is aware that his career while not coming to a close by any stretch, is about to see it's best years behind it sooner rather than later. With that in mind, Vick is taking a more cautious approach.
"I want to make a promise to all my fans that I’m going to make a conscious effort, a cognitive effort, to make sure that I protect myself," Vick said. "And you know my motto has been this for the last six months, and I repeatedly said to myself: ‘Get the next yard on the next play.’
"You know, whether I’m running the football or scrambling or trying to do something improvising. Get the next yard on the next play. That’s why you have second down and third down, and possibly fourth down. So you can give yourself opportunity."
If Vick can stay true to those words and keep himself on the field for a full season, Eagles fans should be very hopeful about the upcoming campaign.
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