Vick vs. Packers II

By: Eric Rajala

Posted: Tue 10:37 PM, Jan 04, 2011

Packers and Vick reverse roles in rematch of 2002 NFC Wild Card Game.

Remember the last time Michael Vick played Green Bay in the playoffs? On a snow filled night at Lambeau in January of 2003 the Falcons came to town to face the Packers, who had never lost a playoff game at home. At just 22-years old, Vick came to the Frozen Tundra oblivious to history and point spreads. He ran circles around the mighty Packers en route to a 27-7 bludgeoning.

Since then, much has changed with both Vick and the Packers. Vick, now 30, has served a prison sentence, switched teams and reclaimed his role as a bonafide superstar. Instead of a young up-and-comer, this time he comes to the postseason an experienced veteran with multiple playoff wins to his credit and an MVP caliber season. He still possesses otherworldly athletic ability and cannon for an arm, but his decision making skills have improved ten-fold, as evidenced by both his completion percentage and touchdown to interception ratio. A player with his skill set and newfound dedication to football presents an extremely difficult challenge for the Packers defense.

The Packers come into this game reversing roles with their new Vick-led opponent. Instead of a grizzled veteran at quarterback, the Pack brings new blood. Like Vick in 2002, Aaron Rodgers comes into this game with tremendous skill, but little postseason experience. He has shown he has the ability of the league’s elite with solid decision making and a penchant for making big plays. However, like Vick in his second year, Rodgers has also shown inconsistency and inexperience against top echelon teams. He has a chance to silence the doubters with a playoff win in Philadelphia, where the Packers have never won a playoff game.

In a playoff game featuring two of the league’s best signal callers, history leans in favor of Michael Vick this time around. Not only has Green Bay never won a playoff game in Philadelphia, but they’ve also lost five of their last six games in the City of Brotherly Love, including the infamous 4^th & 26 debacle.

To his credit, Aaron Rodgers has never lost a road game to the Eagles as the starter; much like Vick had never lost at Lambeau in the playoffs prior to the 2002 NFC Wild Card Game. In order for the green and gold to win on Sunday, Rodgers must play with the same blissful ignorance that Vick did on that frigid January night all those years ago.

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