Vick shows why he's a $100 million man

ST. LOUIS - When Michael Vick signed for $100 million, 8 months removed from his breathtaking, Pro Bowl comeback season, 2 years removed from prison, there was considerable debate.

Could he deserve that much money?

Well, this is what $100 million gets you.

It gets you a fadeaway flick in the face of a ravenous linebacker, a ball that traveled 10 yards farther than any other human could throw it, a 6-yard put-away touchdown that traveled about 25 yards through the air in the third quarter. It was the knockout punch in the season opener, a 31-13 win over the Rams, a short, elegant, deadly punch.

"That's why he got $100 million," said Quintin Mikell, Vick's teammate on the Eagles last year. Yesterday, Mikell was the Rams' safety who was beaten in the end zone on the play.

The $100 million gets you a 17-yard run near the end of that quarter that helped flip field position - a run that might have been a sack. Eight times, Vick turned pressure into pain for the Rams. He gutted them for 98 yards and would have had his 12th 100-yard rushing game if not for two 1-yard kneel downs. He slid for safety once; that kept him shy of 100, too.

A hundred million gets you the Michael Vick Experience, a weapon who still turns broken plays into NFL Films gold.

Vick collected 187 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. He accounted for 285 yards, but the sum resounded louder than that.

"This clearly was not one of our best performances," said Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, who committed the megabucks to the most polarizing figure in sports. "Michael led the way."

Vick exhorted his offensive line to stay solid; it had new starters at four positions and had not played together in a game for one snap. He told receiver Jeremy Maclin, who missed the preseason with an illness, to stay focused, playing in his hometown for the first time.

Vick recognized enough of the Rams' cleverly disguised blitzes to be sacked just three times, and, occasionally, he made them pay.

The touchdown pass to Jackson was the biggest payback.

"You've got an all-out blitz on, and probably the fastest guy in the league running across the field. And probably the second-fastest guy running the other way to throw it to him," Mikell said. "It was a good call for what we had on."

Vick understands he did not play a $100 million game.

In the thunderous Edward Jones Dome, he took two delay-of-game penalties in the first half. He had used all three of his timeouts with 3 minutes, 40 seconds to play in the second quarter.

But those are not unusual issues for any team in the season opener . . . or for any team, any time, that is coached by Andy Reid.

Vick's 18-yard run up the middle turned a second-and-16 at the Eagles' 42 into the situation that set up the score to Jackson. A 19-yard run late in the second quarter helped the Eagles move to 17-10 just before halftime.

"I felt quicker than I ever have before," Vick said, and certainly better than he has felt since he came back to the league in 2009. "It feels great to know I can go lights-out and not have to worry about anything."

Vick did not recognize every blitz. His ability to sense pressure remains suspect. Mikell sacked Vick and forced a fumble in the second quarter, deep in Rams territory. That erased at least three points. Justin King then ran Vick down from behind in the fourth quarter.

The blitzes didn't fail. The Eagles just didn't capitalize on them as much as they could have.

"Today, we didn't have too much success doing it. We have a long way to go," Vick said. "I'm excited. I'm thankful for the victory. I just wish it could've been a little cleaner."

"I thought he did some good things," Reid said. "He made a couple of real nice checks to change protection around. I'm sure there are a few plays he'd like back."

He missed Owen Schmitt on one such occasion early in the second quarter, then he missed Jackson deep down the left sideline to start the next possession.

But no one keeps plays alive like Vick. And no one makes you pay as dearly, especially now.

"I trained myself in the offseason to do that," Vick said.

He trained himself to use his priceless talents.

"There are things he does on the football field that defy logic," Lurie said, beaming in the center of the Eagles' locker room.

If the retooled Eagles are a "Dream Team," as backup Vince Young contended, Vick is the dreamiest. And the richest.

"It's a contract based on performing at a high level," Lurie said. "He knows he's got a contract based on being a special player."

Yesterday, he earned it.