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Michael Vick: New York Jets Might Have Won More With Me Starting Earlier

Nov 9, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Michael Vick (1) throws a pass while under pressure from Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Arthur Moats (55) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 9, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Michael Vick (1) throws a pass while under pressure from Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Arthur Moats (55) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

New York Jets quarterback Michael Vick said he believes the Jets might have won some games early on if he had been the team’s starter in Week 1.

The New York Jets finally snapped their losing streak against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a surprising 20-13 victory highlighted by stout defense and an opportunistic offense. After finally getting the Jets back in the win column, Michael Vick was asked if the team would have seen more of this had he been starting all year. Vick could only be honest when answering that loaded question.

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“In my heart, yes,” Vick said, per the Star-Ledger. “Yeah, I mean, to sit here and say no would show a lack of confidence in myself and my teammates. But absolutely, I think if I was starting from Day 1, then maybe it would’ve been an opportunity. But that wasn’t the case. I wasn’t put in that situation. The team wasn’t put in that situation.”

Vick wasn’t put in that situation because he couldn’t beat second-year QB Geno Smith for the job in training camp and preseason. Smith was given the upper hand to start camp and he held onto it until the games started meaning something. Once Smith imploded at home against the Buffalo Bills, the team turned to Vick, who has provided stability, if not explosiveness, to the offense.

While this might sound like boasting, Vick doesn’t want his message to be misconstrued as anything more than a professional having confidence in his craft.

“So me saying that, please don’t get it misconstrued. Please don’t go out and say, ‘Mike Vick felt like if he was the starter, then we would be winning,’ because that’s not what I’m saying right now. I’m saying in front of all these cameras that, if given an opportunity, yeah, I believe our team would’ve maybe won some games. That’s speaking from experience and playing in the league for a long time.”

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