It's a move so old it's a cliche, but when a player has fumbled eight times through five games and appears unable to hold the ball at key moments, maybe it's time to crack out the old carry-around-the-football-everywhere-you-go ploy.
Michael Vick has struggled to keep control of the ball while playing quarterback for the 3-2 Eagles, including some goal-line situations where he turned the ball over.
So now, with Vick having fumbled 84 times in his 10-year NFL career (39 of those fumbles lost), the Eagles and Vick are going to desperate measures to help him hold onto the ball.
Vick was reportedly carrying a football with him everywhere he went at the Eagles facility this week, with teammates told to do the best they could to knock it loose.
"Breakfast, to the meetings, lunch," Vick said in comments given out by the team, as reported by profootballtalk.com. "Everyone thought it was funny, but I didn't. That's how much I care about this team, and that's how much I care about our success and winning on Sundays. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that I take care of my responsibilities."
It's a tall task for Vick, who has often seen the ball slip away as he uses his unique running ability to reach for extra yards. But with people now betting how often he'll cough the ball up, maybe it's time to take the safe route — even if the trick he uses to learn how to hold onto the ball is as old as they come.
