Where, oh where, has the second-hottest story of the off-season gone?
I am referring, of course, to Michael Vick, who returned to the NFL via the Philadelphia Eagles to excessive pomp and circumstance, and tireless coverage. Sunday night against the Cowboys, Vick rushed once, out of the Eagles' version of the Wildcat, a formation that has caught on overnight and became a must-have for most NFL offenses--like Beanie Babies or Pokemon in the mid-nineties--over the past year and a half. He gained two, utterly forgettable yards.
Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys were installing the Razorback--their version of the wildcat--for the first time with any noticeable success. According to Tim MacMahon at ESPNDallas.com, the team used the formation four times, with Tashard Choice taking the snaps. Choice gained 13 yards, and a touchdown (on the team's second possession) out of the set; he also had a ten-yard gain wiped out due to a holding penalty, and a two-yard run for a crucial first down.
The upside of the Choice-driven Razorback is two-fold: First, the formation adds a new dimension to the Dallas offense, which is kind of the point in installing such a formation in the offense in the first place. But perhaps more importantly, it gives Dallas an avenue for getting the ball in Choice's hands which, with a crowded backfield, has been a conundrum of sorts for coaches.
In limited time, Choice has left little doubt as to his ability as a runner; however, with Marion Barber and Felix Jones healthy, how to get Choice any significant time seems to be the question. If Sunday night is any indicator, the Razorback just might be the answer.
"They know they've got to keep running it now," Choice said.
