Vick is frustrated by hits. (Getty Images)

Posted by Ryan Wilson

After the Giants thoroughly dismantled the Eagles Sunday, a bruised (but not broken!) and battered Michael Vick spoke with the media. Philly's quarterback had been forced from the game for the second straight week, this time with a right-hand injury. He wasted little time getting to the point.

"At some point something catastrophic is going to happen," he said. "Not to blame the refs or say that it was their fault, it's just one of those unfortunate situations and I just think more precautions should be taken when I'm inside the pocket. If you look at all the replays, I'm on the ground every time and it's unfortunate for myself and it's unfortunate for my team and I'll be lying if I said I wasn't, if I were to sit here and say I wasn't frustrated right now because of that."

A day later, Vick softened his stance. "I was kind of out of character and being too candid in that aspect. Ultimately, I have respect for the referees and their decision to make calls. You won't hear me complaining about it no more."

The NFL hasn't commented publicly on Vick's observations which we take to mean that the issue is behind us. Except that former NFL VP of Officiating Mike Pereira, who now works as a FOX NFL analyst, has some thoughts on the matter.

Appearing on SiriusXM Radio's Evan and Phillips in the Morning (transcription via PFT), Pereira needed only six words to get to the heart of the matter.

“Well, I thought it was ridiculous,” he said.

There's more, of course.

“It actually took me back, it took me back to my job in New York when I worked for the league, and it was a constant complaint by the Eagles, whether it was [Donovan] McNabb at quarterback or whether it was Vick. They clearly complained more than any other team.”

And more still.

“He’s a quarterback that’s on the move, he’s going to get hit more,” Pereira said. “Yes, there are a couple that may be missed but the fact that a ton of them are missed and that he’s hit late all the time is absurd. And he comes out and kind of does the mea culpa yesterday but at the same time what did he say? ‘I was being too candid.’ Well, that doesn’t sound to me like much of an apology. And also the damage is done. I don’t want to be the referee that goes in there now next and works with him. If he calls a roughing the passer penalty for a hit on Vick everybody’s going to say, ‘Well, Vick taunted him into that.’ If he doesn’t [call it] there’s going to be more criticism. So I think it was a bunch of bull and it didn’t sit well with me and it still doesn’t.”

Vick M.A.S.H. update

Judge: Eagles have bigger issues than Vick Brinson: Sorting the Sunday Pile Katzowitz: Mandatory mouthguards? Vick likely to start in Week 4 Vick softens stance on officials Vick injury is hand contusion, not break

On one hand, we understand Vick's frustration. The guy takes an absolute beating. On the other hand, it is ridiculous to suggest that he's alone. Ben Roethlisberger is a perfect example. Not only is he mobile in the pocket, but he's also a huge target. If anybody had a legit complaint about not getting calls, it's Big Ben. (Remember when Haloti Ngata broke Roethlisberger's nose by clubbing him in the face last season? No flag, though Ngata was later fined.)

Jay Cutler and Tony Romo also take weakly drubbings, and Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan have been known to get rocked a time or 10 a game, too.

The difference between Vick and the five other quarterbacks we listed? Vick's the only one bellyaching publicly. And let's be honest: it's not like he's playing behind the Texans' offensive line. The five guys responsible for protecting Vick are, to put it kindly, a mess. Maybe Philly's QB should first direct his comments at offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg since he's responsible for dialing up the plays that inevitably lead to Vick getting peeled off the turf.

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