Vick impresses
Michael Vick flicked his wrist and fired tight spirals deep downfield.
A two-year layoff sure didn’t hurt Vick’s arm strength. He showed off his skills Saturday in his first NFL practice with the Philadelphia Eagles since completing his prison sentence.
“He throws the ball as hard as anybody I’ve ever seen,” said wide receiver Danny Amendola, a second-year pro who spent last season on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad.
Wearing a No. 7 red quarterback’s jersey, Vick took part in limited drills with the offense. He worked in 1-on-1s, 7-on-7s and red-zone offense. Vick mostly observed Donovan McNabb during the two-hour session.
When he got a chance on the field, the 29-year-old quarterback made the most of it. He had plenty of zip behind his throws and completed a few deep balls, including one to rookie wideout Jeremy Maclin down the sideline.
Vick put in extra time after practice, working on footwork and mechanics with offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. He was the last player to leave the field, jogging off with his helmet still on.
Asked how he felt, Vick replied, “Great.”
Work in progress
Arrowhead Stadium is functional, not finished.
The 38-year-old stadium was ready for the Kansas City Chiefs’ preseason opener against the Houston Texans on Saturday night, though there’s still a long way to go before the $375 million renovation project is complete.
Outside the stadium, fans saw plenty of sheet metal and steel girders. Inside was much closer to a finished product. Renovation is scheduled to be completed by next season.
Preseason games
Bills 27, Bears 20: Jay Cutler came out throwing against Buffalo in his Chicago debut, missing as many attempts as he completed, not including the one he had intercepted, in a loss in Orchard Park, N.Y.
Lions 27, Falcons 26: No. 1 pick Matthew Stafford threw a touchdown, an interception and had some passes dropped in his debut, but it was Mead High School and Washington State graduate Jason Hanson’s 47-yard field goal as time expired that lifted Detroit to a win over Atlanta in Detroit.
Packers 17, Browns 0: Aaron Rodgers directed two long touchdown drives before departing, and Green Bay’s new 3-4 defense gave Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson fits in the Packers’ win over Cleveland in Green Bay, Wis.
Texans 16, Chiefs 10: Chris Brown scored on a short run and Kris Brown kicked three field goals, lifting Houston to a rain-soaked victory over Kansas City in Kansas City, Mo. Matt Cassel played only three series in his Chiefs debut and completed 2 of 3 passes for 15 yards.
Titans 27, Buccaneers 20: Kerry Collins was intercepted twice while backup Vince Young threw for 131 yards and a touchdown, rallying Tennessee to a win over Tampa Bay in Nashville, Tenn.
Around the league
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Marcus Smith will undergo season-ending right knee surgery after tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament in Thursday’s game against the Washington Redskins. … The New Orleans Saints have signed veteran free-agent kicker John Carney, the team announced. … The Oakland Raiders signed cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. and released tight end John Paul Foschi. The move comes two days after Oakland’s backup cornerbacks struggled in the opener against Dallas.