Michael Vick made his Steelers debut on the second series of the team’s Saturday preseason game in Buffalo and, even after an abbreviated week of practice work in unfamiliar surroundings, knew exactly where to go with the ball.
Vick threw a 63-yard pass to Martavis Bryant on his first play as the Steelers moved inside the Bills’ 20-yard line. Three plays later with the Steelers facing third down, Vick lofted a pass intended to Bryant into the end zone and Bryant drew a pass interference penalty to extend the drive.
The Steelers, by the way, are really going to miss Bryant during his four-game suspension to start the season.
Vick visited the Steelers Aug. 25 and signed with the team after a workout with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. The team needs a veteran backup because Bruce Gradkowski was placed on injured-reserve and because third-year quarterback Landry Jones has done little to make the team believe he can produce if Ben Roethlisberger was to suffer an injury.
Vick, 35, figures to get more work today and in next week’s preseason finale, and as long as he’s healthy and catches up to the playbook he’ll likely open the season as the primary backup to Roethlisberger despite being unemployed into the final week of August.