For much of quarterback Michael Vick’s scintillating stint with the Philadelphia Eagles, a major area of focus was the amount of hits he was taking and how to fix it.

During his main stretch as a starter from 2010 to 2012, he absorbed 323 hits over 35 games (more than nine per game), second most in the NFL behind only Cam Newton (342). That punishment led to various injuries for Vick, including rib and cartilage damage when he dove head first toward the goal line against Washington in 2010 and got walloped by a pair of defenders. Vick later revealed that, for as gifted as an athlete as he was, he didn’t know how to slide. That didn’t stop the requests from pouring in, including from President Barack Obama, who asked teammate Nnamdi Asomugha during an offseason fundraiser to: “Tell Vick to slide.”

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Everyone knows I think @cj_wentz is spectacular-this is the first play I show him tomorrow. He’s too good. He’s too experienced. He’s too mature to let this happen-
This is sack #2 in game

YOUR ORG NEEDS TOU TO GET RID OF THIS PLAY-TONIGHT! pic.twitter.com/JLCLpTXqYO

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) September 14, 2020

Playcalling and protection issues were a factor in how Wentz played, but on multiple occasions the responsibility for the negative plays fell on the quarterback.

“That’s just the mentality I have: I’m always trying to make a play and extend a play when it’s there to be made,” Wentz said. “Sometimes you make ’em, sometimes you don’t, sometimes bad things happen, you take a sack. I have to be better and get rid of the ball when I can, but my mentality on that front doesn’t change within a game or within a week. But I’ve just got to know better and know when just to get rid of the ball.”

Wentz has talked about the “fine line” between being aggressive and reckless for much of his four-plus seasons in Philadelphia. His attack mindset helped him to a near-MVP season in 2017. It’s also left him vulnerable to injury and to bouts of uneven play. His coaches urged him last season to play within the system more and let the big moments develop organically.

When asked whether Wentz is listening to advice on being aggressive but also keeping the play alive, the Eagles coach Doug Pederson says it’s something he’s working on with his quarterback.

“We still have to continue to address him and to address those issues. It’s part of the football game. We just have to keep talking that it’s OK to throw the ball away. It’s OK to dirt the ball on a screen pass or something of that nature,” Pederson said.

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Field Yates and Matthew Berry discuss whether fantasy managers can expect both Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert to be top-10 locks every week.

Wentz entered this season feeling confident he was closer to achieving that state, thanks in part to the coaches and quarterbacks he’s learned from through the years, including Josh McCown and Nick Foles.

“I came in as a rookie, and I was just slinging it all over, too many picks and forcing balls and always wanting to have the big play and take it down the field, and then just over the years learning that there’s a time and place for both,” Wentz told ESPN this month.

“That’s the biggest thing is just understanding the game from a different perspective, a new perspective, not just always wanting the big play or always wanting to rip down the field and just knowing how to win football games.”

He harnessed that for much of the four-game win streak to close the 2019 regular season, guiding a decimated offense into the postseason in the process. And it’s possible he’ll recalibrate and take off against the visiting Rams (1 p.m. ET, Fox).

Wentz needs to show the mastery of that balance soon, not just for the sake of the season but because it’s Year 5 for Wentz, and at some point, you are who you are.

Lyon continue to set the standard for the women’s game in Europe.

Les Fenottes collected their fifth-straight Women’s Champions League crown on Sunday with a 3-1 win over Wolfsburg in Spain’s Basque region.

Before the final, Wolfsburg last lost in March 2019. Their opponents in that Champions League quarterfinal defeat were, of course, the eventual champions, Lyon.

Lyon went ahead in the 28th minute when they broke down Wolfsburg’s left-hand side. Delphine Cascarino eventually cut the ball back for Eugenie Le Sommer – who intelligently slowed her run, occupying space in front of the retreating backline – and the 31-year-old finished after Friederike Abt parried her initial effort.

The all-conquering French team’s second goal was a ruthless finish. A deep cross couldn’t be cleared by Wolfsburg or controlled by a Lyon player until the ball dribbled toward Saki Kumagai at the edge of the box. The Japanese midfielder smacked a first-time, left-footed shot from 20 yards that swerved and dripped into the bottom corner.

Wolfsburg hadn’t managed to pressure Lyon throughout the opening half, but they got themselves back into the game 10 minutes into the second stanza.

Lyon goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi palmed away a cross that fell to Ewa Pajor, but the speedy attacker’s lash went across the six-yard box rather than toward the mesh. Thankfully, Alexandra Popp was on her toes and headed in the wayward shot from close range.

Wolfsburg, with renewed belief, were focusing their attacks down the side of right-back Lucy Bronze, who was playing her last game for Lyon. However, Jean-Luc Vasseur’s side was defending heroically and put the match out of reach with two minutes remaining.

Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir, who started the season with Wolfsburg, reacted quickly when Le Sommer’s half-volley appeared to flash wide of the post, diverting the ball into the net with a deft flick.

Bouhaddi, Le Sommer, Wendie Renard, and Amel Majri have now won the Champions League seven times – more than anybody who has participated in the women’s or men’s edition of the competition.