Delay Suggests Make-or-Break for Vick
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Delay Suggests Make-or-Break for Vick
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Andy Reid let it be known Wednesday that Michael Vick will start Monday night in New Orleans.
The fact that Reid needed three days after Sunday's devastating loss to the Falcons to announce his quarterbacking decision tells us it was not an easy, automatic one. Reid won't speak about his thought process until Thursday, when practice resumes, but it's likely he came to the same conclusion many observers reached this week: the Eagles' best chance to save their season and make the playoffs remains with getting Vick back in the flow. The 2-5 Saints have the league's 32nd-ranked defense. Unlike the Birds' last three opponents, they are not coming off their bye week.
If Vick regains some swagger in New Orleans, the Eagles are 4-4 at midseason and everything looks better. If Vick can't beat the Saints, then the playoffs are a distant dream, and Reid might as well go with rookie Nick Foles the next Sunday, at home against the Cowboys. As Daily News columnist Rich Hofmann has mentioned, the only hope Reid has then of keeping his job is some sort of promising finish under Foles that would allow Reid to create a narrative of hope for the future. Though it's very hard to see Jeffrey Lurie buying that. Even harder to picture Lurie trying to SELL that, after last year's tortured postseaon Lurie performance, in which the owner said the only reason not to fire Reid right then was because he thought the team was on the right road to turn things around this year.
Vick's reaction to all this will be interesting. It sure seems he has one game to prove he is more than the turnover-prone mediocrity he has been this season. Does he rise to that challenge with patience and precision behind an unsettled offensive line, or does he try to do too much Monday, and throw the season away in a series of desperate gambles?
A week from now, we'll know if there is any hope for the 2012 Eagles.
I'm with you Vick, but the coach should endorse you for the rest of the season, or start the rookie. I'm going on a limb and I'm gonna say you will win the next 8 games and lead us to the Super Bowll. For you, you have nothing to lose...so play your game....from here on out..leave it all on the field. History has shown by being black you won't get another chance in the nfl. It's unfair but it's true. They recycle coaches under performing QBs (white). But not the black ones. So knowing this....it's time for the MV experience . If anyone needs an example look at kordell Stewart, look at Aaron brooks, etc.— Walkdogbl32- Dude, seriously? You use Kordell Stewart and Aaron Brooks as examples? You're joking right? First off, Vick is WAY better than either of those guys. Kordell fell apart when he went to Chicago. Aaron Brooks was just a jerk.
I mean, Warren Moon, he never got recycled, right? Or how about that other guy, Randall Cunningham, or that one guy Rodney Peete or maybe even. You could even throw in Charlie Batch and Air McNair (RIP).
Your sample size is much smaller, but try comparing apples to apples man. There's a reason Akilli Smith and Andre Ware and Aaron Brooks were one and done and it had nothing to do with them being black.
— phillyphaninchi - What you're saying about black QBs not getting recycled is really not true. You need look no further than Randall Cunningham for proof of that. Randall got booted out of Philly when everyone thought he was washed up, went to Minnesota and became a hero. — SteveS11
- yeah because after philly mcnabb didnt go to redskins and then to the vikings before being let go. the nfl hates black quarter backs! — defroe
- Randall Cunningham retired then came out of retirement to be a backup. he got the job due to injury and they never looked back! When he retired he was still good, But no one wanted to give him a chance. He started a marble company in LV, before being called out of retirement......check your facts buddy!! — Walkdogbl32
- "History has shown by being black you won't get another chance in the nfl."
Sorry (honest)that racism in this country has affected your ability to deal with reality. Vick has gotten his second NFL chance and it was here in Philly. He was no longer an effective QB in Atlanta when he was sent away for violating federal laws. He also got pleasure from killing dogs in assorted ways. Lurie and Reid, two NFL white guys,gave him a second chance and a huge amount of money. Vick was made the starting QB over a white guy, Kolb, who got injured and wasn't given his job back.— Dr Bri - Vick's challenges this year are BECAUSE OF the O-line injuries. He tried to compensate and save the day with forced throws and runs.
Ditka (ESPN) said during a review of the ATL game clips - with this O-line they have no choice but to run 40-times each game, FORWARD not sideways:)
Scapegoating run amok.— saunhi - sorry to say even when he has protection and open recievers frantically waiving at them he isnt making the right throws but its all the coaches and the o lines fault... — defroe
- Stewart played for 3 teams, Look at Rodney Peete played for 6 teams.
McNabb 3, etc.....c'mon, if you can play they will hire you. Vick got the best second chance of anybody I can think of.— tpizza - Eagles should start calling more Vick running plays, with the understanding that if he gets hurt, Foles is in. In 2010 he ran the ball, and he looked great. In 2011 and 2012, he hasn't, and look where we're at.— c.ley
- If Vick makes this Saints D look good, he will never play another NFL game again. He will be behind Edwards on the depth chart.
I would like to think that this means Vick will play the game of his life. But he seems to have lost 2 steps of speed overnight. He never developed the skills of a savvy veteran. There's just no objective reason to think that Vick is going to break out of his funk. When a "funk" lasts a year and a half it's not a funk it's who you are.— TongueWagger - @walkdogbl32... it is said that the truth shall set you free, but on this site it will get you set on fire. Your comments will only lead to posters saying that their take on this situation is purely motivated by a love of this team and football even if when they analyze the situation they all come to the same conclusion... it's Vicks fault. Oh yeah the other players have underperfomed and made horrible mistakes, but if Nick Foles were back their they would have done much better. The implication that Vick's lack of intelligence being the reason this team is losing is all over most of the comments on this site. I agree with what you've said 100% I just want you to be prepared for the outrage.— Eaglemaniacle
- dude to say our critisizm of the qb is due to racism is idiotic... look at his numbers and tell me we dont have ground to stand on with how we feel. you wont your not an eagles fan you are just a vick fan. i dont care about the players white black yellow or brown i care about the team. when vick is gone if he gets a chance to play for another team i wont root for him no more im rooting for whoever is on my team. and right now though i think he has stunk oh for about 2 years now i will still be rootin for vick. but yall have to face reality he hasnt been that good black or white his stats are why we feel the way we feel. — defroe
- To Walkdogbl32: Maybe instead of making unfounded racial remarks, you should do as your screen name suggests and go walk some dogs!!!!! Vick got a chance that most convicted felons would never get. Actually, he got more time and chances than he deserved.— oneway
- and Vick would make a great backup for a few years, no doubt someone will have him in that role if he doesnt get another shot to be a starter. Brooks played for Raiders after Saints and was not very good there so thats usually enough to be out of the league before too long. This happens to many players, black and white. Reid is going down with Vick so it would be up to Lurie to fire Reid for any changes. Once Vick flails in the Saints game against that awful D it will be the same excuses for him, and same talk next week as this week.— peteike
