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.
Comments (48)
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
- All this talk is ridiculous. Andy waited two days to say he was starting Vick. Part of that had to do with the fact that there was a gigantic and paralyzing storm wreaking havoc throughout the Delaware Valley, the other part, was that he was either making Vick sweat a little or just pulling the strings and giving the puppets a chance to write this and say that about The Eagles needing to make a change.
If history, going back only to last year, tells us anything, it’s that the Eagles’ playoff hopes are not dead, nor will they be if they lose to the Saints on Monday. The season is dead when they are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, or when they give up and put a rookie QB in behind an O-line that can’t block.
— eaglesphreak23 - I understand the O-line has not been very good at all, but why do people fail to realize that Vick's undisciplined play in the pocket, and mechanics releasing the ball do not help the issue? They have blocking schemes for a reason, and when your QB freelances in the pocket and doesn't follow the scheme, it's almost impossible to block, especially when there are rookies and back-ups all over the place. Also, would somebody teach Vick to get the ball up on his shoulder in the pocket? He holds the ball at his waist until he decides to throw which costs him time, and also allows the defense to react to the pass...— Dannyy90
- yeah, poor Vick might never get a 2nd chance or 2nd $100M contract....oh, wait a second...hahaha....what an idiot above. Btw, Kordell was really a wide receiver...and a average one...haha. Stay ignorant— philly thug
- Give me a break! Who are you trying to kid! Only stupid reason Reid gave for not changing QB's is he couldn't get Foles ready and fix the Defense! what a joke! And remember Laurie is your next problem after Reid and Vick are gone!— lost eagle
- VICK STINKS...stop with the weak excuses...Vick is an awful 11-15 in his last 26 games over the LAST THREE YEARS, when Eagles had Jason Peters the BEST offensive lineman in football and everyone said the eagles had one of the best lines in the NFL, so STOP with the bull shot excuses...Vick has the most explosive offensive weapons in football in DeSean jackson, Macklin, McCoy, Celek and Avant, Eagles have always been one of the highest scoring teams when McNabb was here with much less offense talent...now Vick has the Eagles LAST IN POINTS SCORED PER GAMEin NFL....Vick also leads the NFL in TURNOVERS...Vick has LOST THREE GAMES IN A ROW...WOW, Vick is awful and any other QB would have already been BENCHED....— Bob112
- @Dannyy90 - Very good points. Vick does create a challenge for an already struggling O-line and his mechanincs are a problem, but at 31, he won't be changing either of those aspects of his gme.
A change is needed, and it is for every man on that team to stop looking to someone to blame for their underachieving ways. Vick is just one member, but each defender who has spoken to the media has all said something to the same effect of, “we didn’t do anything that bad or different,” or “we didn’t make too many big mistakes.” These fools need to get their heads on straight, get some sacks, force some turnovers, STOP DROPPING INTs, and maybe they will win some games. Oh and when the team is down by 20 late in the third quarter and it takes them more than 3 minutes to get into the end zone from the 15 yard line, that' a pretty big red flag for all paties involved, from head coauch to QB and every man in between.— eaglesphreak23 - I don't get why there is even a debate as to whether or not it's a good idea to bench your QB who leads the league in turnovers. Save for franchise guys, quarterbacks get benched in the NFL all the time. Vick isn't one of the elite guys, not even Vick would argue that. I also don't get the "you can't put a rookie in there" line of thinking.
Look what's going on across the league. Here are some names: Griffin, Luck, Weeden, Dalton, Freeman, Bradford, Ponder, Newton, Stafford, Tannehill, Wilson.... Pretty much all of these guys have been playing in the league only a year or two. And pretty much all of their teams are as good or better than the Eagles in the win-loss column. I'm not saying Foles is better or even as good as any of those guys. Say what you will about the O-line (I can pinpoint quite a few subpar units on the above list) but you simply can't just dismiss what Foles can or can't do until he's given the chance. Let's be real here: even if Vick gives the Eagles a better shot to win this week, does anybody in their right mind believe he's capable of leading the team to a Super Bowl?? So then what are we doing here.... - the whole you cant put a rookie behind this line excuse is brought up by vick supporters who have sympathy for the man. they dont want to see a rookie do better than their hero. they infact would root against foles and hope he gets injured and does not do good just so their hero doesnt look bad. if we were to root for vick to get injured we are racist... — defroe
- @Walkdogbl32 you right on man!!!! You have 3 token black QB's backing up Tavaris Jackson, Tyrod Taylor, and Joe Webb lol!!!! Jason Campbell and Byron Leftwich have black coaches lol!!!! People ignoring this blatant racism is beyond me!!!! Man it's the same as it's always been they looking for the next black stud if he mediocre 9/10 times he won't be backing up it's the cold hard truth!!!!!— shaad
- i agree with panpizza,no other NFL team would have rolled out the red carpet for conVick,,in his last 20 games he's 10w-10L with 22 INTS 19 fumbles,,as i mentioned last season conVick looks to be 'washed up' he's a back up QB at best,,the BIRDS should have started Nick Foles from the get-go,,6 rookies are starting already,,it's a joke how phony al sharpton (sheed) want to deal the race-card over conVick's horrible play..MV=0SBs..Book-it.....wolf.— wolf 4
- If you look at jay cutler, he is similar to Vick the defense makes the bears...they don't ever say lets bench cutler, romo has two 4 int games the owner backs him, Vick has one turnover that led to points...yet every week I hear play nick foles. Vick is a playmaker like Brett farce let him do what he does...and then except the good with the bad. But theses losses weren't his fault. It was a team loss in each loss. To think nick foles a 3rd round draft pick would play better is just not rational. It was pre season when every QBs usually has good numbers because teams run vanilla defenses. All the rookie QBs are struggling right now. Forget it ....this is like arguing with a stop sign!— Walkdogbl32
- If they put Nick Foles in, he better wear Vick's flack jacket. That O-line can't help running backs or quarterbacks. Might as well yell "Ole" everytime the defense breaches the line.
- The race card being played here is utterly embarrassing, and more of a reflection on your intelligence level. No one cares what color a QB is if they can play effectively. RG3 is the toast of the league. People blame the QB when the team plays poorly and is LAST in the league in scoring. Vick got plenty of love when he played well, but he leads the world in turnovers and stupid decisions right now. He refuses to step up in the pocket and run north / south, instead scrambling around backwards and sideways like an idiot. He appears to not understand how to properly read a defense and go through progressions. He does not know how, or refuses to learn how to run and slide feet first, which would protect himself from unnecessary hits. He's just playing awful football, and being white wouldn't change a thing.— cdedrick05
- I'm not playing a race card I'm giving you facts! The eagles dont have an ofeensive line and they send there receivers on deep routes on most plays. When the Eagles release vick he is most likely finished. most black QB's are finished at a time when they can still play. They are held to a higher standard and almost always are told they aren't smart enough. Vick is/was the most exciting QB to ever play the game. he made plays with arms and legs, yet people always say he sucks because he runs! — Walkdogbl32
- please never compare conVick to Brett Favre 71,000+ yards passing-500+TD passes--3 time MVP-3 time all pro QB ,,he took the Packers to a 13-3 record at Age 38 and the Vikings to 12-4 at Age 40 and missed going to the SB because of a OT coin flip..conVick is washed up at age 33 and never had the heart or onfield leadership of HOFer Brett Favre..MV=0SBs..book it....wolf.— wolf 4
- 3-5 after monday night saints 35-21 and im giving the eagles 21 points here because they are facing a last place defense in the league pretty much...... its just hard to believe they can win right now.— pr0f3ss0r
- Bad Decision - Should have benched Vick for New Orleans (a team they are likely to win against if the defense decides to show up) to give him a week to think about his poor decision making. It also gives Lurie and Reid a chance to see if Foles can show some poise and quick release in a regular season game.— Tom Man
- man can we get vick back in the wild cat put foles and vick out there show the opposing defense some different looks different plays. put vick back there with foles at qb. foles gives the ball to vick they will be like whats he gonna do run or pass, then fake to vick give to mccoy, then dont fake and throw a bomb down field i dunno but why does it have to be one or the other? if vick is playing like a rookie and foles is a rookie maybe together they can combine like vultron with andy as the head and create one awesome nfl caliber player lol just saying mccoy and brown are the legs and jackson and maclin are the arms. i can hear the vultron music going on in my head as i write this...— defroe
- You can hear Vultron music going on in your head as you write? Wonder what that sounds like. Seeing as you're such a huge fan, I wonder what you think is better - Vultron or Voltron. Voltron being a cartoon about 5 robot lions that make a larger robot, and Vultron being God knows what. — PiccoloKu
- The Eagles are doomed this year and for years to come. This is a .500 ball club. As talented as the WRs and RB are, they can't produce unless the ball gets into their hands and/or there are holes to run through. Fold it up fans, it is over.— billtfla
- all you people saying foles couldnt handle it because of the oline are dumb. the oline sucked in the preseason too and foles did hell of a lot better than vick did with the same damn line...— defroe
- So, I guess according to the idiot racists on the board (even though they will deny they are racist - ignorance isn't an excuse) we can't say a QB totally bl ows due to turnovers, 2nd worst points scored in the league, slowing running speed, and poor decisions just because he's black? Cry me a river - a a few have said, the "poor black QB" got a second chance and the chance to earn the $100 million contract he signed. Unfortunately, he hasn't earned it yet you want him to keep playing simply because he's a black man!— gdibig
- if you got hit as much as vick does, you would have slowing runningspeed too! — Walkdogbl32
- dam I was hoping that Foles would be named the starter this week, so all you racist mofos could get some rest. If I were Mike Vick I would tell you PAWT, to kiss my a@@— charmaine
- i would love to see vick sit down so all you racist who accuse others of reverse racism can watch foles get the hell beat out of him too. the maybe then you'll all figure it out that reid, moronwig and the entire coaching doesn't have a clue on how to coach the talent that they have/had on their team. lets' bring on the next bobby hoying, koy detmer, pete liske ...etc. as a matter of fact is rich kotite available?— ihatenewyorkers
- I find amazing that you can criticize Reid for his coaching (and I'm not a Reid supporter), but thats okay. However when you criticize Vick for his performance its racism. His numbers speak for themselves. He's at the very low end of the QB rating. Should he get a pass because he's black? It's widely known that the QB position gets more of the credit when a team wins, and more of the boos when the team loses.— watsonmr
- @Walkdogbl32.. To get away with telling a fundamental truth of what was.. what is.. and what is changing its hard to keep the facts stable. The fact is that you are right. But the way you get attacked is through the lack of specifics. They cant attack the truth. They attack fat. Its not that all black qb's go threw the same exact process.. only certain kinds of blacks'. The Donovan Mcnabb, Rodney Peete, Rg3 type of qb's dont get the same blacklash because their style is conformed and are always ready with a smile and a dance. The other types are critized because they are what they are. Only reason why Vick is still here is because there is a chance he can make his bosses the same kind of money he made them before. The problem is the team didnt put him in position to do so with that offensive line. As far as racism we see it on this board all the time. Even from the writers periodically. Who came to their senses when they realized that if they hang Vick on a rope they are going to do the same exact thing to their promising white qb. And so they dont call for Vick's head because they know it wouldnt benefit this kid because he actually has a chance to be special. And I think these writers realize this. Racism and reality is the gray line meeting the black line. And sometimes all you end seeing is darkness.— Zeru
- Poor Kordell, Aaron, Randall, and Donnie. I hope they have Obamaphones.— JamesJ
- Vick is not a back up. He deserves to play for teams that need a QB. Jacksonville, Chiefs. But we need a tall pocket QB that can get the ball out quickly. A lot of guys keep saying the line is to bad for a pocket QB. But thats the main reason you need a pocket QB. Eli and Big ben also have average olines but they know how to use their slot receivers better to get the ball out quickly. Its called anticipation.— Yes_General
- It will help the defense if they can get off the field for more than 2-3 minutes at a time (including tv timeouts). Vick has trouble seeing the field. A 6'0" person standing behind other men 6'4" up to 6'8" tall, it is tough. I noticed it on a couple of replays from differenct camera angles. He also releases the ball just above the shoulder. Vick is an average quarterback with flashes of brilliance coupled with flashes of confusion. Unfortunately, confusion usually leads to turnovers. With Vick the Eagles are a .500 team... With Foles the Eagles may be a .250 team or a .750 team we just do not know. I know Vick is inadequate to get the Eagles anywhere, let's see what Foles has.— chris_r
- Great coaches know how to structure an offense around players and talent level. Reid and morningweg have proven otherwise.— Yes_General
- its time for the mv experience to end.he has shown that he is incapable running this offense.he has not looked good since the 2010 season,once d-coordinators figured him out.he cannot read defenses even after being in the league 11 years.he still does not know how to navigate in the pocket ,and he does not have the intelligence to be an elite qb. i look at rg3 and i am amazed at his qb iq at running the hurry up or 2 minute drill. i am a black man who is a REALIST not a racist and realize that vick does not have the smarts .— swgaston
- This team cannot beat the teams that will enable us to go deep into the playoffs. Even if we get a wildcard, we are not physical enough to take a playoff run without a bye, just look at recent playoff appearances. We are too beat up because of our team makeup to make a serious run without a break. So enjoy whats left of the Reid era because its over!!!— troy ernst
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Eagletarian is your home for comprehensive coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Les Bowen
Daily News Staff Writer
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Daily News NFL Columnist
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