Vick: Eagles Panicky, but Not Soft
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Vick: Eagles Panicky, but Not Soft
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
The topic of the 3-5 Eagles and their reaction to adversity was prominent when reporters gathered around Michael Vick's locker stall today, as you might expect, with the Eagles having held fourth-quarter leads in seven of their eight games.
"When certain things happen in a game, we kind of go into a panic. You can't do that; you've got to keep pushing forward, stay confident, and keep a (winning) attitude. When we do that, we're one of the best teams in this league, I think," Vick said. "When we don't, you see what happens, we don't win football games."
It seemed natural to ask, in the wake of that response, if Vick agrees with fans and media observers that the Eagles are emotionally soft.
"We're going to conclude on that. I can't answer that question. This team is not emotionally soft, no. You gotta ask somebody else that question," Vick said. An Eagles spokesman had already said this would be the last question of the session.
Earlier, Vick said the problem wasn't a lack of leadership.
"We have tremendous leadership on this team. That's not our problem ... Going out and getting it done on the football field is our problem," he said.
Then why haven't the Birds been able to come back late and beat anyone, given the ball and plenty of time, as was the case Monday night against the Bears?
"I don't know. I really can't say. I just know we have opportunities to win games, and when you're in that position, you gotta take full advantage of it. There's not but so much we can do. You gotta win offense, defense, special teams, all three phases of the game, and that's how you get it done," Vick said.
Vick also said: "In order to win in this league, you have to play as a team."
Comments (32)
Comment removed.
Well folks there you have it. These guys aren't playing as a team. Obviously, trade talks, contract talks or lack of them and guys not living up to expectations has these guys thinking about things other than football. Maybe some of these guys are reading their own press. It's a me first world and it looks like these player have that mentality on the football field. I think they should have the me first attitude when tackling and catching the ball.
Please, I'm tired of how JJ was "the glue that held this team together"--JJ's defenses were good during the regular season and then collapsed during the playoffs and SB. 29, 20, 24, 32--those were the number of points his defenses gave up in NFCCG losses and the SB. I gave him a break for the Carolina game, which they gave up on 14 points, but couldn't stop the run--that game was squarely on the offense.— bobbyuk- Soft as buttah!
— Happy Bunny - It is not a lack of leadership, it is a lack of courage on Andy Reid's part to call a spade a spade. In this case the "wide 9" which allowed Matt Forte, a good back but not the greatest, to make the Birds look like a Pee Wee Football defense. With inexperienced and undersized linebackers, the "wide 9" does not work. With overzealous Defensive Ends charging up field, it is a no brainer to run off-tackle plays and traps.
Then lets get into the play of the secondary? What happened to covering receivers? Is that foreign to the Birds as is making adjustments in coverage to put someone capable in the intermediate zone? Horrible basics and don't even get into the tackling?— FraninTampa - Comment removed.
- Need a Brian Dawkins who states in the 4th quarter that "nobody scores, nobody gets past the 50 yard line". Cole and Babin are only ones who have the cred to do this. Defensive backs don't tackle so they would be laughed at.— StorminNorman
- Ummm. . .the problem is, and I'm the biggest Vick fan there is, that Vick didn't get the job done given the ball and over four minutes left, period. He is supposed to be the difference maker, and he was pedestrian. The Ravens didn't play all that great against the Steelers, but Flacco saved them at the end, just like Eli saved the Giants. Vick, if he wants to be considered elite, has to win these types of games. I gave him the benefit of the doubt against Green Bay last year on that interception to Tramon Williams, but this is starting to become a habit. He's got to be the difference maker.— asonepraise
- Vick is definitely not soft.....or he would not throw his body around the way he does....and as a leader he is protecting his guys...BUT REALITY is ---- the linebackers, the safeties, and the offensive line jsut doesn't have any talent....it is not heart or toughness....it is flat out NO talent.....plus light and fast gets beat by big studs all the time....and the Thanks goes to AReid for his brutal player personell selection....— nuggett
- JJ was a god! Don't blasphemy JJ!— Earl J
- I do like the way Vick isn't ducking questions. I think when you have all these new players, coaches and schemes, you have to expect some of this. You hope you have some luck and every mistake you make doesn't hurt you. They get away with some like all teams do but they're losing a bunch of games because they just aren't a good team yet. I really don't know if leadership like Dawkins would help much in this situation. They don't know the plays. One common theme I've noticed this year is that Vick says the opponent did a lot of things they've never done before. That's what you do to rookies. That's what you do to a team who can prepare well to deal with what they see on film. They don't have every offensive and defensive play in the playbook down cold and have plenty of experience with it. So the opponent changes it up and forces them to run plays that they didn't practice the previous week and they stuggle. They won't fix everything until the offseason.— MikeP
- TOO MANY ego`s . . . bye bye birdies— bob hayes
- TOO MANY ego`s . . . bye bye birdies— bob hayes
- TOO MANY ego`s . . . bye bye birdies— bob hayes
- vick contradicted himself, dont you think? "when certain things happen, we sometimes panic" and "we have leadership on this team".. exactly what kind of leadership allows panicking in the first place? panic causes loss of focus and loss of focus causes mental errors which lose games.. where is the leadership when panic happens?— zwarte piet
I think the players have heart. I think the coaching is terrible. reid himself used to always say "it starts in the trenches" back when they actually had a good 0-line, does it still start in teh trenches Andy ? when you have to go out and get guys off the street a week before the season opener ? because your drafting, and then your FA signings were that bad, is that "starting in the trenches" ??? this guy is an idiot that has gotten WORSE AND WORSE over his tenure, NOT BETTER. guess what, thats called BAD COACHING, or more like MEDIOCRE coaching because he definetely knows how to handle those Rams. except of course when even they were good when Vermeil coached them he lost to them back then . The guy is a perenninstial lose against the best coaches, that will never change in ANY YEAR. NEVER. the players for the most part have decent effort, the D looks confused, the coaching is TERRIBLE. Reid, Morhinweg, Castillo, Rosemand and Joe Banner should ALL BE FIRED OR RELEASED. EVERYONE ONE OF THEM. the system is GARBAGE and its gotten WORSE AND WORSE. With Banner/Roseman/Reid in charge this team will NEVER WINA SB CHAMPIONSHIP. NEVER.- If the Eagles are really serious about making a push for the playoffs this season, it's time to throw out the wide 9 and play a 4-3 which is better suited for the players they have. Next game if DRC and Ashante play as soft as they've been playing, bench them. Put Hanson in the slot Nnamdie goes to a corner put one of the rookies at the other corner. Coaches need to get in these guys faces. It's time for the tough love... if you are not going to play and be physical in a sport that is physical then you are going to sit and the next guy in line gets a shot and if that guys puts forth the effort you WILL lose your spot and you won't have to worry about your feelings getting hurt because your name is mentioned in trade talks... you will be traded if we can't trade you, you will be cut! Don't like Belichick much but he's a coach, not these guys buddy, Albert didn't perform he got cut, he even cut a DB when he knows he's short at the DB position. Gotta admire a coach who is a coach not worried about feelings or if guys like him. Giants hate their coach but they go out and play hard and get wins.
- listen Eagles fans. Defense wins championships. The Eagles are a offensive team or that IS their idenity. You need a coach that will make that HIS priority first. Jeff Fisher is the perfect choice. I like Andy Reid, but that's how you'll fix the "superbowl" drought. I live in Baltimore...I know a great defense when I see one..our team in Baltimore has this I.D....I pray that Philly ownership sees this "truth" and does just what I'm saying ..or should I say.."we ALL are saying.....?"— Kirk Martin
- Vick & the offense are certainly not the problem...they are putting up the points needed to win an NFL game...an average of 25.4 per game (#9 in NFL). Defense needs to keep it below that number, at least!!!— kelprod2
- Mike P you are on point I am disappointed in our latest loss... A common theme with New Teams with New Coaches, New Schemes, New Players especially with the talent that has been assembled... One week they look like world beaters... The next week they look like the rookie team that we have seen the last several weeks... I haven't forgotten the many New Young Eagle teams which went on to establish their own Identities... That identity took Time to evolve and display their ability on the field of play... This team will also... Go Eagles.— trinieagle
- What's Vick supposed to say? This team's season is basically over at the halfway point. At least they're not throwing one another under the bus.— p-diddy
- kelprod2, have you watched any of the games? The offense is a problem. Costly turnovers, boneheaded penalties and napping during the 4th quarter. This is supposed to be one of the most explosive offences in the league. Vicks 60-70 QB rating performances are not going to get it done. If not for McCoy, this team is 0 for.— chris_r
- Atlanta Vick is not playing like the superman of that stretch last year. He has been average ever since and Cutler outplayed him big time. But that is only part of it. They are a soft team w unsound fundamentals a by product of the head coach and they are devoid of talent in certain crucial areas. Soft and sweet!— law abiding citizen
- The Eagles offfense is not the problem.They put up an average of 25 points points per game. Eagles defense team are ill-equipped/ manhandled.. at each game. And, ofcourse, total collapse at 4th Q. Terrible!!!
Yeah... we need a Strong, hard hitting DEFENSIVE team to hold teams down at 14 points per game. I know deep down in my heart that Eagles are not in the playoffs picture. However, I am staying on the bandwagon for 2011. Jeffrey Lurie, come on.. get this right in 2012 season. Goshhhhhhh— catch22run - thats what happens when your coach puts together an undersized defense. I havent seen a hard hit from the eagles defense since sheldon brown hit reggie bush— franknbeans
- thats what happens when your coach puts together an undersized defense. I havent seen a hard hit from the eagles defense since sheldon brown hit reggie bush— franknbeans
- So Vick wants us to believe him and not our lying eyes as we watch the games? What a bunch of wimps the Eagles are, starting with Reid.— farhorizons
- Maybe Lurie can donate Andy Reid, Marty Mohrninweg, and Juan Castillo to Penn State.— rhawnhurster
- Drafting small, fast "high motor" players from obscure schools instead of BIG,, fast, AND STRONG "high motor" players from major colleges, is problem #1 with Reid and the rest of the idiots in control.— essell
- lEADERSHIP BEGINS WITH THE COACHES!! The players follow the plan and the eagles plan , is to me, non-exsistent. The D looks confused, the offense should lean on McCoy at the end and does the opposite. Kicking game SUCKS. Watching this Eagles team is disgusting 85% of the time.— Trot
- After years of observing Andy Reid panicking in games where he does not hold a 21-point lead with three minutes to go, or actually having to score points late to win the game, what can you expect? The Land Whale is pretty good at running up a lead and relying on his 20-or-so scripted plays, but cannot coach when the heat is on. Andy has had 13 years to learn how to do this, and still he panics. It starts at the top, folks!— NM Eagle fan
- It is clear as day or a window that the problem with this team is the DEFENSE, people! If the offense is averaging 25 points a game, that should be more than enough to win at least half of the games they lost.Unfortunetly, Andy loves his bargain basement linebackers.When the Monday Night announcers said they had no higher than a 6th round draft pick as a starter at LB I was stunned, even though I knew he had a low opinion of LBs.But the Bears showed us what true stud backers look like with Briggs and Urlacher.I don't know why this team acts like it does not matter who mans those positions! They are easily the weak link of this team, and it shows in every game. just look at the points scored in the losses, and the manner of drives that all of the teams have against them.LSU and Alabama have better defenses than the Eagles,and that's really the problem.— antmry312
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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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