Vick Says He Must Regain 'Swag'
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagles Blog
Vick Says He Must Regain 'Swag'
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, given a strong endorsement Thursday by head coach Andy Reid, said he needs to regain his aggressiveness, to get his "swag" back, as the Birds prepare for Monday's visit with the New Orleans Saints.
"When I watched the tape from Sunday, I just thought I didn't play aggressive enough," Vick said after Reid told reporters he did not seriously consider benching Vick and sees him as the quarterback for the remainder of the season. "There's a lot to learn from on that film. Probably moreso than any other loss we've had all season."
Vick and other Eagles said they felt a players-only meeting held Wednesday might help give the team the energy and focus it seemed to lack in its last two losses. Vick called the meeting, but several veterans spoke, players said.
"I'm very comfortable with this offense," Vick said, responding to DeSean Jackson's comment Tuesday about Vick not looking comfortable. "I'm only human, just like everybody else. I think I was just trying to cater to certain things, trying to be what everybody wanted me to be ... I gotta get my 'swag' back, get back to playing football the way I love to play it."
Reid tried to explain his statement Sunday that he would evaluate everything, including the QB, which led to Vick being asked a question Sunday that led Vick to say Reid was "obviously" considering a quarterbacking change.
"There's a time and a place when you're upset, and I was upset after the game," Reid said. "Not at Michael Vick. I was upset, starting with myself not getting my team ready to play, and working from there. But I've learned to step back and evaluate, so that was my point to you. My point wasn't that I was gonna bench Michael Vick, it was that I needed to step back and evaluate before I came to you with something.
"I mentioned to you yesterday (in a statement) that Michael was the quarterback, is the quarterback and will continue to be the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles," Reid said, chuckling slightly. "I can't make it any more clear than that."
The Sunday drama seemed a little odd in that Vick managed not to turn the ball over, for only the second time all season. The main culprit in the loss was new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles' unit, which allowed Atlanta to eat vast stretches of clock while scoring the first six times it had the ball. There wasn't much Vick was going to do about that, from the sideline.
"Honestly, Michael played, I thought, one of his better games," Reid said. "He takes a lot of responsibility on himself. He knows that I'm on board."
"He is the leader of the team. He understands that."
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Reid said guard Danny Watkins (ankle) will struggle to be ready for Monday's game at New Orleans, meaning a second successive start for rookie Dennis Kelly. Defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins will sit out practice today with a knee hyperextension, but Jenkins and Reid said they think he will be OK for the game. Reid said Damaris Johnson will return punts against the Saints, with Mardy Gilyard sidelined by a hamstring problem. Defensive tackle Mike Patterson might make his season debut vs. the Saints, Reid and Patterson said.
***
Asked about the players' meeting, tight end Brent Celek said:
"We gotta turn this thing around. We gotta turn it around quick. This season's not lost, but there needs to be some drastic changes, and we need to do it. It needs to be shown on the field.
"I think things just need to get cleared up. Nothing major; I'm not going to really get into specifics about what we talked about, but quite a few things needed to get cleared up, and it happened, and it was good for our team.
"I think anytime you have some kind of issue in life, if you talk about it with somebody and clear the air, it makes things better."
I was just thinking that I needed to go out this weekend and get my "swag" back as well. See you all at Arby's.— jbandit2116- Blab, blab, blab...same old big talk, Vick previously called the Eagles a DYNASTY, but Vick has not even won a stinkin playoff game in years....LOL— Bob112
- Sounds like the politicians who tell you they can solve all your problems but offer no specifics. "I gotta get my swag back".......Please!— GoingPostal10
- What's next, a "Let Me Be Me" t-shirt, a la Randall Cunningham?— p-diddy
- All is well everyone...Vick says he's going to get his "swag" back. I feel so much better now. Super Bowl here we come!!!! I always knew the greats had swag...Montana, Elway, Manning.....finally we have a QB with it. Reid is really onto something here.
— RealizticFan - Maybe "swag" is hood lingo for abusing animals. Fade away from football and focus on your bankruptcy. You seem to be better at that.
— Bobski5000 - blah, blah, blah. all this talk from Vick, reid and the endzone-dancing smurf. they should have a media lockout and just play football. too much talking fellas.
— Tyrone Biggums - Is this guy ConVick for real. He is a legend only in his little pea-sized brain if he has a brain. He and the FAT MAN should just make a PR recording and play it at every news conference following an Eagle's loss. Nothing ever changes. Times yours ConVick and Fat Andy!!!!!— oneway
- For years and years now we have heard Reid say how upset he was at himself for not getting the team in a position to win. Of course we all understand the cure for the problem, Andy. Why don't you? And I've been one of your strongest backers over the years. Go, coach. just go.!— Cactusjim
- Ho hum, hoo, hum.— olddog
- Like virginity, you can't get it back.— JamesJ
- This team is full of mongrels. The coaching staff is garbage but the players were vastly over-rated/over-hyped. That is the modus operandi of this organization though. Keep hyping it and people will buy it. Look at some in the national media that pick the Eagles to be in the Super Bowl every year. The Tonner wasn't fooled. They beat 4 wounded animals at the end of 2011 and were lucky to get to 8 and 8. The Tonner said they wouldn't even get to 8 and 8 after losing their best cornerback and offensive lineman this year. Sadly, the Tonner was right as per usual. Jeff, hire Bill Polian, he's the NFL version of Pat Gillick. Do it and send Howie back to the mail room. Do something with that upholstered toilet the Linc too while you're at it.
- This means the coaches told Vick, just go play, don't worry about turnovers, run, run,run, don't even worry about sliding. Behind the scenes the coaches are hoping he gets hurt so they can put Foles in without the Bros getting upset about the benching of their childhood hero.— Lets Eat
- what they really mean is they have to get their back swaged— stoky
- I like vick - i wish he was a better player. Same with andy as a coach. I think jeffrey shouldbhave sat them down in the beginning of the year and asked them what they thought a good year would be. I doubt either of them said this and i would hope Reid would do the honorable thing at the end of the year and fall on the sword. As for Vick he did already and i hope people take him fotr what he is till the end of the year a hard working guy trying to make good who is past his prime and just cant get the job done. Like i said i like him as an athlete and respect the come back and his loyalty it is unfortunately a results oriented situation he is in...— JL68
