What they're saying about the Eagles: Week 17
Andy Reid and Michael Vick will go out together, as it should be. Reid brought Vick to Philadelphia, demoted him following a concussion this season, and will be forced to go back to him in the final game.
What they're saying about the Eagles: Week 17
Andrew O'Brien, Philly.com Sports Contributor
Andy Reid and Michael Vick will go out together, as it should be. Reid brought Vick to Philadelphia, demoted him following a concussion this season and will be forced to go back to him in the final game. Maybe it’s for the best. Eagles fans have wanted Reid gone for a long time, but these conditions were likely needed to prompt Jeffrey Lurie to make the move. Now, the franchise can restart, purge the coaching staff, members of the front office and however many players they choose. There will be no talk of “close” with this team, except for maybe being close to an 0-15 record at this point. It’s not hard to start over in the NFL, but it is hard to do it without bottoming out. The Eagles needed to tank, so at least we can thank Reid and Vick for bringing it about.
Here’s what they’re saying about what should be Reid and Vick’s last game as Eagles:
From the Philly media
How could Lurie justify bringing Reid back for a 15th season? Reuben Frank has a couple ways:
“First of all, Lurie acknowledged in August that if the Eagles were decimated by injuries in 2012, he could make an exception to his declaration that the Eagles needed 'substantial improvement' from 8-8 for Reid to keep his job.
'I guess if two thirds of the team is not playing, there are always exceptions,' Lurie said.
The defense has been largely healthy, but the offense has been torn apart, with long-term or season-ending injuries to Jason Peters (before Lurie met with the media), Jason Kelce, Todd Herremans, DeSean Jackson, Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy, Clay Harbor and now Nick Foles.
Is it enough for Lurie to give Reid a second chance?” [CSNPhilly.com]
The Reid-Vick era is coming to an end. [Delco Times]
Reid won’t answer any questions about what will be his last game as the Eagles’ coach, but it’s only because he’s focused on the Giants and not because he never answers any questions he doesn’t want to. [CSNPhilly.com]
Things Jason Babin has compared to socialism: the Eagles, oranges and group text messaging. [The 700 Level]
Bob Grotz says Foles has done well, but the Eagles need a franchise quarterback:
“Rookie Nick Foles has had his moments. The last-play win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was gold. This past Sunday he had a chance to do it again but blew up in the last minute. A broken hand didn’t help.
More than ever it’s clear that Foles can play in the NFL. Even win a game here or there. But so many questions remain about Foles that it’s impossible to visualize him as elite, which is what it takes at quarterback to win in this league. If you could get a quarterback for a Christmas present, you just wouldn’t wake up to find a guy like Foles under the tree.”
Mychal Kendricks and Fletcher Cox are likely out Sunday. [CSNPhilly.com]
Antonio Dixon is back. [Bleeding Green Nation]
For the first time in 14 years, zero Eagles were named to the Pro Bowl. [CBS Philly]
The Eagles wouldn’t mind preventing the Giants from making the playoffs. [CSNPhilly.com]
DeSean Jackson is #TeamBreezy. [The 700 Level]
From the national media
Jason La Canfora thinks Foles has shown enough to enter next season as the starting quarterback:
“There is enough to work with at least for this offseason, and it will be very interesting to see what the next coach in Philadelphia thinks of him. You could do a whole lot worse, seems to me, and I am not sure you are going to be able to do much better in what looks like a watered-down draft class and given the limited options in free agency. Get that offensive line improved (maybe Jason Peters is back at left tackle), stick with a more balanced offensive approach and give the kid a full 2013 to show what more he can do.” [CBS Sports]
Falling short in a comeback against the Redskins was a fitting way for Reid’s final home game to end, Don Banks writes. [Sports Illustrated]
The Giants don’t sound too thrilled to be facing Vick while needing a win to make the playoffs. [USA Today]
Evan Mathis, DeMeco Ryans and Alex Henery all deserved a look for the Pro Bowl. [ESPN]
Found the one person who thinks Reid should be back. [CBS Sports]
From the New York media
Could the Eagles prevent the Giants from making the playoffs for the second time in three years? [NBC New York]
Hakeem Nicks could miss Sunday’s game. [ESPN New York]
Tom Coughlin wants a strong effort out of the Giants against the Eagles, even if their playoff hopes are slim. [New York Post]
The Giants need a win over the Eagles and losses by the Bears, Cowboys and Vikings to make the playoffs. [New York Daily News]
On Chip Kelly
La Canfora reports the Eagles will make Oregon head coach Chip Kelly their primary target in their soon-to-commence coaching search:
“The Eagles won't be the only team to contact Kelly, but league sources expect them to be among the first to try to interview him and believe he could emerge as a quick favorite for the position. The attractiveness of the Eagles job, versus other potential opportunities on Kelly's plate, remains to be seen. Kelly turned down Tampa Bay last offseason after effectively agreeing to take the job, and it's not known how Philly's fluid quarterback situation and organizational structure might factor into his interest there.” [CBSSports.com]
Could the Eagles go back to Vick if Kelly is hired? Ron Jaworski thinks it’s a possibility:
“Nick Foles will not run a Chip Kelly offense if he decided to come here, rest assured of that,” Jaws told Jon Marks and Sean Brace on 97.5 The Fanatic. “If a coach like Chip Kelly…that runs this up-tempo, spread, speed-style option, these guys come here, there might be a future for Michael Vick. I know he’s [32], I know he’s been beat up, but I’ll tell you, some of the things I’m seeing, Michael Vick can do the same things these guys are doing in the spread option.” [Eagles 24/7]
Power Rankings
Here’s where the Eagles ranked in polls of varying importance:
Philly.com - 30
ESPN - 29
NFL.com - 28
Sports Illustrated - 29
Pro Football Talk - 29
CBS Sports - 29
FOX Sports - 24
Yahoo! Sports - 27
Vick's a proven veteran, Reid, well 14 years no SB, you tell me... Still dont see the logic for Foles yet without maybe another year of clipboard time on the sidelines first, thats how QBs are made. As for Vick, the only reason to let him go is thats the only way not to pay him what was promised. A contract is a promise. Last but not least. I will believe Reid is fired when I hear it from Lurie, the Philly sports writers repeat things so often, they manufacture a perception of truth. Dont be surprised if Reid is back.— keithf35- You say enough said about 14 years of Reid's failure, yet you say Vick is a proven veteran. Vick has 10 years of failure - still ZERO playoff wins! What exactly has he proven? That he excels at giving the ball to the other team? That he excels at not playing an entire season? That he excels at not winning? They worded Vick's contract the way they did on purpose - they were pretty sure he would degrade back into what he was in Atlanta and they knew they would need an out! — gdibig
- Eagles need to lose to get the best possible draft position. They might even be able to trade down and get two choices in 1st round. I wish they had 4 choices in 1st round (OT, CB/S, LB, DT - please no more little guys who get bulldozed).— 4thand10
- Who's in more trouble? Andy Reid, the best coach in Philadelphia Eagles history who will get an job the instant we're stupid enought to fire him? Or all these Inky and DN hacks who had nothing more to do all year than call for his head and mock the death of his kid. One's going to be remembered for eternity in Philly lore, the other will be a shell of itself, with dropping readership and a total loss of their historic HQ and a bulk of their staff. These sports pages all sound like a dying sheep bleating for everyone else to hate Reid.— Economics
- It's people like you that have settled for mediocre Eagles teams since the Superbowl loss that have let Reid stay on since then. What has the team done since the Superbowl appearance? THREE PLAYOFF WINS! That's it! 66-60 from 2005 to now! That's 3 games over .500 since 2005! Terrible record!
Yeah, "greatest coach ever". SMH!— gdibig - Best coach in Eagles' history was Buck Shaw.Reid is the winningest coach only because he's been here the longest. By that token, Reid is also the losingest coach in team history. What do you have to say to that? — mike l
- I agree with every word you said, keithf35. The Philly media have been declaring Reid fired for months, but it's nothing more than prognistication at best, and mental m@sturbation at worst.— Squizzy Magee
- Let's see what lind of m@sturbation you'll be performing next week when Reid is gone. — mike l
- if we go after kelly we are keeping vick this is why vick not edwards will start vs the giants. thats my thought on it.— defroe
- but at the same time i can see them sticking with reid for one more year. i have been posting this copy and paste for a while... Lurie hedged slightly when he said “8-8 due to an excess of injuries might be different,” but then he added he expects one player in particular to stay healthy.
Asked later about a spate of injuries or something like that, Lurie later said, “I’m not going to make blanket statements...I guess if two-thirds of the team is not playing, there’s always exceptions.”
— defroe - keithf35, Economics, and Squizzy Magee - you are complete dolts in regard to the writers in Philadelphia. Just because sports journalists are not stooges for the Eagles' FO does not mean they aren't great. As reporters, they write what they see. As columnists, they give their OPINIONS. That's what they are paid to do. Just because they do not agree with your dim-witted views does not mean they are not doing their job. You are also spoiled - the sports writers out here in New Mexico are talentless buffoons, whereas the Philly writers are first-rate. You have no idea how good you have it. Grow up, you clueless maroons! Sheesh ...— NM Eagle fan
- Oh NO. Please Jeffery.....let him go...and start fresh...go get a football man for your GM, and let hiim hire a new coach...— nuggett
- Many teams in the league have drafted top quarterbacks in the past years and had success. But it's the NFL, there is a lot of failure too. First off, draft the TOP QB, then top fullback and O-line. Next up, monster MLB and safety. Plug the holes, play next season. Do it again. Design a smashmouth run offense to stabilize the team until you find the blue chip QB to pan out. No more of these small guys with "high motors"...and since we waited years before Reid's facade cracked, bring in monsters, criminals, and crazies. As long as they can play football.— MichaelZoe
- nuggett, I so AGREE !!! START FRESH....johnnyu— john ullman
- nuggett, I so AGREE !!! START FRESH....johnnyu— john ullman
