Vick starts 1st game, Foles gets next
Chip Kelly named Michael Vick the starter for the preseason opener, but only because Friday would be Vick's day to go first in practice.
Michael Vick will start the preseason opener against New England Friday, Chip Kelly said after the conclusion of three days of practices with the Patriots at NovaCare.
As was predicted, explained and expounded upon in the Thursday Daily News, Vick getting the first series of reps apparently means nothing in terms of the competition to become the Eagles' regular-season starter. Kelly explained that Vick and Nick Foles will split first-team reps, and that Foles will start the second game, next Thursday at the Linc against Carolina.
"It was Mike's day (to go first) in the rotation. That was the easiest way to do it," Kelly said.
He said Vick and Foles will alternate series, roughly through the first quarter, with rookie Matt Barkley playing the second and third quarters and Dennis Dixon and G.J. Kinne wrapping up.
Kelly said that with Jason Peters sidelined by a hamstring pull, journeyman Allen Barbre will start at left tackle. Also hamstrung is starting corner (and noted sconce enthusiast) Cary Williams, so Brandon Boykin, who is having a strong camp, will get to show what he can do on the outside, along with Bradley Fletcher.
"I can't read into it," said Vick, who previously had said he knew starting Friday was not an indication of winning the job permanently. "Coach, all he told us is that I'm going to start, but it won't be the same next week. So you've got to take it for what it's worth and keep moving."
"We're cool with it," Foles said. "We're ready to go, we're ready to go after it."
Foles was asked if it is hard to not see the decision for Friday as some sort of portent.
"When you look into little things like that, it causes your mind to go elsewhere,' he said. "I know what I've done in practice. I know what I need to work on. I know what I've done well ... I'm going to keep pushing it .. Whoever they choose, I'm going to be all for it, because this is the Philadelphia Eagles, not 'Who's Going to be the Quarterback.'."
Given some of the reality shows out there, that one might not be terrible, though.