Andy Reid: Eagles will be OK
Andy Reid seemed to want to calm the waters in his day-after news conference, following the Eagles' 16-14 loss at Pittsburgh Sunday.
Andy Reid: Eagles will be OK
Les Bowen
Andy Reid seemed to want to calm the waters in his day-after news conference, following the Eagles' 16-14 loss at Pittsburgh Sunday.
Reid's message was that the 3-2 Eagles are generally playing well, that they have a couple of fundamental things they need to fix, but they are on the right path.
"We're the second-lowest-scoring team in the National Football League right now" because of turnovers, Reid said. "We've got to make sure we fix that ... We've done well with the interception part of it, we're doing a better job with the protection part of it, and the decision-making part of it, [now] we've got to take care of the football. Then, we've got to be able to get off the field on that last [Steelers] drive."
Reid noted that defensively, even though the Eagles' sack numbers are way down, so are their points allowed. He said teams are playing more conservatively, keeping in extra blockers, running shorter, quicker routes, because of the Birds' pressure.
Reid was asked about some of quarterback Michael Vick's statements following the game. Vick said he knows he has to stop fumbling, but he also repeated his familiar view that turnovers are part of the game, and even said that everything happens for a reason, indicating somehow that God or fate might cause him to give the ball away.
Reid said he was pretty sure Vick was asked about fumbling more than a few times Sunday. He did not seemed worried about the quarterback's mindset: "Nobody is more competitive than this guy. He knows he can't fumble...He's going to get that right."
Reid lauded "the grit of this football team, the toughness."
"We haven't been stopped as much as we've stopped ourselves," he said.
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The only reported injuries from Sunday were Mychal Kendricks' ankle and Bryce Brown's shoulder. Both players should practice Wednesday, Andy Reid said.
I told my Philly buddies that Vick wouldn't let us down......Go Steelers.— yarnallpi- Fat Andy is a loser who needs to get out of our city— shawnmac
- Calm down people. The fumbling is disturbing, but overall I agree with Reid. They lost an extremely close game to a tough opponent in an away game. If you look their 3 toughest opponents - the Ravens, the Giants and the Steelers, the Eagles competed pretty well against all three. The Eagles look like a playoff team, despite their flaws. If they can improve the giveaway/takeaway ratio, they can be a legit SB contender. A lot of that has to do with Vick. I think he can do it.— p-diddy
- When you're making all these rationalizations, Walrus, ask not for whom the bell tolls: 6 more L's and you're outtahere! As for Vick, there can be no Kisses for Butterfingers, only Snickers. I don't see the Milky Way in sight with the pair of you directing us.— jiminy cricket
- Everyone's tired of Reid except some of us old timers who remember before and after Vermeil and through some brief hope with Buddy Ryan.
For a long time we were somewhere between a Cleveland and the present day Jets.Every year we were going to be better but we never were.There are two reasons for this [1]Jeff Lurie is not a knee jerk quick fix owner and [2] Andy Reid.Maybe he will go but nobody can say that he wasn't a class act,especially the players.— Ernie Garman 
Had a great Sunday. Took my grandkids to the Franklin Institute. Heard the score once all day. Didn't see any of the game until 10 pm. Great day. I've been a fan since 1962 but I just can't watch them play any more. The excuses for Vick's inability take care of the ball; Andy Reid's refusal to wh ... ah what the hell. It doesn't matter.— bigcityballer- We will beat Detroit this week. "Lil" Vick will lead us to a glorious victory. Then all is well. This team is and has been sinking into a mire of mediocrity.However we fill the stands, buy eagles gear, etc. Mgmt.,their gold standard isn't the team it's the bottom line, and their happy as pigs in slop.— olddog
- 3-2 and tied on top of the NFC east and people want to clear house and start a rookie. There is a reason fans are not GMs.........The Eagles will probably go 10-6 and make playoffs, from there it is anyone's guess. Or we can start Foles and go 6-10.........— nm1891
- We're fine there.— TVGuy22
- You know for all the fumbles and complaints about reid we are still tied for first. Ik we can't keep turning the ball over like this and win and if this season turns out to be a bust the Eagles need to move on from Vick and probably Reid too but lets just let the season play out before we give up after one loss to a pretty good team.— essru
- Some say I dont' blame the defense for the loss, I blame Vick...well Vick is the one who put the points on the board. Heck, if you were totally honest with yourselves, you would know that both sides of the ball, offense and defense are to blame. stop trying to pin all things bad with the team on Vick. Vick is just a lightening rod for criticism due to his past. yes, he is fumbling to much, but why? have you ever looked at the reasons why? I bet you haven't because most of you are to blinded by your dislike for Vick that you won't even judge him fairly. The defense, while improved, still can't produce turnovers, which would give the offense more times to be on the field to produce points. The defense is bend but don't break, which means they bend so much that the other team keeps the ball for 5, 6, 7 minutes. they need to get more stops on 3rd down to give their offense more chances with the ball, that is why they are not scoring as much because they don't have the ball enough. both sides are to blame not just Vick alone.— will50
