Firing his defensive coordinator didn’t work all that well, so Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid is considering a change at quarterback in hopes of saving his team’s floundering season and his own job.
The Star-Ledger is reporting that the embattled coach is “leaning towards” benching star quarterback Michael Vick in favor of rookie Nick Foles in the hopes to getting something going for the underachieving Eagles, who fell to 3-4 following a listless 30-17 decision at the hands of visiting Atlanta on Sunday.
“Whatever decision Coach makes, I’ll support it,” Vick said, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Reid, who was informed by team owner Jeffrie Lurie prior to the season that he needed to go 8-8 to save his job, seems desperate to try anything at this point to salvage what was supposed to have been a promising season.
His abrupt mid-season dismissal of Juan Castillo in favor of Todd Bowles didn’t do much against the Falcons to help a Philly “D” that has been plagued all season with costly mental mistakes, as well as schematic ones.
Vick is clearly not exclusively the problem, although the four-time Pro Bowler and 11-year veteran has not played well this season. His propensity to turn the ball over and inconsistency in making the proper pre-snap reads have made Vick the most obvious target for frustrated fans.
Reid was measured when asked about a quarterback change in his post-game comments on Sunday.
“I’ll go back and look at everything,” he said. “I’m not going to sit here and make decisions right now. I’m going to go back and look at it and analyze it.”
But Reid’s suspect play-calling and a shaky offensive line are equally as culpable in the team’s current three-game losing skid. Changing quarterbacks is always the easiest would-be solution.
The talk of a possible quarterback change has dominated the headlines in the City of Brotherly Love and nationally as well.
Sports Illustrated‘s Peter King argued in his weekly Monday Morning Quarterback column that that the Eagles ought to give Vick one more week, but his SI colleague Don Banks pointed out how resigned Vick seemed to a benching following Sunday’s loss.
Vick has continued to deal with turnover problems this season, though he’s taken care of the ball well in his last two outings. But that has not led to positive results.
Foles, a third-round pick out of Arizona, was impressive during the preseason, but is yet to throw a regular season NFL pass.
Philadelphia plays at New Orleans this Sunday.
Vick sounded resigned to the fact that a change could be imminent.
“Obviously, he’s thinking about making a change at the quarterback position,” he said. “The thing I do know is that I’m giving us every opportunity to win. I’m trying my hardest. Some things don’t go right when I want them to. Some things do. So if that’s the decision that (Reid) wants to make, then I support it.”
