Vick: ‘We Still Have A Fighting Chance’

A lot of the questions tossed at Michael Vick Friday were about the team’s level of desperation.

With the season, the coaching era and jobs on the line, do the players understand the situation?

“We all understand the situation — hopefully everybody understands the situation. I know I do,” said Vick. “It’s not a situation we planned on being in. But you’ve seen a lot of teams with their backs against the wall and they come out doing everything they need to do in order to succeed. We’ve got to take on that mindset; we’ll find out on Sunday.”

Where that mindset has been for the last several weeks remains a mystery. With 53 separate parts, it’s not easy to answer why it isn’t clicking collectively. But it hasn’t clicked. No method or meeting has inspired the proper sense of urgency.

Naturally, some will feel it more than others. Veterans north of 30 will grasp the big picture and importance of the moment more than the younger players. Those with deeper ties to the franchise will feel the pangs of anxiousness more than the newcomers.

“That’s the question: do the other guys — the young guys — understand what’s at stake?” said Vick. “Not just as far as our careers go, just as far as this organization and winning. That’s what it’s all about. I’m not thinking about next year, I’m not thinking about what’s going to happen. I’m thinking about this very game because that’s what’s more important. We have to live in the now.”

The 3-5 Eagles need to beat the 3-5 Cowboys on Sunday to carry the last grains of hope forward. The fan base bailing is one thing, but it’s another mess altogether if the team feels that all is lost. Stuck in a four-game free-fall, the Eagles are looking for anything that can reverse the momentum.

“It’s on us to get it all turned around, man. We just have to keep pushing,” said Vick. “The thing is, we still have a fighting chance, we still control our own destiny, so we all have to be held accountable.”

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