What They’re Saying About the Eagles

Here’s the weekly roundup of what the national media are saying about Andy Reid, Michael Vick, Nick Foles and the Eagles:

ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano writes about Andy Reid’s tricky role going forward:

Now, if you don’t trust Reid to put the team’s best interests over his own, long term as well as short term, then you fire him with games still left on the schedule. But even that’s tricky because whoever replaced him (Marty Mornhinweg? Todd Bowles?) likely would be gone at the end of this year, too, so they’d find themselves in a similar boat. Unless Lurie is bringing in the coach he expects to shepherd Foles and the rest of the team into 2013, he likely has to trust that Reid will do what’s right. Certainly, after 14 years, he should be able to expect that.

FoxSports.com’s Brian Billick has the Eagles 22nd in his power rankings:

The Eagles have now had their first five-game losing streak in the Andy Reid era. Nick Foles wasn’t terrible in relief of Michael Vick, but they are hardly a better team with him under center.

Sam Gardner of FoxSports.com was not impressed with Nick Foles:

Philly fans, who have seen a Phillies win more recently than an Eagles win, have been calling for Reid to be replaced for weeks, only pausing to cry that the error-prone Vick be replaced as starting QB. But after seeing what they had in the 23-year-old Foles, they may wish they could take that latter demand back.

Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com has the Eagles 22nd:

Andy Reid? Done. Mike Vick? Done. They’re playing for 2013 now.

Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com writes about everything falling apart for the Eagles on Sunday:

The embarrassing play came on first and 10 at the Philadelphia 11 early in the game. Tony Romo threw a short pass to running back Felix Jones. Jones broke one tackle. Then two. Then one more. Then one more. At about the two yard line, he broke another for good measure, and scored. Jones broke six tackles in all.

Now, this is Felix Freaking Jones. Not Emmitt Smith. Not Tony Dorsett. Felix Jones. Just a dude. And the Philadelphia defenders bounced off him like he was Jim Brown.

Again, there were other candidates, even from this game. When Eagles receiver Jason Avant slipped coming out of a break, the football hit him smack in the head, he dropped it, and in the process pulled a hamstring. There was idiot Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, his team down 31-17, taunting Dallas defensive back Morris Claiborne.

Elliot Harrison of NFL.com has the Eagles 24th:

If this truly is the end of the Andy Reid era, or close to it, then what a successful era it has been. The Eagles have gone to the playoffs nine times, NFC Championship five times, and Super Bowl once under Reid. That’s not too shabby. Dick Vermeil took the club to the playoff three times, NFC Championship once, and Super Bowl once in seven years. That Super Bowl was not competitive, either. From a non-Pennsylvania native’s perspective, Vermeil seems to be more beloved.

Reid and the Eagles are staring into the great unknown, writes Ian Rapoport of NFL.com:

What now? The Eagles face some real questions. When will Vick be healthy? No answers on Sunday. What if Foles starts next week and stars? A dream situation for Reid, as he’ll have a young quarterback to groom for the future — if he’s here for it. What if Foles starts next week and fails? It means if Vick is healthy, Reid can make him the starter again. But if Vick isn’t ready for an extended period of time, they are stuck with Foles. And they all may be starting anew in 2013.

What if? What if? What if? Philadelphia’s 2012 season. Questions unanswered, as the Eagles act like professionals and keep going.

Football Outsiders ranks Foles’ performance 25th among quarterbacks last week:

On third downs, Foles went 2-of-4 with a sack. The completions went for 8 yards each, on third-and-13 and third-and-24 yards. His only third-down conversion came on a 20-yard DPI on third-and-2. The only good news for Foles is that he had the good fortune to make his NFL debut in a weekend where many veterans proceeded to throw up all over themselves, as we shall discuss in graphic detail immediately.

SI.com’s Don Banks says there’s no reason to play Vick again this season:

Well, Andy Reid has his opening if he wants it. With Michael Vick suffering a concussion and an eye injury against Dallas, I’d say there’s a decent shot we’ve seen the last of No. 7 this season — not to mention in an Eagles uniform. What’s the point of playing Vick now, with Philly’s season in tatters at 3-6, with five consecutive losses (the first five-game losing streak of Reid’s head-coaching career)?

You might as well keep rookie quarterback Nick Foles on the field and find out if he’s the Eagles’ future. Not that it’s really going to help Reid at this point either way. He is out of answers in Philadelphia, and it’s now just a countdown until Reid and the team he’s synonymous with part ways.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the Eagles 27th:

Mike Vick’s concussion will heal as soon as Nick Foles gets one.

Follow Sheil Kapadia on Twitter and e-mail him at skapadia@phillymag.com.
Become a fan of Birds 24/7 on Facebook.