Philadelphia Eagles' Michael Vick, left, and Washington Redskins' Robert Griffin III meet after an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Philadelphia. Washington won 27-20. (AP Photo/Mel Evans) (The Associated Press)
PHILADELPHIA – Michael Vick has another chance to show his teammates and the rest of the league he's still a pretty good quarterback.
Vick will start Sunday when the Philadelphia Eagles (4-11) close out their season against the New York Giants (8-7). It's fitting Vick will play possibly his last game for the Eagles at the Meadowlands.
Things haven't been quite the same for Vick and the team since his last start at the Giants. On Dec. 19, 2010, Vick led the Eagles back from a 21-point deficit with 8:17 remaining to beat the Giants 38-31 and clinch the NFC East title.
That remarkable comeback was the highlight of his four seasons in Philadelphia. Vick was the AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2010, started for the NFC in his fourth Pro Bowl and signed a $100 million contract before the start of the next season.
But since that win over the Giants, the Eagles are 10-14 in Vick's starts, including a playoff loss to Green Bay.
What went wrong?
"I can't tell you," Vick said Wednesday. "Just so many moving parts, guys in and out. We had coaching changes and things of that nature. I really can't say what happened or what went wrong. I'd have to go back and look at all the film. We all have to evaluate and assess our situation as far as what happened at the conclusion of the season. It is what it is. It's not the first organization this has happened to and it certainly won't be the last. Hopefully it won't be this one."
Vick is eager to get on the field after a concussion forced him to miss five games and being a healthy scratch last week. Rookie Nick Foles was named the starter for the rest of the season after Vick missed a couple games, but he's out with a broken hand.
So, Vick gets one more opportunity. His future in Philadelphia is uncertain. Coach Andy Reid is unlikely to return and massive changes are expected. Vick doesn't view this game as an audition, but teams looking for a starting quarterback in 2013 certainly will have access to the film.
"I'm not putting pressure on myself to go out and try to put on a great performance in the sense of an audition," Vick said. "I think it's about just going out and playing and doing what you love to do. Already enough pressure on you in this league but the thing I'm truly confident about is my ability to play the game of football, what I know, what I've learned, the success I've had over the past years, and what I can accomplish. I think I just have to go out and continue to play my game."
Vick struggled this season, committing 14 turnovers in nine games. He has 2,165 yards passing, 11 TDs and nine interceptions for a passer rating of 79.2.
The Eagles started 3-1 with Vick leading them to comeback wins on final-drive touchdowns in the first two games. But they fell apart, lost eight straight and are missing the playoffs for the second straight year for the first time in Reid's 14 seasons.
"It's great to know that you're going to have a chance to go out and play," Vick said. "The one thing I never do is waver or back down from opportunities to go out there and get on the field regardless of what has transpired throughout the season. I'm fully confident in myself and the guys around me. We'll have to go out there and put it all together for the last game and get a win for Andy."
Reid, for his part, hasn't considered the possibility it will be his last game. At least, he hasn't said so publicly.
"I haven't gone there," he said. "I haven't gone there and I'm not going to go there. I'm going to get through this game and make sure my football team's ready to go."
NOTES: DT Fletcher Cox and LB Mychal Kendricks both have concussions. Derek Landri would start if Cox can't play vs. the Giants and Akeem Jordan would replace Kendricks. ... DT Antonio Dixon signed a two-year deal to return to the Eagles. He was cut in training camp after three season in Philadelphia and played briefly in Indianapolis earlier this season.
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