On Saturday night, Michael Vick played in his first game since being named the starting quarterback. Vick played into the third quarter along with the rest of the starters against the Jacksonville Jaguars, completing 15 of 23 pass attempts for 184 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the Eagles' 31-24 victory.
After the game, Vick told reporters that he was pleased overall with the first-team offense's performance, but he knows that they need to do a better job of capitalizing on their drives.
"I think we could have done a better job of finishing," Vick said. "I thought we put some good drives together, but they fell apart in the end. We had a couple turnovers. I had an interception at a crucial moment in the game, and then we had a fumble at the beginning of the third quarter, which could have resulted in points. Other than that, I think we did a good job. I think we executed. I think our tempo can be a little faster. The good thing about this game is that there are a lot of things that we can work on. There's a lot that I learned tonight that can help me down the road."
In the Eagles' first two preseason games, Vick only threw two incomplete passes. While he wasn't quite as accurate on Saturday, the signal-caller did not view the third game as a step in the wrong direction.
"I look at my performance and I think I did some good things out there," Vick said. "Like I said, it's not always going to be perfect. I'm not perfect, but I can get better."
After splitting reps with Nick Foles during the first two games, Vick entered Saturday's game knowing that he was going to be seeing all of the action with the first-team unit. Even with that in mind, Vick's approach remained the same as it's been throughout Training Camp.
"It was a regular game," Vick explained. "I knew how much I was going to play. Obviously, you want to go out and put points on the board. The thing I'm most proud of about myself is that I didn't approach this preseason the way that I did the last three or four years, with the different attitude that I came to play. I felt like I got a lot out of (the game tonight). I feel like it got me ready for week one, and for the atmosphere and just my mindset. A lot of good things came out of this game, but there's a lot we need to work on too."
The Jaguars pass-rushers were able to force Vick out of the pocket on multiple occasions, resulting in Vick tucking the ball away and carrying seven times for 53 yards. Though Vick did not plan on running the ball that much, he did what was necessary when the situation arose.
"I think I ran the ball pretty well," Vick said. "I don't want to run that much, but I will if I have to, and that's the fun part of the game. I did it and I protected myself all night, and if I can do it that way, then I can do it and I can help this team win football games."
Vick had the benefit of the entire starting offensive line for the first time this preseason as All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters played for the first time since the end of the 2011 season. Vick acknowledged that it was another step forward for the entire offensive unit.
"I think they did a good job tonight," Vick said. "I think there were times where things broke down a little bit, but I think for the most part, everybody kept their composure, and, like I said, things aren't always going to be perfect in a football game. That's why there are four quarters that you have to play, and that's why we have opportunities to go to the sidelines and talk about things that didn't go so well.
The Eagles' fourth and final preseason game will be played on Thursday when the team travels north to take on the New York Jets. Head coach Chip Kelly has said that he and his coaching staff are still unsure of how much the starters will play, if at all. Whether he plays against the Jets or not, Vick is ready to get the regular season underway.
"I'm ready," Vick said. "After tonight, I feel like I'm ready. I can't wait."
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