The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback competition is over and Michael Vick has won, according to USA TODAY Sports.
Despite head coach Chip Kelly’s attempts to have everyone think the QB competition was a dead heat, many perceived Vick was in the lead against second year QB Nick Foles. Those perceptions were magnified after Vick outperformed Foles in Eagles’ second preseason game.
Originally, Kelly was supposed to announce Wednesday the starter for the Eagles third preseason game. It appears he didn’t need any more evidence to decide who the starting quarterback should be.
"It's not a one-game trial basis," Kelly said. "I would think it was a thorough evaluation … We felt like we had a good amount of tape, us seeing them on the field and us seeing them in a lot of different situations. We wanted to put a guy in place — if we could — in enough time to prepare us for the season."
"I think we all learned from this group that we've got two guys, maybe even three guys who can play in this league," the former Oregon head coach added, including rookie QB Matt Barkley in the mix . "It was a healthy competition. I think they both made each other better.
"Mike is ahead, but Nick made it very tough on him."
When Vick’s and Foles stats are compared side-by-side the 12-year veteran comes out superior. Here are their stats for the two preseason games played against the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers (Vick started the first game and Foles started the second):
Vick – 13-for-15, 199 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 Interception, 22 rushing yards.
Foles – 11-for 14, 96 passing yards, 1 Interception, 1 Lost Fumble, 23 rushing yards
Although Vick was the better performer in the Eagles game against the Panthers (in which he went 9-for-10 with 105 passing yards and an interception) he was not cocky about possibly getting the starting job.
“I have to continue to work hard," Vick said after the Eagles 14-9 victory. "I think that's what put me in position to succeed and excel on the football field … Just the way we prepare has me in position where I feel like I can do it all. I don't want to get too overconfident. I want to remain humble and continue to have the same work ethic."
Foles completed six of his eight passes for 53 yards against the Panthers.
The Eagles will play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET for their third preseason game. They will open the regular season at Washington against the Redskins on Sept. 9.
