PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Michael Vick is his own worst critic when it comes to his lackluster play in the season opener.
He knows needs to play better than he did in the opener for the Eagles to have a chance at beating Baltimore on Sunday.
Against Ray Lewis and a tough Ravens defense, four interceptions and bad decisions might not put Vick in a spot where he can pull out a victory in the fourth quarter.
Vick said he doesn't use criticism of his performance as motivation because he saw the mistakes on tape.
The thing is that nobody really has to motivate me. I have to motivate myself,'' he said Wednesday.I watch the film. I'm the one who lived it, and everyone else watched it from afar and is just speculating about it and what they think.''
Vick never truly found himself in a groove until he led the Eagles 91 yards for the winning drive against the Browns en route to the 17-16 victory.
He was one of the first Eagles to hit the film room Monday, though, to break down his performance. Vick said he has to stop pressing to make big plays when the game isn't going his way. He knows he made ill-advised throws into coverage, sometimes because he was trying to do much to rally the Eagles.
I can't dwell on what happened last game,'' he said,because I just don't plan on having that type of ballgame again.''
Vick's optimism could be squashed in a hurry Sunday.
Ed Reed's 34-yard interception return for a touchdown was the highlight of a solid performance by the Baltimore defense in the Ravens' 44-13 rout of Cincinnati Monday. Haloti Ngata had two of Baltimore's four sacks, proving the Ravens (1-0) just might survive without NFL Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs, who is out indefinitely.
I shook off the rust last week and I'm ready to get back out against Baltimore,'' Vick said.The thing that I can tell you is that we will progress and get better as the season goes on.''
Coach Andy Reid backed his quarterback and said Vick should continue to improve with more practice. Vick took only 12 snaps in the preseason - well shy of the whopping 56 passes he attempted against the Browns. Vick was 29 of 56 for 317 yards and two scores to go with the four picks. He ran seven times for 32 yards, including a 16-yard scamper.
Reid said it was important to remember how well Vick played in the final drive to lead the Eagles to a comeback win.
He finished the way a great player finishes, and you see this all the time in basketball, where shooters, the great shooters, they're going to have an off-day and they keep shooting,'' he said.When it comes down to the end, the great ones end up sinking the winning shot. So Michael, that's what he did. He kept firing.''
The Eagles (1-0) have won five straight games, dating back to last season. And Vick, obviously, has had a lot to do with that. But he could have one less star target available on Sunday, as they shoot for six.
Receiver Jeremy Maclin did not practice Wednesday because of a sore hip. And the Eagles definitely won't have Jaiquawn Jarrett in the mix on defense, after they released the second-year safety. Reid took responsibility for a bad gamble on Jarrett, who played at Temple, when they took him in the second round of the 2011 draft. Jarrett played in only 13 games with the Eagles. He did not take a defensive snap against the Browns.
I think his style of defense will be best for him somewhere else,'' Reid said,and not with this team.''
