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Kevin Kolb Is Set To Start Sunday…At Least For Now
After the Eagles traded away Donovan McNabb, Andy Reid had committed to Kevin Kolb as the team’s starting quarterback. But that commitment lasted until the second quarter of game one before Kolb sustained a concussion and Michael Vick came in to relieve him. Vick played well in Kolb’s absence and took over the playcalling duties on a permanent basis after leading the team to a 2-1 record before he injured his ribs against the Redskins in week four. Kolb finished out that game and started last week against the 49ers on the road, where they managed to squeak out a victory, before heading home this weekend against the Atlanta Falcons, Vick’s former team. With Vick close to being back healthy again, there has been a lot of speculation as to whom the starter is going to be this week. Reid has stated that Kolb will be the starting quarterback this week but he hasn’t ruled out Vick either. As of yesterday, Vick warmed up with the Eagles at practice and threw a few passes, but that was all. Kolb took all of the first-team snaps and appears likely to start Sunday against Atlanta, but who knows? Andy Reid has gone against his word more than once.Kevin Kolb joined WIP in Philly to talk about whether he has gotten any indication from Andy Reid what will happen this Sunday, what he felt that he did better during the 49ers game, and how tough it is for him to know that no matter how good he plays he won’t be the starting QB once Mike Vick gets healthy.
Whether he has gotten any indication from Andy Reid what will happen this Sunday:
“No. I’m just preparing like I am the starter. I think that is the way that you have to approach it and I’m not even sure. I didn’t even go in there and check on Mike’s situation today. I talked to him a little bit yesterday and he said that he was feeling better, but I just said whatever happens I am just going to prepare like a starter, I went and watched film today just like I always would.”
Whether he had any trepidation going into the 49ers game down 7-0:
“No, I really didn’t think of it like that. I knew going in that they were going to give it all they had, we knew that as a team. They’re at the point in the season where it is make or break, and its Sunday Night Football, and they are at home, we’re on the road, that whole deal. I wasn’t caught up in the first drive, I was caught in, alright we are going to have a 60-minute battle here and we’ve got to roll and it is going to be down to the wire regardless of what happens. That was kind of our mindset going in, be prepared to play all four quarters. So once we got down I think that is one of the reasons we weren’t that affected about it, although it was nice to answer right away and create that doubt there in their head in the 1st quarter.”
What he felt that he did better during the 49ers game:
“I think the best thing that I did was just stay consistent and that is kind of the way I play and it is kind of funny when I came home, my wife, the first thing that she said, ‘that reminded me how you play football.’ She had never said that when I played in previous games when I played well. She just said that game is the way that I play football and that is what it felt like out there. It felt like I was in college again and just playing the game and that is what I have to do. I have to just play the game and not worry about all of the other stuff and put all the pressure upon myself and all this comes along with being an NFL quarterback. That sometimes takes some time to find that groove. I’m not saying I’ve totally found it but I’ve felt better out there. Some of the stuff I can work on, there is obviously a number of things but we have to be able to finish that whole thing where you put your foot on their throat when you’ve got them down a little bit and we let a few possessions slip away right there at the red zone, and the one that really upset me was the short yardage play on 3rd down, I had a chance to get the ball early to Jeremy and I hesitated for a second so there was plenty to learn on. I didn’t think that I played that great. I was glad to win but when you go back and watch the film there is plenty of errors.”
How tough it is for him to know that no matter how good he plays he won’t be the starting QB once Mike Vick gets healthy:
“Yeah it’s tough. Learning from last year the toughest thing is as a young QB, you kind of get on a roll and you start to figure things out at how it happens during the game in the NFL, so you want to continue to improve. The one thing that I told some of the coaches was, I just want to get that feeling that I am improving each week, and I seeing new things, and I’m learning and you have to get on the field to do it. At the same time, I’ve said 1,000 times, since I’ve been here Andy has always made the right decisions with these types of moves and I am going to continue to trust him and he always does what is best for our team obviously first, but he takes individuals futures in affect to and I feel like he is doing that for me and I trust him with that.”
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