One of the major storylines of this NFL season will be the continued battle between the Cowboys and Eagles with the 49ers at the top of the NFC, and another big one on Sunday night when Dallas takes on Philadelphia. A big game is coming up.
The other is that 2023 NFL Draft No. 2 overall pick C.J. Stroud had incredible success in his first year with the Houston Texans, and No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young joined Carolina. -This is something the Panthers have struggled with in the past.
So who better to consider both of these themes than legendary Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick?
“FOX NFL Kickoff” analyst Dave Hellman appeared on “The NFL on FOX Podcast” and talked about what it was like to be a member of the Eagles facing the Cowboys and how impressed he is with Stroud. And he talked about the advice he would give Young. The first year was a struggle.
Check out Vic’s comments below.
Note: The following Q&A has been edited for brevity.
Dave Hellman: Michael, you’ve been in a few rivalries during your NFL career, but especially Dallas and Philly from your time with the Eagles, what stands out to you when you think about this rivalry?
Michael Vick: All weekdays are full of fanfare. What makes it more exciting than anything else is the chatter between fans. Of course, this is his NFC East rivalry, but it’s heightened by the fan bases on both sides. There are a lot of Philadelphia Eagles fans and Dallas Cowboys fans there. We always had the saying, “You can’t beat Dallas.” That’s the belief we adopted. I hugged it. I didn’t know anything about it until I got to Philadelphia, but I enjoyed every moment of it. I think I came out on top in most of the matches. I won most of them.
Michael Vick on what makes the Cowboys-Eagles rivalry special
Doctor: I happened to look at your game log before we started talking, and you’re right. (Vick was 3-2 against the Eagles in Dallas.) I’m interested — I’m really interested in how the players have to block out the noise from the fans. I can’t let that affect me. But Philadelphia is a crazy football city. There’s a lot of emphasis on this game, how hard was it for you? How tough will this week be for the Eagles players?
MV: Generally speaking, playing for the Philadelphia Eagles is difficult. The simultaneous demands and valuations that fans have of the team and the fact that it is the flagship organization of the NFL all come into play. If we don’t win, we’re going to hear it on Monday, Friday, Tuesday, depending on the time of the game and what happens, so that puts more pressure on us.
So we always tried to make sure everyone was on the same page. Throughout the week, the preparation always ramped up and I always tried to make sure I was in P and Q condition and what the Dallas Cowboys did when they had DeMarcus Ware, Orlando Scandrick, and those guys. I knew everything about what I was going to do. They had some good players on defense. They were always a tough opponent and always came to the games.
Who will win the NFC East battle in Week 14, the Eagles or the Cowboys?
Doctor: This week, a lot of attention has been focused on Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ return from the loss to San Francisco. Honestly, when you look at his numbers, no matter what criticism you throw at him, to me this guy is still playing really well. I’m interested as a player whose mobility has helped him a lot during his career, but if Jaylen is feeling uncomfortable it’s because he’s dealing with injury issues that have limited that mobility. If so, how difficult do you think it is if he’s not completely comfortable playing? Is he as usual?
MV: It’s tough. I remember when I was a young player with AC joint sprains, finger sprains, and all those little pesky injuries that you endure as a two-way quarterback, in Week 3 I didn’t feel as good as I did in Week 3. You know it’s not good. Injuries happen, but we learn to play with them instead of making excuses. It’s easy to get up on the podium and say, “I can’t throw my shoulder away because it hurts.”
Last night, when I was going to bed, I happened to watch a rebroadcast of a game. It was the game that caught my attention: Atlanta Falcons vs. Minnesota Vikings. I heard Kenny Albert say, “Mike has two AC joint sprains, one in each shoulder, a bad thumb, and all that.” I see myself fighting through for my teammates and I’m not going to make excuses or let anything deter me from playing the game of football. Regardless of the outcome, accountability is what matters most. Just to hear that little bit of commentary and understand what was going on and know that we’re fighting injuries and finding ways to keep ourselves alive.
Doctor: Take a look at the early days of your career. You were the first overall pick by the Falcons (1999). When is the right time to talk about what CJ Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick, is doing? As a guy who has lived with that spotlight and the pressure that comes with changing franchises, I mean, what do you think about what C.J. is doing now with the Texans?
MV: First of all, it’s very difficult to play quarterback as a rookie. I couldn’t understand what Stroud and Young were doing as starters every week. I struggled as a rookie until around Week 16. Because I had no idea what the speed of the NFL was like, all the rhetoric, the communication, everything. I could not do it. It was too much.
And when you see these young guys (I know some are more successful than others) get on the field and get it done, especially in Stroud’s case, you know he’s doing it the right way. You can see that it has been evaluated. I would like to thank Houston, Texas for this nomination. If all goes well, it will be a long 15-18 year career for Stroud.
To see him go out there and do what he does and play so calm, so composed. That is first and foremost a credit to the people who have been involved in his football upbringing. I think they did a great job of making sure he had the smarts and means to get in and out of the huddle with everything he needed and find a way to move the chains. So I’m very proud of him. I’m proud of all our young quarterbacks. Bryce Young included, he didn’t have the best season by any means, but he goes out there and has the right attitude and continues to learn and that pays off in a big way. In the second year, we need more expectations.
Obviously, not everyone is the same. So when you look at what CJ is doing, we just have to take our hats off to him.
Michael Vick explains the CJ Stroud vs. Bryce Young controversy | NFL on FOX Pod
Doctor: I strongly believe in Bryce Young’s talent. I’m never going to be done with him, especially considering what’s going on in Carolina. But as a guy who’s been in that position, what advice do you have for Bryce? What advice would you give to a player who’s trying to come through as a better quarterback in a situation like that?
MV: Let’s fight to grab the next victory. Winning and having success in the NFL brings a lot of confidence. Once you get a little taste of it, just take a snapshot of it and you’ll transform into a different player. In terms of preparation, you become a different quarterback. They think, “I want that, and I want more of that.” It’s like something you just have to have, it’s a must-have. We need this win on Sunday, Monday and Thursday.
So get your next win. As difficult as it has been, when Sunday is over and you turn the page, you can move on to the next chapter. This is his 17 week book full of roller coasters and lots of turmoil, but you’ve been through worse. This is a good thing because Bryce had a stellar college career at the University of Alabama and didn’t face much adversity. You can see what kind of determination he has.
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