Eagles Notebook: Officials finally throw roughness flag for Vick

ARLINGTON, Texas - The Eagles' concerns over hits on Michael Vick finally were addressed last night.

Last play before the first-half 2-minute warning, Vick clobbered from the blindside by Anthony Spencer, pass flutters away incomplete. Flag, unnecessary roughness, first time all season. On replays, it seems Spencer made helmet-to-helmet contact, as did defensive end Igor Olshansky.

Alas, two plays later, Vick would threw a long interception down the middle to Gerald Sensabaugh, making the call inconsequential.

The Birds have been talking about the targeting of Vick for more than a week. Last night, Vick took a couple of unfortunate early hits; when Spencer clearly was a touch late launching a shove of Vick as Vick ran out of bounds earlier in the second quarter, Eagles coach Andy Reid ripped off his headset and jumped up and down in front of an official, demanding a call. He didn't get one.

In the first quarter, Vick took a massive blindside hit from DeMarcus Ware, after a particularly unfortunate attempt at blocking by fullback Owen Schmitt, but there was nothing the officials could have done to lessen the blow there.

Eyes on the prize

"I know sometimes coaches will do that, but as a player, you don't want to start flip-flopping. The Eagles are a team that, obviously, we played already, and know them pretty well. My focus is on Minnesota," Manning said.

Andy's answer

"I love the game," Reid said. "I think the NFL today is a little different, where you have change, you have an influx of the young guys. With these young guys, you have this youthful energy. It finds that little bit that's left in you . . . These guys find a way to pull out some of the youth and excitement left in you. I'm fired up to go to work every day."