Vick: I wish I could have done more this year

Hes had almost a month now to step back and think about everything. The first couple months of the season. His own disappointing performance. All the interceptions. The Eagles plunge from Super Bowl hopefuls to also-rans.

And when he assesses it, Michael Vick is brutally honest with himself. As always.

I wish I could have done more this year, like I did last year, Vick said Monday. But thats just not the case.

Vick was an MVP candidate last year but won just three of nine starts this year before a rib injury cost him the last three games.

Vick returned to practice Monday for the first time since he got hurt against Arizona on Nov. 13 and said he absolutely intends to play against the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday afternoon.

He also conceded that he was a big part of the Eagles problem this year. Vick went from 21 touchdowns and six interceptions last year to 11 of each this year. And that, as much as anything else, is why the Eagles are 4-8 a year after winning the NFC East.

Looking at everything from afar, we just put ourselves in a bad situation sometimes, including myself, Vick said. I was a big part of it. This league is all about capitalizing on opportunities ... and we just havent been able to do that. We all know what our problem is. We know as players discipline is the key to winning in this league, and weve got to be that way.

But the one thing I do know is that our futures bright. If we believe in ourselves and believe in one another, thats the most important thing.

Last year, the Eagles went 2-1 under Kevin Kolb when Vick was out with a rib injury. They were 4-3 when he returned and then won six of their next seven games.

This time, they were 3-6 when he went out, and lost two of three games under Vince Young, so they take a 4-8 record into the final four games of the season.

Its been tough watching the last three weeks of football, watching our team going through our struggles the last two games, he said. Im still enthused about the rest of the season and where we are, but obviously we want to finish strong and win these last four games.

Vick said he gets upset hearing talk about head coach Andy Reid possibly getting fired after the season and insisted that its not Reids fault this season has gone the way it has.

He also said hes confident Reid will return for a 14th season as head coach in 2012.

Im not concerned about coach Reids situation, Vick said. I think everything is going to be just fine.

We all know we had our bad breaks. Lets be candid right now, we had our bad breaks, games that we should have won, put ourselves in awesome positions to be in the ballgame and just couldnt pull it out, whether we did it on offense or defense.

Honestly, I just dont think coach Reid had anything to do with that. We all watched the games. We all saw it. We were all a part of it, and we know the reasons why we didnt pull them out, and it wasnt the coachs fault.

To hear that, it kind of upsets me. ... I really wont get into the logistics of everything, but I just know everythings going to be fine.

Practice Monday was closed to the media. Vick said he experienced no pain while he was throwing and said he was a full participant and able to go through every drill.

Jeremy Maclin, who also missed the last three games after getting hurt against Arizona, also expects to play Sunday. Maclin did not practice Monday but said he expects to return on Wednesday (see blog post).

It felt great to be back out there with my teammates, felt great to get back out there and throw the ball around a little bit and gain confidence in the sore areas that hampered me the most, he said. Im just excited to be back out there. It feels like I havent played in months.

I wont say the ribs are 100 percent, but we still have a week to go. I get better each and every day and still working hard and trying to get better, but I went out and had a great practice, and I feel good.

Maybe Vicks presence will give the Eagles a lift. They still have a microscopic mathematical chance of reaching the playoffs, but really these last few weeks are all about playing for pride and playing for jobs.

He looked good, tight end Brent Celek said. He looked like he never left. Throwing the ball well, calling the plays well. He looked good out there. Mikes one of the most extraordinary athletes in the game, and to have him out there on the field with us is going to be huge for us.

Vick didnt practice at all the first two weeks after he got hurt. He was out at practice throwing the Tuesday before the Seattle game but officially did not participate.

But he said Monday that theres no way he wont play against the Dolphins.

Absolutely, this Sunday Ill definitely be out there, he said. I feel like I want to be there for my team, and I just want to get back to doing what I love to do, and thats playing the game of football. Theres nothing in this world like it. I put my heart and soul into it, man, and I wish I could have been out there the last three weeks, but it just hasnt panned out that way.

The last four games are going to be vital for myself and everybody else on this team who considers themselves to be a leader. We have to put our best foot forward and believe in what were doing and our philosophy. And me being the quarterback of this team, I have to show a tremendous amount of leadership, and thats what Ive been born and bred to do. I dont have to think about it. It comes naturally.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com