Eagles Notes: Vick scrambles, doesn't slide

MIAMI - Michael Vick's dedication to sliding and avoiding unnecessary hits lasted, oh, for no plays.

The Eagles quarterback vowed to start sliding, or at least get down before contact, last week - in light of his recent broken ribs - but when Vick took off on a few scrambles in the Eagles' 26-10 win over the Dolphins Sunday, the old instincts kicked in.

"I know I said a lot, man. It's tough to slide in this league," Vick said. "I can't slide. I'm going to play the way I play until I'm done playing this game. This is what I was born and bred to do."

Vick actually didn't run very often. He was credited with two carries for 9 yards. But he did a lot of improvising in the pocket - sometimes out of necessity, sometimes because he had happy feet - and took a number of hits.

"I was in a lot of pain," Vick said, "but the only thing I wanted to do was to finish and to get through the game."

Eagles coach Andy Reid didn't include Vick in his injury report after the game, and Vick said he was fine, but he didn't look comfortable throwing the ball at times. He completed just 15 of 30 passes - several of which were batted down at the line - for 208 yards and tossed an interception to go along with a touchdown.

Vick was slipping on the wet field early in the game and switched his cleats. He appeared to have better footing afterward, but he was sacked four times. He was also hit on both of his scrambles when he dived forward for yards instead of sliding.

Not many Eagles believed he would ever start sliding.

"Not to say, 'I told you so . . .' " Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said. "I kind of hinted. But I was hoping that he would."

Jeremy Maclin sat out in the second half after he "felt something" in his hamstring.

The Eagles wide receiver, who missed the previous three games, was a game-time decision because of the hamstring injury. He started, though, and caught one pass for 13 yards.

But, with the Eagles ahead, 24-7, at the half and his hamstring bothering him, Reid pulled Maclin from the game.

"I didn't tweak it. I felt it a little bit," Maclin said. "It probably wasn't smart to be out there if I wasn't 100 percent."

Maclin, asked if he felt 100 percent before the game, said he "felt good enough to play." He said that he expects to be healthy enough to practice by Wednesday.

Defensive end Darryl Tapp left late in the game with a rib injury, but Reid said X-rays were negative.

The Eagles' nine sacks were their most since recording nine on Sept. 21, 2008, against the Steelers. The total was tied for the third-most in team history, according to Stats Inc.

Defensive ends Jason Babin and Trent Cole led the way with three, but three rookies registered their first career sacks. Linebackers Casey Matthews and Brian Rolle each had one, as did defensive end Phillip Hunt, who tallied a safety on his sack.

Matthews was seeing his first significant action on defense since being benched in Week 3.

"He had a chip on his shoulder. He was hurt [mentally]," Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo said. "He's a football player, and he knows he can play in the NFL."

Matthews played mostly in nickel situations alongside Keenan Clayton.

Hunt hadn't played in a game since October. But the former Canadian Football League product dressed ahead of defensive ends Brandon Graham and Juqua Parker because Reid said he earned it playing Dolphins linebacker Cameron Wake on the scout team last week.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, also a game-time decision because of a high-ankle sprain, played and shared repetitions with Joselio Hanson at nickel cornerback. . . . Wide receiver Steve Smith, who has played sparingly all season, did not dress for the first time.