PHILADELPHIA — Coaches on the Philadelphia Eagles are showing more fight than the players.
Defensive line coach Jim Washburn and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg had a heated exchange during Sunday’s loss to New England that required a follow-up talk with head coach Andy Reid.
“Things happen. It’s an emotional game,” Reid said Tuesday. “It doesn’t matter if you’re coaches or players, things happen. So you take care of business like grown men. They’ve talked. I’ve talked. They’ve worked it out and we’re fine here.”
The Eagles (4-7) have to rebound quickly from a 38-20 loss to the Patriots and get ready for Thursday night’s game at Seattle (4-7). With Philadelphia close to elimination from playoff contention in a season that began with enormous expectations, most of the attention before practice centered on the coaches’ fight.
“A couple tempers, you know,” defensive tackle Trevor Laws said. “Jim Washburn’s a fiery guy, no doubt about that. Anybody that’s been following the team all year has probably seen him get in multiple fights, so I don’t know why this thing is such a big deal, to tell you the truth.
“He’s Jim Washburn. He’s a fiery guy with a chip on his shoulder, and he says what’s on his mind. Sometimes he rubs people the wrong way, but to tell you the truth, that attitude is spread down the defensive line and actually improves our play, and I think we’ve kind of been the fiery heart of this team, and I think that’s from Jim Washburn.”
Reid dismissed a report that Washburn was angry over Mornhinweg’s playcalling. The argument occurred after the Eagles went three-and-out on three straight passes.
“I’m not going to get into it, but that wasn’t the case at all,” Reid said. “It wasn’t an offense versus defense thing.”
Washburn is in his first season with the Eagles after working on Jeff Fisher’s staff in Tennessee. Mornhinweg has been with Philadelphia since 2003. Neither coach has spoken to reporters since the incident.
“I’d like to tell you it was the first time it’s happened,” Reid said. “This isn’t the first time guys get emotional on the sideline. It’s that type of game. Can it be a good thing? They worked it out, that’s the good thing.”
Most players found it amusing.
“I think it was blown way out of proportion,” defensive end Jason Babin said. “It’s a heated game. Their interaction with each other had nothing to do with anything other than those two guys want to win. Jim wants to win. It had nothing to do with what Marty does. It was two guys getting after it. Things happen sometimes.”
It seems likely the Eagles will be without Michael Vick for the third straight game when they play the Seahawks. Vick has been throwing, but still hasn’t practiced since breaking two lower ribs against Arizona on Nov. 13.
Vince Young, coming off a career-best 400-yard performance against New England, is preparing to fill in again.
“Even from Week 1, Week 2, you know it’s just preparation, you never know what goes on and you always have to be prepared,” Young said. “So, it’s really nothing too different about it; the only thing is when the head coach tells you that you have to start. So, overall you just want to stay in the book and stay ready.”
Notes: WR Jeremy Maclin didn’t practice because of a hamstring injury and likely will miss his third straight game. … LB Moise Fokou was placed on injured reserve because of an ankle injury. LB Greg Lloyd was promoted from the practice squad to take his roster spot.
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