ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Running back Fred Jackson combined for 196 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, and linebacker Nick Barnett had two of the Buffalo Bills’ four interceptions off Michael Vick in a 31-24 victory Sunday over the Philadelphia Eagles.
“All week, we talked about getting after Vick,” Barnett said. “Containing Vick is a hard job for anybody. We were trying to make him uneasy, make him think too fast.”
Barnett returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. And he then sealed the victory by picking off Vick a fourth and final time with 1:49 left.
Facing third-and-3 at the Bills 29, Vick attempted a swing pass to Jason Avant at the left sideline. Cornerback Drayton Florence got his hands on the ball, which tipped off Avant as he was falling backward. Barnett then scooped it up before the ball hit the ground.
“The ball just popped right into my hands,” Barnett said. “I tried to get me another touchdown, but I don’t have that Deion Sanders speed.”
Ryan Fitzpatrick went 21 of 27 for 193 yards passing and a touchdown to David Nelson. Brad Smith scored on a 5-yard run that spotted the Bills a 28-7 lead early in the third quarter.
The Eagles are proving dysfunctional.
“Sitting at 1-4, there’s really not too much you can say whether you’re a good team or a bad team,” Vick said. “I know I have a lot of confidence in these guys. We just have to keep fighting.”
Vick went 26 of 40 for 315 yards passing and two touchdowns, but was undone by a career-worst four interceptions, three of them coming on the Eagles’ first four possessions. He added 90 yards rushing to give him 4,948 for his career, passing Randall Cunningham for most yards by an NFL quarterback.
Philadelphia has lost four in a row - its longest skid since 2005 - and is off to its worst start since 1999, coach Andy Reid’s first season.
“We’ve just got to put it all together for four quarters,” Vick said. “At this point, it’s out of the coach’s hands. I think it’s the players, because we’re the ones out there.”
Reid was defiant in the loss, blaming himself for the team’s struggles.
“No. 1, there’s nobody to blame but me,” Reid said. “That’s how I look at it. I take full responsibility for it. It’s my team.”
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