Philadelphia QB switch altered ‘D’ Big Blue gameplan

The Giants spent all week leading into Sunday’s mustwin game preparing for Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick’s legs. Turned out it was the midgame switch to backup Nick Foles’ arm that handed them a 3621 loss and may have sunk their season.

Vick did run seven times for 79 yards, but the Giants held him to 6of14 passes for 105 yards and a 69.0 QB rating. But once Vick left with a tight left hamstring, Foles came on in relief and torched the Giants, going 16of25 for 197 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 114.9 rating.

“I think our coaches and scout team did a great job in simulating [Vick] in practice and I definitely think that we were prepared for that,’’ cornerback Prince Amukamara said. “We were wellconditioned coming into this game, but when Mike Vick got out, their whole game plan changed just because there aren’t two runners in the back field. Foles does more passing.

“It’s a midstream adjust. All week we prepared just for them to run the read option but it was just different.’’

Vick pulled up lame after a 13yard run in the second quarter, but started the final drive of the half before defensive end Jason PierrePaul fell on him in the end zone. He left and didn’t return, but Foles went 7for8 on that drive, leading the Eagles to a field goal and a 197 lead as time expired.

The Giants stuck with their mantoman coverages, but never seemed to adjust well to Foles. He tossed a 25yard touchdown to Brent Celek, and a 6yard touchdown to DeSean Jackson, who beat Amukamara badly.

“Vick not being in the game changes our game plan a bit, because we know he was not as big a threat to run with Foles because he’s not so much a mobile quarterback,’’ linebacker Spencer Paysinger said. “He can get a couple yards he needs but that’s not the type of quarterback he is. So it changes up the game plan.

“He’s a professional quarterback. He got in there and got the right calls, got the right reads. You can’t take anything away from him: He was a starting quarterback for [six] games for them last year, so just because Vick went out we’re not going say a scrub came in so we should to automatically win. He’s in the NFL for a reason and he showed time and time again last year that he can win games.’’