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Vick turns New York Giants coach Coughlin into fan

NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin said he turned into a common football fan enthralled by the performance of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick in Monday's game against the Redskins.

But come Sunday night it will be the Giants' (6-3) turn to deal with the versatile Vick in a showdown against the Eagles (6-3) in Philadelphia with the NFC East lead at stake.

"Let's see, 35-0, 12 plays for Washington," Coughlin told reporters at the Giants training complex Wednesday when asked what he was thinking about watching Vick play. "Just what everybody else was -- put the pencil down and become a fan."

Vick threw four touchdown passes and ran for two other scores as the Eagles soared to a 59-28 rout of Washington.

Coughlin said there are various approaches to take against the strong-armed quarterback, who is also one of the fastest runners in the game when he takes off from the pocket.

"You have to obviously try to contain and keep him inside and not let him outside," Coughlin said.

"There's all kinds of strategic things that you say you can do and you must do, but you have to time it up with the right circumstances, the right play, the right situation."

STUNNING UPSET

Contrasting with the explosive showing by the Eagles, the Giants are coming off a stunning upset by the Dallas Cowboys, who at 1-7 and playing under a new head coach ended New York's five-game winning streak with a 33-20 victory.

"We're taking it as a big game," Giants quarterback Eli Manning said about playing the Eagles. "This one game is not going to decide anything, and it's not going to ensure anyone is going to win the division.

"Obviously it's an important game when it's two teams who are 6-3 Sunday night. And knowing that it's Philly week, and it's always a big game when you're playing the Philadelphia Eagles."

Before laying an egg against Dallas, the Giants were being talked up as possibly the best team in the NFC. Now the Eagles are getting the accolades off their Monday Night dominance.

"It never amazes you or maybe it always amazes you ... the way they're talking about Philly this week, they were talking about us last week," Manning said.

"Either way, it can't go to your head, whether they're talking good or talking bad about you. It's what you do in your own preparation and getting ready to play, go out there, compete, and try to make the plays that are there."

(Reporting by Larry Fine, Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)