Is Andy Reid acting like a coach on his way out?

John Smallwood's column today touched on something a few of you have brought up in the past week or so.

Andy Reid isn't acting like a coach on his way out the door.

The general consensus from seemingly everyone is that Andy Reid will be fired at the end of the season. The most obvious reason would be that prior to the season Eagles owner Jeff Lurie flat out said that another 8-8 season without the playoffs would be "unacceptable."

Sitting at 3-9 it's pretty clear that this team isn't going to meet Lurie's threshold of success and unless his definition of "unacceptable" is different than everyone else's, then it would make sense that he'd make a change at the head of his football team. And certainly the look on his face on Monday night when he shown on camera didn't seem like he was in a very forgiving mood.

But in the past two weeks, Andy Reid hasn't necessarily acted like a coach on his way out. He's started to shed the bad influences on the team and made the biggest move of all to bench Michael Vick for his young QB. Now, at this point he doesn't really have a choice since Vick isn't cleared to play and very well may not be for the rest of year... But its at least notable that he said Foles was the starter either way.

These moves have led some people, Smallwood included, to make the assumption that Reid might be back next year. Since he's acting like a coach preparing for next year, it must be that he will actually be back.

I don't see it that way. For one, what else is he supposed to do? Jason Babin wasn't producing and the young guys behind him look like better players. Jim Washburn was a dick that seemingly everyone in the organization hated. Michael Vick is concussed and not even able to play. Are these choices he's made to prepare for next year or just because he was forced by circumstance?

And even if he was preparing for next year, again I ask... what is he supposed to do? At 3-9 there's no turning around the season. Yes, there's still a couple absurd scenarios where the Eagles could make the playoffs, but for all practical purposes they are done this year. So if he's accepted this year as finished, all Reid can really do is prepare for next season in case he is still around.

Look, I feel pretty strongly that Andy is done after this season. However, like a lot of you, I also do kind of fall in the "I'll believe it when I see it" category. After 14 years, its only natural to feel that way. And I can see why people might be looking for reasons as to why we won't see change, but I just don't see Andy's recent moves as evidence of... well, anything.