Center Jason Kelce (front and center) mixed it up with Derek Landri at Sunday’s practice. Photo by Todd Bauders

If Eagles fans were worried about the intensity of their team going into the 2012 season, those questions were answered after a just three days of full practices at Lehigh University.

Fights, hard hits, many up to and after the whistle, and some spectacular moves by skill players have been the normal at Andy Reid’s 13th training camp as head coach of the Eagles.

“We’re setting the tone,” quarterback Mike Vick said after Sunday’s practice. “Especially up front. The offensive line and the defensive line…they’re playing great. We need a big physical group that is going to attack the ball during the game.”

Defensive coordinator Juan Castillo threw blitz after blitz on Vick and his offensive line and for the most part Vick’s unit fared well.

“That was their (defense’s) plan,” Vick said. “They mix it up. I just have to make sure I do the right thing with the football. I just have make sure I have the right concept before I come out. I never know what they are going to do…last year at this time I couldn’t have done that; I couldn’t have had that kind of success. I give credit to my coaches and my teammates and to the hard work.”

The Eagles, to a man, want to erase the memory of last season’s 8-8 campaign. Getting off to a good, physical start seemed to be the best way to accomplish that.

Eagles offensive line coach Howard Mudd pulled his players as well as the defensive line players aside to talk after practice about the fights and constant trash talking that were heard during the scrimmages on Sunday.

Defensive tackle Derek Landri said last year’s results are on at lot of people’s minds.

“Emotions are high,” he said. “Everybody want to be at their best. Mediocrity is not acceptable. Guys are going as hard as they can. Sometimes you get the better of one guy, sometimes the other guy gets the better of you. And things kind of escalate from there. At the same time, we know where it all ends and after that you move on.”

Landri – who was involved in one of the main fights at the beginning of practice – talked about what Mudd had to say.

“He wanted us to knock off the sideline chatter,” Landri said. “He said don’t let things get in the way of where we need to go as an offensive and defensive line. He said we have a lot of talent on each side (of the line) and to come together, and not be individuals. And I tell you when coach Mudd talks, we listen. He’’s a Fall of Fame coach and a Hall of Fame player in this league and he’s done a lot of big things in this league and we have a lot of respect for him.”

Linebacker Brian Rolle, who has been working with the first team unit with newcomer and instant leader DeMeco Ryans, says he likes the spirit and physicality of the camp and the fact that the team was able to participate in OTAs this Spring.

“Well we had OTAs and everything to kind of built up,” Rolle said. “We got in the playbook earlier as opposed to last year where there was a new coordinator. Even the guys who worked here didn’t have a chance. We didn’t have a chance to where [defensive coordinator Juan Castillo] felt comfortable putting in more and more.”

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Landri was asked if his skirmish was just a “boys will be boys” incident. The 6-foot-2, 290-pounder mixed it up with both tackle Demetress Bell and center Jason Kelce.

“Sometimes your emotions catch you,” Landri said. “You want to be the best player you can be. Things happen and you have to try and catch yourself before it gets too far.”

Landri was then asked if the heat had anything to do with the high emotions – the temperature was in the high 80s midway through the practice, a far cry from temperatures that reached nearly 100 degrees last week when camp opened.

“The heat?” Landri said with a laugh. “Nah…this isn’t heat. This is damn near winter time compared to some days at camp.”