Eagles notebook: Vick to QB against Dallas?

[Gryphon]

By Bob Grotz
http://thereporteronline.com/articles/2009/12/29/sports/professional/srv0000007193915.prt

PHILADELPHIA — With the condition of Donovan McNabb's hamstring open to debate, the Eagles need Mike Vick more than ever this week.

Vick sat out the 30-27 win over the Broncos Sunday night due to a bruised quadriceps sustained the previous game on a hit by Takeo Spikes. Vick suited up as the third quarterback. But it would have taken an emergency for him to play as he was unable to practice last week.

"Yeah, there's a chance we have him back this week," Andy Reid said Monday. "We'll see how it goes. He's still sore today. We'll just see how it goes."

Reid pooh-poohed the health of McNabb, explaining his quarterback said his hamstring was OK although he acted otherwise after a 27-yard scramble in the fourth quarter. Of course, what was Reid supposed to say with the Eagles opposing Dallas this Sunday night at Cowboys Stadium? The winner of that game could wind up hosting the loser in the wild card round of the playoffs.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Eagles running back Brian Westbrook played just his fifth game of the season without concussion issues. Reid declined to say if the Villanova University product would undergo concussions testing this week. "He came out good there," Reid said. "That part was good."

There is concern about safety/kickoff returner Quintin Demps, who aggravated an ankle injury last week. Demps got a Magnetic Resonance Imaging test Monday "just to see if there's anything further that's going on in there," Reid said.

Right now there is less concern over cornerback Sheldon Brown, who has played through ankle and groin injuries this season. Brown has a streak of 127 straight games played. "We're all going to break down some time," Reid said. "I'm not worried about him right now, no. "He's a tough guy. He's proven that over and over."

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The Pro Bowl team is scheduled to be announced Tuesday night at 7. The Eagles have a handful of worthy candidates in Asante Samuel, DeSean Jackson, Leonard Weaver, David Akers, Donovan McNabb, Brent Celek and Sheldon Brown. With the dearth of healthy offensive tackles in the NFC, Jason Peters could be a candidate.

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NOTES: Jamaal Jackson, out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury, told Channel 10 what a bad dream it has turned out to be. "If it was broken I'd still be playing," Jackson said. "With a torn ACL it's impossible." … It isn't a playoff game but it will be a playoff-type atmosphere when the Eagles take on the Cowboys this weekend. Lest we forget, the Cowboys' last postseason win was in 1996, when Barry Switzer was the head coach. Since then, Chan Gailey, Bill Parcells and current head coach Wade Phillips all have been vanquished. The Cowboys have lost five straight playoff games … Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin could alternate returning kickoffs with Victor Harris this weekend if Demps cannot get back on the field … With Mike McGlynn getting some real snaps this week the Eagles re-signed offensive lineman Greg Isdaner to the practice squad.

 

[zrinkill]

mind games from Mr. Reid

 

[Hostile]

I fear McNabb. I don't fear Vick (because I am not a dog). I hope this is true. Either that or that we can send McNabb to the showers early like Bradie James once did on a Roy INT for a TD.

 

[JBS]

with the 2 seed on the line, does this joker think he is fooling anyone?

 

[Alexander]

mind games from Mr. Reid

It would be useless to fall for it.

If McNabb's hamstring were a real issue, then Kolb being on the active roster and not the third QB would be a real sign. Vick is not even capable of running the Wildcat package effectively let alone their base offense.

 

[Doomsday101]

Kolb would start before Vick. I fully expect McNabb to start this game, if Dallas jumps on Philly early and is getting some big hits on McNabb I would not be surprised to see McNabb take himself out of the game.

 

[Alexander]

I fear McNabb.

I fear a well-protected McNabb. Otherwise, he is far from the kind of threat he used to be or is still considered by the masses. Romo is a better QB at making plays in the face of a rush than McNabb is these days.

Either that or that we can send McNabb to the showers early like Bradie James once did on a Roy INT for a TD.

McNabb sent himself to the showers after that love tap. It was a beautiful moment.

 

[RS12]

I would love to see Vick at QB, would definitely feel good about our chances.

 

[JBond]

I fear McNabb. I don't fear Vick (because I am not a dog).

says the dog that escaped.

 

[Hostile]

I fear a well-protected McNabb. Otherwise, he is far from the kind of threat he used to be or is still considered by the masses. Romo is a better QB at making plays in the face of a rush than McNabb is these days.


McNabb sent himself to the showers after that love tap. It was a beautiful moment.

One of my favorite moments this decade.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

I fear McNabb. I don't fear Vick (because I am not a dog). I hope this is true. Either that or that we can send McNabb to the showers early like Bradie James once did on a Roy INT for a TD.

I agree. If we see Vick at QB it means the injury to McNabb is much more serious than adverstised, because he is a much better QB than Vick, and because it is also in the Eagles best interest to play McNabb, because if they win they can secure the bye to get him rest. So if McNabb can't go at all then they're sacrificing that alltogether.

Also, if the Eagles have any special packages for Vick at QB, they'll wait for the playoofs to reveal them, not during a final regular season game against a potential playoff opponent.

So anything said about Vick playing QB this Sunday is nothing but a smokescreen. The Eagles will come out with their base packages most of the game, and will even limit Westbrook. Why? It's because they should be confident enough in winning Sunday's game with that approach because it got them this far this season.

If anything, they'll use Westbrook more as a receiver than a RB to keep him from taking shots to his jelly head. And as a receiver, he'll draw safeties up which can help open Desean Jackson deep. If you remember Dallas' last game in Philly, Jackson was shut down. So in this game, I see the Eagles using their backs as WRs in order to try and bring the coverave up to help spring Jackson from getting shut down again.

 

[Seven]

Either that or that we can send McNabb to the showers early like Bradie James once did on a Roy INT for a TD.

End of the game heroics. We swept them with that play, no?

 

[TellerMorrow34]

This idea is complete crap. Even if McNabb couldn't play, and he will play and we all know that, it would be Kolb who would start and not Vick anyway.

 

[Holloway805]

Kolb would start before Vick. I fully expect McNabb to start this game, if Dallas jumps on Philly early and is getting some big hits on McNabb I would not be surprised to see McNabb take himself out of the game.

There is NO way Mcflab will tap his helmet in this game.

 

[dbair1967]

I would love to see Vick at QB, would definitely feel good about our chances.

I feel good about our chances regardless. We're playing good defense, we're at home. We already beat them once and pretty much shut down their offense that night, and our defense is playing better now than it was then.

I think unless we have a bunch of turnovers, we'll win.

 

[Doomsday101]

There is NO way Mcflab will tap his helmet in this game.

I would not bet on that, if he does have a tight hamstring and the Cowboys start pounding on him McNabb will come out.

 

[CowboysFaninBaltimore]

Sounds like a trap that Andy Reid is trying to put us in. Definetly some mind games going on. Either way the Defense better be ready for Donovan on Sunday.

 

[superpunk]

I feel like I'm the only person who read the article.

It doesn't say anything about Vick starting, or playing in place of, or for an injured McNabb. All it says is that Vick is healed from his injury, and he could be available against Dallas - no doubt in his normal menial role.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

I feel good about our chances regardless. We're playing good defense, we're at home. We already beat them once and pretty much shut down their offense that night, and our defense is playing better now than it was then.

I think unless we have a bunch of turnovers, we'll win.

That's a good point. We used our team strength (defense) and shut down their team strength (offense). And now we have the home-field advantage along with an improving offense. And I think our offense matches up well against their defense too, so I predict a similar outcome for us; I simply cannot see how we lose, unless we play horrible special teams.

 

[Don Corleone]

I feel like I'm the only person who read the article.

It doesn't say anything about Vick starting, or playing in place of, or for an injured McNabb. All it says is that Vick is healed from his injury, and he could be available against Dallas - no doubt in his normal menial role.

I watched the rest of that game against the Broncos, and McNabb at least didn't show any lingering effects of the hamstring. I did see him pull up lame, but I don't think it will be a huge factor on Sunday.

The one thing I will note is that he wasn't apt to scramble after that injury, so I wouldn't worry so much about that on Sunday. He doesn't scramble as much anyway versus earlier in his career.