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Vick and Jackson: Two Eagles 'on a mission'

That electrifying 88-yard touchdown hookup between DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick on Monday night was more than just the longest first play in the history of the Eagles, or the longest play in the careers of both players. It was a glimpse of what could be.

That electrifying 88-yard touchdown hookup between DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick on Monday night was more than just the longest first play in the history of the Eagles, or the longest play in the careers of both players. It was a glimpse of what could be.

Vick-Jackson has the potential to be a very memorable and lucrative partnership, a significant chapter in the history of the franchise. Of course, there's the small matter of the fact that Vick isn't signed past this season, and that Jackson wants his contract reworked, but surely management will figure out ways around those impediments.

"We're both two people on a mission, to go out there and just play our games at a very high level. The opportunities we have together, with him being the quarterback he is and me being the big-play receiver I am, it really don't get no better than that," Jackson said yesterday, as the Eagles prepared for Sunday night's showdown vs. the visiting New York Giants. "We just go out there looking forward to having a lot of fun and lighting up a lot of big plays."

Jackson certainly noticed that the TD ball traveled more than 60 yards in the air, that he actually had to speed up to catch it, way behind the Redskins' defense.

"Honestly, man, in my career, there haven't been too many quarterbacks able to get the ball to me without me having to slow down to wait for the ball. He's one of the few quarterbacks that's able to put it out there and let me run to go get it," said Jackson, who has averaged 123.75 receiving yards in the four games he and Vick have started and finished together this season.

"It's only going to get better," Jackson said. "We're just taking it patient."

Someone brought up the contract situation.

"Yeah, man, we're looking for those new contracts!" Jackson said, laughing. "We know the contracts will come. We're just so focused on playing right now. The better we do, the better it is for both of us . . . we know what we have in front of us."

Jackson was asked if, when he's headed deep on a fly pattern, he tells Vick to just throw it as far as he can. "I think he knows," Jackson said.

Marty's measuring stick

Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg was asked yesterday if Michael Vick's skills bring to mind Steve Young, Mornhinweg's pupil in San Francisco. With 4,295 career rushing yards, Vick moved past Young into second place all-time among QBs in that category, during Monday's victory over the Redskins.

"They're very similar," Mornhinweg said. "The makeup is there on the field, as far as talent and ability. Mike has really worked hard to [get to] the level that Steve worked hard at. Steve ended up being one of the most accurate passers ever in the history of the game - first-ballot Hall of Famer. So Mike has worked very hard, [is] very diligent. He's very focused, he's very determined to continue to work to get to that level and then to stay at that level."

Birdseed

Running back LeSean McCoy (AC joint in shoulder) was a limited practice participant yesterday, after sitting out Wednesday. McCoy seems on track to play Sunday . . . Right guard Nick Cole (knee) was a full participant . . . Only defensive end Juqua Parker (hip flexor) sat out . . . Special-teams coordinator Bobby April indicated Ellis Hobbs might regain the kick-return duties, after Jorrick Calvin's troubles hanging onto the ball on a rainy night at Washington. Calvin said after pactice he didn't know what the plan would be . . . Keep forgetting to mention that the Eagles opted not to bring defensive end Victor Abiamiri back from the physically unable to perform list during the 3-week window when they could have done that, meaning Abiamiri will not play this season.