Vick expected to start for Eagles against 49ers

Michael Vick is expected to start Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers despite a deep bone bruise in his right hand, Eagles sources said.

The swelling in Vick's nonthrowing hand has to lessen enough for the quarterback to grip the football, but indications Tuesday were that his injury wouldn't impede his play.

Coach Andy Reid said Monday that Vick could "play with the swelling," adding, "It's just got to be where he can bend his hand where he can work with it."

Vick's overall health, of course, is of great concern with 13 games remaining. Already he has suffered a concussion and the hand injury. Vick said Sunday after the game that when he gets hit, officials are less likely to call penalties than they are for other quarterbacks, although he backed off those comments a day later.

Jim Mora, Vick's former coach in Atlanta, said Tuesday in a telephone interview that he believed the hit that injured the hand deserved a flag. Mora said the quarterback could do a better job of protecting himself, though.

Vick originally was believed to have a broken bone. He suffered the injury in the third quarter of Sunday's game against the New York Giants when defensive tackle Chris Canty hit him just after he had thrown a pass. It was unclear exactly how the hand was hurt.

Vick initially grabbed both sides of his helmet as he lay on the ground, but he was seen a play later flexing the hand. He finished the drive but went for X-rays soon after. The first X-ray found no breaks, the Eagles said, so Vick returned without missing an offensive down.

When a second X-ray indicated that he had a hairline fracture, Vick was pulled. A report on NBC10 Sunday after the game said that based on the second X-ray, he would be out three to four weeks.

On Monday, however, Reid said that Vick's hand was bruised and not broken. He said a blood vessel sitting over the bone made it look like a fracture on the X-ray. Vick later told reporters that he had a "deep bone bruise" and that his status for Sunday "remains to be seen."

There is no media access to players on Tuesdays during game weeks. Reid will meet with reporters on Wednesday to update Vick's condition.

If Vick goes Sunday, it will be the second consecutive game in which he has played the week after being injured. He suffered a concussion against Atlanta on Sept. 18 but the Eagles said he passed a series of tests and was cleared to play against the Giants.

If Vick is held out of Sunday's game, Reid will have to decide between Vince Young and Mike Kafka. Young, listed No. 2 on the depth chart, did not dress for the first two games of the season because of a hamstring strain.

He dressed for the Giants game but still wasn't 100 percent, Reid said Monday, and when Vick was sidelined, Kafka got the call. The second-year quarterback threw two interceptions and did not make a strong case for jumping ahead of a healthy Young.

Even if Vick starts, both Young and Kafka need to be ready. Whatever the reason - officiating, play-calling, his aggressive approach - Vick seems to get hit more often than most quarterbacks. Was it always that way?

"No, because there wasn't as much emphasis on protecting the quarterback back in those days," said Mora, Vick's head coach with the Falcons from 2004 to '06. "One of the things about being a quarterback that can operate outside of the pocket - and I got this from Steve Young, and Mike felt the same way back in Atlanta - when you get yourself outside the pocket, you can control your environment."

But is there anything Vick can do to lessen the blows once he gets out of the pocket?

"Anyone can make the argument he needs to do a better job of protecting himself," said Mora, who will handle color commentary for Sunday's game on Fox29. "I think that's a constant battle within himself because he believes he can make every play, and you know, he pretty much can make every play.

"He's a fearless competitor. I think sometimes that's probably tough for him to balance - giving up on a play, throwing the ball away, running out of bounds."

The Eagles eased his load against the Giants by running more than they passed, but running back LeSean McCoy and several offensive linemen said that had more to do with the Giants defense.

The 49ers, sixth last season against the run, are third in the NFL through three games. They are 16th against the pass. The Eagles have McCoy, the league's second-leading rusher, but the Niners' defensive imbalance may have Vick dropping back more often than he hands off.

Michael Vick has become much more careless with the football since his spectacular, six-game start last season.

While it was unfair to expect the Eagles quarterback to continue to play at such a high level, and while he is still performing much better than the earlier version of himself in Atlanta, the turnover numbers don't lie:   Vick hasn't been the same since that near-perfect outing at Washington last November.

Vick's first 6 games from last season

Record Comp Pct. Yds./Game Rush Yds./Game TDs   Int Fumbles Lost

 4-1       62.7       225.0      56.8        11    0        2          0

Vick's 10 games since (including playoff loss to Green Bay)

Record Comp Pct. Yds./Game Rush Yds./Game TDs    Int     Fumbles     Lost

 5-5       60.9       256.5       52.0        15    9       16          6

- Jeff McLane

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