Eagles Notes: Vick feeling better and sticking with his style

Michael Vick returned to Eagles practice Thursday and is on track to make his second consecutive start on Sunday against the New York Jets.

"Feeling closer and closer to 100 percent," Vick said. "Just trying to get better and just taking my time with the whole process. . . . Sometimes it takes a long time to heal."

Vick missed three games because of broken ribs and sat out Wednesday's practice. He had a large bag of ice wrapped on his back after practice Thursday.

"It's a little sore when I throw, but I could tolerate it," Vick said.

The subject of Vick's health, of course, is an important one. The quarterback said last week that he would start sliding to avoid taking unnecessary hits, then did the opposite against the Miami Dolphins and took a number of hits as a result.

Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg was asked why Vick takes more hits than Vince Young, who filled in during Vick's absence.

"It's a combination of things," Mornhinweg said. "Mike's style is a little bit different. And I'm certainly a part of it. But it's going to be the death of me to get him to protect himself just a little bit better.

"He plays with a style where he takes a lot of hits. And I do think he's gotten better, but not nearly as good as he needs to be for, first of all, the best interest of the team, and, secondly, for the best interest of him."

Vick said after the Miami game that he would continue to play the way he always has played.

"I take a lot of hits, I get hit, but it doesn't affect me. I get up from it," Vick said. "When I was a young man, we used to play football in the backyard, and I got hit probably six million times up until this point."

Vick was reminded that he is now 31.

"The older you get, the better you get," he said.

Defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins and tackle Todd Herremans also returned to practice, but were limited. Jenkins has a groin strain, and Herremans has an ankle sprain. Jenkins said he expected to play Sunday.

Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin was a full participant a day after being limited. He didn't appear worried about his availability for the Jets game.

"I'm playing, baby," Maclin said.

Defensive end Darryl Tapp (rib) did not practice for the second straight day. If Tapp can't go, there's a chance Juqua Parker or Brandon Graham will dress in his place. Parker and Graham were inactive last week as Phillip Hunt dressed for the first time in two months and recorded a sack.

Graham, whose knee is still not 100 percent after surgery last December, intimated Wednesday that his playing days this season could be over.

There were a number of reasons for LeSean McCoy's worst day as an NFL running back - and a few were out of his control - but he said Thursday that he often was guilty of trying to make something out of nothing.

"I'm trying to make too many things happen," McCoy said. "Trying to break too many tackles and spin out. . . . You can't do that in this league."

McCoy, who is still second in the league in rushing, finished with just 38 yards on 27 carries against Miami. He scored two touchdowns, however, giving him an NFL-best 17 this season.

But he had nine runs on which he lost yardage.

"Just being satisfied with just the little yards - the twos, the ones, just even getting back to the line of scrimmage," McCoy said. "I just hate negative plays."