Source: Vick to start; Bradley, Kolb progress, but still out of practice
Michael Vick is expected to start Sunday, a team source said. Stewart Bradley and Kevin Kolb sat in team meetings today, but both still appear unlikely to play this week.
Source: Vick to start; Bradley, Kolb progress, but still out of practice
Jonathan Tamari and Jeff McLane
Michael Vick will start Sunday against the Lions, according to a team source, confirming what was widely expected.
Linebacker Stewart Bradley and quarterback Kevin Kolb both sat in team meetings today, a sign of progress after they were each concussed Sunday, but it still seems highly unlikely that either will play against Detroit.
Bradley was seen doing light exercises in the Eagles training room, though neither player is expected to practice today.
Even if team doctors clear the two, they would still need to get an OK from independent doctor to return to play.
While the Eagles won't publicly commit to playing Vick as a starter against the Lions, coaches did say that Mike McGlynn will start at center and Omar Gaither will start at middle linebacker if Bradley is held out.
Coordinators Marty Mornhinweg, Sean McDermott and Bobby April gave glimpses into their planning and concerns for their game this week.
Mornhinweg stressed the challenge presented by the Lions' defensive line, which features defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. "Their front is just excellent and this will be a really good challenge for us."
McDermott -- somewhat less convincingly -- played up the talent of Lions back up quarterback Shaun Hill, expected to start in place of the injured Matthew Stafford. "He's a veteran quarterback, so he has seen the blitz looks ... he has great football instincts, so I'm sure he's well prepared to do a good job."
Bobby April, meanwhile, said his team has work to do on both kick off coverage and kick returns.
The Eagles gave up long returns after several scores Sunday, giving the Packers the chance to strike back.
"It was not good. The thing about that particular play, it's a critical play for a lot of reasons. It's the first defensive play of the series," April said. "We have a chance to literally establish the field position for our defensive football team with one single play, so it's critical that that one single play to determine that is good."
On kick coverage, April said he needs to better detail his plans and a few individual players need to make better plays in coverage. Just one person getting of his block can stop a return short. The return game, April said, is tougher to address because a kick return requires 11 players working in unison. Despite averaging a start around the 30 yard line, April said that number was bolstered by a Packers' kick out of bounds.
I didn't know Captain Obvious was part of the organization...— blackscreen- So, who is Vick's backup??????— Marchmadness
- Why is there a controversy? It's simple. Both QB's played the same team on the same day for about a half each. Who did better?— dlscholt
- Vick is the only player to run and pass for 100 yards in 7 different games (others have done it 3 times). Andy should be calling RichRod and other spread offense experts to get some counsel on how to win with the talents that Vick brings to the table. And I pray that Vick doesn't get hurt or the season will become very, very long.— JohnFC
- Bill20 and the rest of you morons..Are you Jesus , GOD ? Are you perfect ? Stop saying Vick is a criminal. We as a society forgive adultry(my man Bill Clinton, Kobe,& half of you on here ) we forgive murderers(my man Ray Lewis) drug dealers, etc..are you perfect ? I don't think so..Everyone deserves a second chance ..PERIOD !! I think it's more to it than what he was charged with...would you be this mad if Brett "all i do is throw INT" Farve was convicted of dog killing ? I don't think so bo !! So get a life and STFU already...Everybody wants to judge this guy but I guarentee it , not everyone on this post is pure with no skeletons....by the way JO, I am a dog lover and he deserves to play, PERIOD!!!— phillyfanyo
- Bill20
"Kolb didn't spend two years rotting in jail for killing and torturing helpless dogs"
No instead , with the help of Andy and Lurie, Kolb is gonna inflict that kind of torture on us poor fans who want to win a games.
And Vick did his time he paid millions of dollars for rehabilitation for many of those dogs and I really was one of the last people who wanted him here but he paid his dues -- get over it people you're never gonna change it.
The funniest thing is that even after being in jail for 2 years hes still seems to have more ability than Kolb. Thats really gotta burn.— belmontbeauty6 - Tralala is right . Reid couldn't win with Peyton MAnning. Bottom line when Kolb is ready he will play. We have to know if this guy can develop or draft another QB. Vick is exciting but will not take the Eagles to the SB. Maybe we can get Orton from Denver before its too late.......Sarcasm— funsoaz
- Let's end this silly controversy about Kolb's killing coyotes (wild dogs) and Vick's killing domesticated dogs. Let's allow the licensed killing of all dogs that are not on a leash. As Vick put it so eloquently,"They're only dogs." The meat could be used to feed some of the hungry in our land.— Delaware Jim
- Vick is the better option, period and end of story. Might not like it but you better learn to love it. Even the big fat dope will see the light soon enough.— DW4
- Does anyone think it's a surprise that Vick is starting? If it was Kolb, the Eagles organization would be crucified in the press, not for his play, but for having a concussion and letting him play. I think Andy should actually be looking for an emergency QB in case Vick goes down. Sign Garcis, then everyone will be happy except the McNabb lovers. We'd have Vick, Kolb, and Garcia all on the same team.— watsonmr
Delaware Jim -- thats the hypocrisy of it all. animals are animals. kolb actually kills them himself with a knife. how brutal is that? but just because its not fido(because they bow down to humans) makes it better? foh!- with that o line vick is their best chance to win!— sgamble077
- Playing Vick gives you a couple victories and lots of excitement; however, this is a rebuilding team and you better face that.— NC Dennis
- Phil MeNuggets...lighten up. killing domestic animals that were intentionally bred to fight is nothing like hunting wild, predatory animals. Statements like that make you look like an idiot.— Cdiggy
- This should be a very interesting year as in complete rebuild and injury laden nightmare.— West Kensington College of Pyrotechnics Fairhill Campus
