Vick expected to play; shies away from announcement

Michael Vick did not make the expected announcement Tuesday that he's playing this weekend. However, as reporters scratched their heads and asked followup questions, it became clear that Vick expects to play, assuming Nick Foles is sidelined by a concussion, and that for some reason, Vick didn't want to say that plainly, after stating early last week that he definitely wasn't playing against the Cowboys.

"You're trying to get me to put it all out there, aren't you?" Vick asked a reporter who was questioning him about playing. Vick acknowledged then that if the game were in the next few days, and Foles couldn't play, he "absolutely" would.

Vick said he was "optimistic" about playing. After his news conference, Vick indicated he will make the announcement Thursday. Teammates said they are under the impression Vick is playing.

It's unclear why there was so much misdirection from Vick, who at one point asserted that rookie quarterback Matt Barkley took the first-team reps today. Barkley and other Eagles later said Barkley took no first-team reps, Vick took them all. Reporters are not allowed to watch the full-team part of practice.

Vick injured the hamstring in the previous meeting with the Giants, Oct. 6. His healing took on greater urgency for the fanbase when Nick Foles played three terrible quarters, then suffered a concussion Sunday against the Cowboys, a week after being named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Tampa.

Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said Tuesday morning that Vick would take first-team reps in practice, something he had not done since the injury.

Vick was active against Tampa as the emergency third quarterback but was inactive against Dallas, and last week did not seem as encouraged about his recovery as he had seemed the previous week, when Eagles coach Chip Kelly clearly wanted to keep the Bucs guessing about which quarterback they would face.