Kevin Kolb: Career Backup or the Future of the Philadelphia Eagles?

All right, Philly fans, you've seen five quarters of the Kevin Kolb era.

Are you ready to panic if Michael Vick's injury suffered in the 17-12 loss to the Washington Redskins is severe enough to keep him out for multiple weeks?

To be completely honest, I'm not sure about Kolb.

For a minute, let's look at what Kolb has had to deal with.

He had messy weather in both games with terrible wind conditions and has played against two defensive fronts that can get after the quarterback.

You can point out that in the Packers game, Vick had the same conditions, but the Packers' game plan was to stop Kolb, not Vick.

It is one thing to prepare for a pocket passer and then have to face a scrambler and another thing to prepare for a scrambler and then face a pocket passer.

Vick had a huge advantage coming into the Packer game compared to Kolb had coming into the Redskins game.

Also, Vick didn't look too hot against the Redskins. The 'Skins (and I know it was only one quarter) had a great game plan for Vick. He only had one big run that was helped as well as negated by holding.

So as performances go, I don't know if you can truly judge Kolb in his three quarters against the Redskins.

However, to those questioning Kolb, you have every reason to.

He didn't look sharp at all against the Packers, and he seemed gun-shy or even scared at times against the Redskins.

Only twice did he try to throw down field against the Redskins. Everything seemed to be checked down to the backs and tight ends.

On that last drive, it almost seemed like he was trying to run out the clock with dump-offs over the middle that gained a mere five or six yards.

I can't put my finger on Kolb's performance, but he looked a lot like a guy who had zero confidence in himself.

He looked like a guy who was told the starting job was his and without really an opportunity had it taken from him.

I said it when Vick was awarded the starting job that when Kolb got a second chance, he might be overly cautious instead of slinging the ball down field.

Where Andy Reid may have made the biggest coaching mistake of his career was not starting Kolb against the Jaguars.

Yes, Vick played well against the Packers and made a laughing-stock out of the Lions' defense, but when you trade away the franchise quarterback (in the division no less) and say Kolb is your guy, and then after only one half of football you name a new starter, you are sending a message to Kolb.

If Reid truly believed that Kolb was his guy of the future, then Kolb would have started against Jacksonville. However, Reid did not do that, and we all saw the result of that against the Redskins.

I don't think Kolb believes in his head coach, and honestly I don't think Kolb believes in himself right now.

He can get over it (if needed to start next week or maybe longer), but his team and coach need to fully back him. Reid can't play musical quarterbacks all season.

Vick is still a young guy, and he can be the Eagles starter for the next five seasons at least, so that means Reid is going to have to make a decision between Kolb and Vick.

If it's Vick, then I think Kolb is going to have to be dealt in the offseason because I don't think he'll be able to come off the bench for Vick after being told he was the guy in Philly.

The same goes for Vick if Kolb is named the starter down the road.

He's proven that he should still be a starter in this league.

Either way, I don't think both Kolb and Vick will be on the Eagles roster next season (or maybe even by the trade deadline this season).

So Eagles fans, what do you think: Are you comfortable with Kolb taking the snaps, or is Vick your guy?