Michael Vick Injury: Why the Eagles Shouldn't Rush Their Star Back in Week 3

It's becoming more clear that Michael Vick will be able to give it a go in Week 3, but if the Philadelphia Eagles are smart they won't let him. 

Vick is an absolute competitor for attempting to come back in one week, no doubt. But this is a concussion we're talking about. Minor or a major, it's still a concussion—one of the most dangerous injuries in football.

If Vick does go out there and play well in Week 3, what exactly does he gain? A win at home against a New York Giants team that backup QB Mike Kafka could also achieve.

Kafka looked good in relief against the Falcons last week, completing seven of nine passes for 72 yards. He's young, sure, but he doesn't have a bunch of rookies around him.

With DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy, Philly can surround whoever their QB is with tons of offensive weapons. Even if he can't lead the offense with efficiency, Eli Manning and company will have problems going up against Nnamdi Asomugha and a bunch of other Pro Bowlers. 

So, yeah, I think the 24-year-old out of Northwestern can lead this team.

Now that we've established the fact that a Michael Vick-less team can probably take care of the New York Giants with anyone short of Luke McCown at QB, what are the risks of the star playing in Week 3?

Oh, just another concussion that could force Vick to miss half the season—something they absolutely can't afford. 

Vick takes more shots than any quarterback in the NFL, hands down. While he doesn't get sacked a whole lot, he both scrambles and throws under pressure more than anyone. 

A quarterback coming off a concussion that gets hit more than anyone who's not a running back is not a recipe for happiness in Philadelphia.

When it all comes down to it, Philadelphia has a game of "would you rather" on their hands.

Would they rather play Vick in a winnable game for Mike Kafka and risk losing their star for a majority of the season? Or would they rather sit Vick in a winnable game for Mike Kafka and further ensure their star's health for the rest of the season?

Tough choice, I know