Michael Vick Injury: Eagles Should Not Allow Star QB to Play vs. Giants

Beating the New York Giants should not be the main focus of the Philadelphia Eagles this week. Sure, it would be nice to get a win, and yes, every win matters in the NFL. But this game shouldn’t matter for the Eagles. There are greater problems at hand and a very bright future to consider.

The Philadelphia Eagles need to protect their investments, and they can start by playing it safe with their start quarterback Michael Vick. He gives the Eagles the best chance to beat the Giants this Sunday, but beating the Giants isn’t their long-term goal.

The Eagles have built this team to be a Super Bowl contender this year and for years to come, so they cannot let one game hinder that vision.

Vick was injured in the second half of last weekend’s bout with the Atlanta Falcons. He was spun into Eagles lineman Todd Herremans by an Atlanta defender, which left him apparently spitting blood as he left the field. He was diagnosed with a neck injury, but in the end it was determined that he suffered a concussion.

The Eagles ended up losing with backup Mike Kafka at the helm.

The problem that Philadelphia now faces is the status of Vick’s health moving into the future. It’s no secret that he has been plagued by injuries, mostly due to his explosive style of play, so this shouldn’t be a run-of-the-mill decision on the organization's part.

NFL.com is reporting that Vick is back at practice and is recovering from the concussion:

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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was at practice Thursday with his helmet on, according to NFL Network's Albert Breer, but there's still a cloud of uncertainty surrounding his status for Sunday's game against the New York Giants.

Earlier in the day, Vick was out on the field during the Eagles' team walkthrough as he recovers from the concussion he sustained during the second half of Philadelphia's loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Vick also participated in a walkthrough Wednesday but did not practice that day.Unlock HQ Video HQ video delivered by Akamai

Prior to Thursday's practice, Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg did not offer any clarity to Vick's status for this weekend.

"Mike's going through a process," Mornhinweg said during a team press conference. "We'll leave it at that, and other than that I just don't have any information to get into too many details."

The Eagles have yet to rule definitely whether Vick will play or not against the Giants, though the club said he's progressing from his concussion at an expected rate. There's no shortage of interesting options at quarterback, however, should Vick be declared inactive.

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Simply put, the Eagles shouldn’t play Vick this week against the Giants. He’s far too important for their long-term security, and in the long run, resting him will be the better option.

If Vince Young can go, he is arguably one of the best backups in the league, and if not, Kafka showed that he can fill in admirably with his 7-of-9 performance in relief of Vick.

Also, consider that the Giants are banged up both offensively and defensively, but their defense right now has arguably been the hardest hit in the league. They have defensive holes to worry about, so if the Eagles create a game plan specifically designed for Young or Kafka, they should be able to secure a win without Vick.

Conversely, when the Giants defense is on, they can have one of the most destructive defensive fronts in football. They are going to get to the quarterback at some point during the game, and that’s exactly what the Eagles don’t want for Vick.

The smart thing to do is rest Michael Vick. Protect your investments, and they will come back to reward you.

The Eagles don’t need Vick to beat the Giants, so they would be stupid to continue to put his health at risk. Even if they do lose without him, wouldn’t a healthy Vick in the long run mean more than a banged up Vick for one game?

The Eagles need to start thinking like a Super Bowl-caliber team, and that means thinking long-term rather than the here and now.

They should not allow Vick on the field this Sunday.