Michael Vick Injury: Should Andy Reid Rest Him Sunday?

Another week, another Michael Vick injury story.

In what’s become an increasingly familiar scenario, Michael Vick failed to complete another game as the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback last Sunday. And for all the statistics that prove his value—and they are considerable—only one number about Michael Vick matters right now: 33.

As in the percentage of games Michael Vick has started and finished for the Philadelphia Eagles this year. And as in the percentage of games the Philadelphia Eagles have won in 2011.

Considering those related figures, should the Eagles really consider resting Michael Vick on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers? Would the Eagles actually be better off with a Vick-less offense on Sunday, as ESPN’s Dan Graziano suggests?

As Graziano puts it, “After watching the Eagles try to run their offense Sunday without any semblance of cohesion or reliable communication, consumed by their fear of getting their quarterback knocked out of the game, I now believe that a couple of weeks without Vick would actually benefit the Eagles.”

Taking a step back from the embarrassment and hyper-reaction caused by a home loss to the New York Giants, Graziano’s theory holds water.

For proof look no further than last season’s Michael Vick injury crisis, a near perfect parallel of this year’s conundrum.

In 2010 Vick left a Week 4 division game against the Washington Redskins with a rib injury and the Eagles limped to a deflating 17-12 home loss against a division rival.

Substitute hand for rib, Week 3 for Week 4 and Giants for Redskins and you have a nice snapshot of the current predicament.

Last year the Eagles, led by backup Kevin Kolb, rose to the challenge by going 2-1 in Vick’s absence. Not only did those wins—a gutty Sunday Night victory at San Francisco and a surprise home whipping of Atlanta—keep the Eagles above water in the playoff hunt, they helped the team gel for a spectacular mid-season run in which they went 6-1.

Over those three weeks Jeremey Maclin caught 18 balls for 296 yards and two touchdowns, LeSean McCoy accounted for 325 all-purpose yards and the defense forced an astounding 10 turnovers.

All of the players and units that could hide behind Vick’s talent became accountable for their play when the star quarterback hit the sidelines.

I don’t think the Eagles would have made the playoffs without Michael Vick at the helm. I do think, however, that the team Vick returned to against Indianapolis in Week 9 was better than the one he left in Week 4.

Vick’s bad break opened the team to a trial by fire that they sorely needed.

The 2011 Eagles find themselves in a remarkably similar situation, staring down those same San Francisco 49ers with their season staring right back at them.

It’s tempting to throw a nursing Vick out there as a sign of desperation. But if the Eagles need a reason to resist the urge, they need only look at their own recent history.

Rather than rush Vick back into the lineup they need to see what they have in backup Vince Young and test what young Mike Kafka can do with a little more forward notice then a, “Hey, kid, you’re in.”

More than that, they need to put the other 50 guys on the roster in a situation where they know Vick can’t rescue them, where they can’t surrender another early lead and count on his heroics.

Right now it looks like Vick will probably play on Sunday, and if he isn’t completely (COMPLETELY!) healthy that’s the wrong move.

Vick’s body and Vick’s team could use a change.