Michael Vick: Why Eagles QB Needs to Be Benched for Vince Young

Michael Vick was the starter for the Eagles today, but given his inability to stay healthy for more than about 20 minutes at a time, Philadelphia coach Andy Reid might well be better off using veteran Vince Young and giving Vick some time to heal.

The Eagles went out and got the veteran Young for this very reason—to provide experience and talent in Vick’s potential absence.

Vick has had concussion issues, and while his hand isn’t broken, it is hurting. In the early going Sunday against Buffalo he seemed to be way below par. He threw two first-quarter interceptions, giving him five picks for the year after not throwing his interception No. 5 until the 11th game of the season in 2010.

He did throw a touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin late in the first quarter versus the Bills, but Vick’s play has been so uneven that Young might be just what a struggling Philadelphia club needs for a while.

The Eagles added Young in the offseason as an insurance policy because they weren’t sure about backup QB Mike Kafka, but Young didn’t get much playing time in the preseason thanks to a hamstring injury of his own.

The fact that Young is now healthy was underscored Sunday morning when the Eagles put Kafka on the inactive list for the battle with the Bills.

The Philadelphia offense is built for Vick and his running/moving-out-of-the-pocket abilities. And as Young is much the same kind of quarterback, just in a bigger frame, the offense is designed for Young as well.

The veteran Young, who has not yet played a regular season down for the Eagles, has a long history of being able to think on his feet and improvise. And if he’s healthy, why not go with him over an obviously out-of-sorts Vick?