Eagles vs. Seahawks: Vince Young Will Make Most of Open Audition in Philly Win

At 4-7, the Philadelphia Eagles are, for all intents and purposes, out of playoff contention. Because of that, their game against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night may seem unimportant.

Don't tell that to quarterback Vince Young, though, as his performance could have a huge bearing on his future.

Starter Michael Vick has been plagued by injuries this season, with the latest being a rib ailment that will cause him to miss his third consecutive game. Young has filled in for Vick over the past two contests and has done quite admirably.

The Eagles are 1-1 in his starts, including a road upset against the New York Giants. While Young has thrown four interceptions in those games, his passing numbers have been very impressive in general with three total touchdowns and an average of over 325 passing yards per start.

Although Young is literally playing for the Eagles right now, he is figuratively playing for his future employer. Young settled on Philadelphia in effect because there were no starting jobs for the taking. Now that he is getting a chance to play, however, there is a possibility that he could return to being a full-time starter next season.

Even if the Eagles are impressed with his play, he has no future there.

Vick may be having a rough season, but Philadelphia has $100 million committed to him, so he will be the main man for the foreseeable future. That means that the likelihood of Young moving on after this season is high.

There is always a handful of teams looking for an answer at quarterback, and if Young turns in yet another solid performance against Seattle, then he may get his chance. A poor effort could just as easily cause teams to shy away, though, so it's a huge game for him.

The opportunity to make plays will certainly be there for Young against an underwhelming Seattle defense. The Seahawks rank 20th in the league against the pass and they don't generate much of a pass-rush at all, so Young should have all the time he needs to make plays.

Perhaps the most important part of Young's game thus far has been the maturity he has shown as a passer. In the past, he was more of a run-first quarterback, but he has trusted his arm and instincts in the pocket much more in his two starts this season.

That isn't to say that he can't still run because he most certainly can, but it isn't something he has to rely on as he did in the past.

Ball security has to be a focus for Young, but provided he continues to make plays, teams will certainly be interested during free agency.

Young has a reputation of being a winner, and if he can beat Seattle in a hostile environment, that reputation will likely be furthered.

Young may be trying to help the Eagles win on Thursday night, but his performance will ultimately have a bigger effect on his career than the Eagles' season.