Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick did not sound Tuesday like he would be ready to return to the lineup anytime soon.
Those hoping Michael Vick makes a quick return to the starting lineup for the Philadelphia Eagles may have to wait awhile to see number seven back under center.
Vick, speaking to reporters Tuesday after practice at the Novacare Complex was blunt when discussing the hamstring pull he suffered two weeks ago against the New York Giants that left him sidelined for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I’m just trying to work every day to get myself back into a position where I can come out here and run full-speed down the field,” said Vick, who was limited in practice Tuesday.
“When I try to burst, the knot is there. I think another week of rehab could put me in a position where I can start gaining some confidence and doing things that I normally do.”
That certainly doesn't sound like Vick will be returning to the lineup Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys or anytime soon for that matter.
On Saturday Vick told reporters upon arriving in Tampa Bay that it would be a "long road back" to recovery.
Mobility is certainly Vick's most alluring attribute, especially in Chip Kelly's offense, but according to the 33-year old he is far from ready to perform at an optimal level even as the team's emergency quarterback.
“If I had to go in the game I could just sit in the pocket and throw the football,” said Vick. “That’s like playing seven-on-seven, but seven-on-seven is unrealistic on Sundays because you’ve got people coming at you. Being an emergency guy, that’s just what I’m going to be — emergency guy — if that’s the case.”
There has been much discussion about whether or not Vick should be given the starting job back upon his return given the team's success in recent weeks behind Nick Foles and Vick's downward trend in recent weeks. Vick is 5 of 19 passing in the red zone and has the fewest third-down completions for first down in the league while Foles finished Sunday with an average of 9.5 yards per completion and owns a paltry 67.2 completion percentage.
Vick made it clear Tuesday that his prime concern is to get healthy and that the ultimate decision is Kelly's to make.
Meanwhile, Foles said he isn't changing his approach preparing for what could be his second-start of the season.
"I'm going into this week like I do every week, preparing to be the starter," he said. "I can play much better then I did on Sunday."
It appears the quarterback watch will go on for at least another week, but any discussion about a controversy may be moot given Vick's self prognosis of his injury and possible timetable for return.
Matt Lombardo is the Editor-In-Chief of Eagledelphia and also an on-air personality on 97.5 FM The Fanatic in Philadelphia. Join the conversation and follow Matt on Twitter.
