One blogger’s theory is that while Michael Vick won’t start Sunday, he’ll play all right. Here’s another morsel of evidence we can put towards that conspiracy cupcake, from the Philadelphia Daily News and via SB Nation Philadelphia:
Vick said: “I could dress out. We’re just going to see how it goes for the next couple of days. I’m making progress each and every day; it’s a credit to the training staff. Just feeling good and ready to go.”
Vick said he still has pain “in my shoulders, but I can tolerate it; it’s not as bad as it was (even) two days ago. Each day I make progress.”
In Atlanta, Vick caused more than one football fan to note his ability to curiously Wolverine his ailments into shape at will for big games. During his long 2003 layoff, Dan Reeves publicly said Vick needed to come back before he was 100 percent. Weeks later, Vick returned for a prime-time Sunday nighter against the division rival Panthers, entering the stadium after a nationally televised montage that included helicopter sweeps of Atlanta, Ludacris, mobs of passerby chanting Vick’s name, highlights, and cheerleader speaking roles. It’s not on YouTube anymore, sorry.
He’s grown up a million times over since then, so I wouldn’t dream of implying anyone would have reason to think he’s been nursing an injury for drama these past couple weeks (I’m not even totally sure he was doing it back then). But he’s got it in him to choose to play based on weight and moment, and this is a very big game for both teams, the NFC, Atlanta, and Michael Vick.
I think Vick will play. But boringest case scenario, Kevin Kolb’s backup will be Mike Kafka, and we can still make all types of stupid jokes about that guy’s name.