As the Eagles settle into the bye week, we're going to take a position-by-position look at the roster. Certainly, the one that has been in the spotlight the most this season has been the quarterback position. It's only fitting that our analysis begins there.
What They've Accomplished: Quite a bit, actually. Head coach Andy Reid has called his quarterback situation a beautiful one numerous times and it's easy to see why. Kevin Kolb may not be the starting quarterback anymore, but his performance in Michael Vick's absence has shown exactly why the Eagles believe that he has such a bright future. His performance against Atlanta was nothing short of magnificent. He completed 79 percent of his passes for 326 yards and threw three touchdowns for a career-high 133.6 QB rating, as he earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. The Eagles have won two of the last three games thanks in large part to him and that experience as a starter will help Kolb moving forward. Plus, should something happen to Vick there's no doubt about Kolb's ability to win games.
Now, what's truly amazing is what Vick has shown this season. The legs are there. The arm strength is dynamic. The quick release is stunning. Vick has combined the assets of his game that made him on the league's elite players years ago and the skills needed to be a pocket passer. In his four games, Vick has completed 61.5 percent of his passes for 799 yards with six touchdowns against no interceptions. His 108.8 QB rating would be the league's best if he met the minimum requirements. And, of course, he was the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September.
What Lies Ahead: Will Vick show signs of rust? Vick has not played since the Oct. 3 loss to Washington because of the rib cartilage injury. His first game will be a pivotal matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. A win puts the Eagles at 5-3. A loss gives the Eagles a .500 record. A win would also be great with back-to-back NFC East games on the horizon after the Colts. Vick played in the first half of the season an unbelievably high level. It was the best football of his career. Can he maintain that level of play throughout the final nine games of the season? Can he protect the football, which he had done such a phenomenal job of doing? This isn't the first time Vick has led a team on a playoff run, which certainly helps. There will be a lot of excitement surrounding Vick's return. Let's see if Vick can keep it going.
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 3:00 p.m., October 27
