National Football League

Here We Go Again - Kolb Or Vick?

Published Oct. 20, 2010 10:17 p.m. ET

foxsports

PHILADELPHIA - Predictably enough, Andy Reid tried to deflect it all with humor.

There was the reference to a quarterback named "Michael Kolb.''

There was the reference to "a chubby head coach in the National Football League with two good quarterbacks.''

And finally, a promise that "we'll have one of them out there'' when the Eagles visit Tennessee next Sunday.

When he ran out of one-liners, though, the Eagles' head coach knew he was inevitably bound for another week of quarterback questions after Kevin Kolb did all he could to complicate Reid's decision during Sunday's 31-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Sure, Big Red said Michael Vick is still his starter. He added that Vick is "making huge strides'' in his recovery from the rib cartilage injury suffered here two weeks ago. But then, Kolb has done a little striding of his own.

When he strode off the Linc turf Sunday, all Kolb had to show for his second straight start as Vick's backup was 326 yards passing, a career-high three touchdowns, a career-high 79.3 completion percentage and a career-high passer rating of 133.6 - his second straight 100-plus rating. Oh, yeah, and his second straight victory.

And before you counter that it was only the Falcons, with their 19th-rated pass defense, keep in mind that three weeks earlier, Drew Brees and the Super Bowl champion Saints averaged 9.3 yards per attempt (throwing for 355) in an overtime loss to Atlanta. Sunday, Kolb and the Birds averaged 11.2.

Just as predictably, neither Kolb nor his teammates were about to inject anything resembling a choice into this discussion.

"I don't care who's back there,'' said Jeremy Maclin, whose 83-yard TD grab in the third quarter highlighted a career day (7-159 receiving, two TDs). "Both guys are going to do a great job and give us a chance to win.''

"I don't want to make the decision,'' tight end Brent Celek said. "But I think it's a good problem for our team. You have two great quarterbacks on a team like this, you can't lose in that situation.''

Kolb, ever the good soldier, remained so when asked about the fairness of a situation in which he lost his starting job due to injury.

"I know it's a unique situation,'' he said, "but again, from my experience, Andy has always thought things through very thoroughly. And he always has a rhyme and reason, and they usually turn out the right way for why he does stuff. And so, again, I'll just trust and believe, and so will my teammates.''

Reid can't expect anything near that level of understanding from his pals in the press box. After explaining that barring an emergency - meaning injuries to both Kolb and rookie Mike Kafka - he didn't want Vick near the field, he grew exasperated with a followup question about having allowed Vick to report to work at 12:15 p.m. for a 1 p.m. start. And his voice rose to a most unfamiliar level - for the media, anyway.

"You're killing me with these questions,'' he fairly shouted. "I told him to be here at 12:15, and he showed up at 12:15. That was it. Don't worry about it. Enjoy the win.''

Never mind that by now the guy should know that reporters enjoy nothing so much as expense accounts and comfortable deadlines. In the meantime, here's why Kolb deserves to start next week, at least.

Assume that the Eagles have indeed earned the right to be called contenders - which puts them alongside every NFC team outside of San Francisco.

And assume that Vick gives them the best chance to win right now, which is probably what most of his teammates think, even if they won't say it. That means you want him as healthy as possible for the more demanding second half of the schedule, right?

Dead ahead is Tennessee on the road. And even though the Eagles are 3-0 on the road, they haven't faced a team of the Titans' caliber. Additionally, they will most likely be without DeSean Jackson, making this game an even greater challenge. But it's a game they can afford to lose, especially given the state of the NFC East.

Then they have a bye before returning home to face the Colts. So if Vick sits out one more week, he will have had five weeks of recovery time before climbing back into the saddle.

And who knows - Kolb just might find a way to win in Tennessee.

Now, that sounds like a story all of us could enjoy.

jyoung@lnpnews.com