Eagles quarterback Michael Vick(notes) claims to be feeling better, but he's also acknowledged that his odds of taking the field at San Francisco in Week 5 aren't too good. Here's the latest on Vick's chest injury, via Les Bowen of the Daily News:
Last night, Vick told a radio show in Virginia that he expects to be sidelined 1 or 2 weeks; then he acknowledged he doesn't really know how long he'll be out, but feels he is a fast healer.
"There is some cartilage damage up in there and a small fracture up in there, so maybe a week, maybe 2 weeks. We'll have to see," Vick told WXTG Radio 102.1 The Game and "The Bruce Smith Show."
"I've got some cartilage damage up in there, in the upper area of my ribs. I just have to work through it. I've always been a quick healer. It won't be no more than 1, 2 weeks hopefully."
Philadelphia head coach Andy Reid said only that Vick was "day-to-day, week-to-week," which obviously doesn't clear anything up. Bowen spoke with a former Eagles team orthopedist — someone not involved in Vick's treatment or diagnosis — who estimated that a quarterback with a sternum/rib cartilage injury like this would likely miss 2-6 weeks. The orthopedist suggested that if Vick attempts a full throwing motion before the injury completely heals, there's a strong chance he'll aggravate the injury.
On Monday, Reid also revealed that LeSean McCoy(notes) fractured a rib in the loss to Washington, but the running back managed to play with the injury. McCoy finished with 12 receptions and 174 total yards, and he was the only Eagles skill player to clearly benefit from Kevin Kolb's(notes) hyper-conservative approach. And I own him in maybe eight leagues, so this will continue to be a BIG story around here. Huge. Top priority. It sounds as if McCoy might be able to go in Week 5, but expect him to be heavily padded and limited.
• Here's Clinton Portis(notes), talking football and talking groins: "I don't think the team would even let me go and attempt to try to play on Sunday [versus Green Bay]." His owners clearly need to make alternate plans. Ryan Torain(notes) had already emerged as more than a handcuff; he should be added in any respectable 10-team league.
• Following Tuesday's arrest, Carolina wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett(notes) now has one of the NFL's worst career TD-to-DWI ratios (1:2). Jarrett will very likely face league suspension for the DWI charge, and it wouldn't be a huge surprise if he were kicked to the curb by the Panthers. There's obviously never a good time to drive while impaired (allegedly), but Jarrett happened to pick a week when his team isn't expected to have Steve Smith (high ankle sprain). Carolina may have a rookie quarterback throwing to rookie receivers, facing an Urlacher-Peppers-Briggs defense.
• Neither Andre Johnson nor Jacoby Jones have been ruled out for Houston's match-up with the Giants on Sunday; don't expect AJ to get any work in practice until Thursday. Jones has "a pretty good calf issue," according to head coach Gary Kubiak, which presumably means the wideout has a bad calf issue.
• Darren McFadden's(notes) right hamstring injury is reportedly not as severe as the left hamstring injury he dealt with during camp, so he hasn't yet been scratched from the Week 5 tilt with the Chargers. But even if McFadden manages to give it a go — never a great bet with this player, but let's just say — Michael Bush(notes) will be the highest-ranked Raiders running back. Bush has clearly carved out an inside-the-10 role in the Oakland offense, so he'll be an option even when everyone's healthy.
• The early word from the Bears on Jay Cutler(notes) is fairly encouraging. His concussion is reportedly mild, and, as of this moment, he's expected to start in Week 5 at Carolina. Here's head coach Lovie Smith, discussing his QB on Monday:
"Jay's feeling OK, as he was last night after the game," Smith said. "He's here. No visual signs. He seems like he's OK today."
Cutler has never missed a start due to injury in his NFL career, and apparently the streak will continue. His protection worries won't go away anytime soon, however; it's not like NFL teams are willing to trade elite linemen at mid-season.
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