Vick not practicing, Young, Kafka prepare

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Eagles are buried in the NFC East standings, their star receiver is bickering with management and coach Andy Reid is fielding questions about his job security.

Could things get any more unsettling?

Well, in a word, yes. It's appearing more and more likely that Michael Vick won't be available Sunday when the Eagles travel north to face the NFC East-leading Giants.

Vick broke his two lower ribs on the second play of the Eagles' 21-17 loss to Arizona last Sunday. He didn't tell anyone he was hurt and played through the pain. He did not practice Wednesday, however, and his status for Sunday's game remains up in the air.

Veteran Vince Young and second-year quarterback Mike Kafka said they split reps with the first team in Wednesday's practice, the main portion of which was not open to the media. Though Reid said he would not make any decisions about quarterback until the end of the week, the general feeling in the Philadelphia locker room was that if Vick couldn't go, Young would be Reid's man.

A former No. 3 overall pick, Young was a two-time Pro Bowler with the Titans. He has a 30-17 record as a starter and is 2-0 against the Giants, having beaten them in 2006 and 2010. Still, he hasn't done much since the Eagles signed him in July to be Vick's backup. He's thrown only one pass this season -- an interception against the Redskins in the sixth game of the season.

"It's been tough not playing and things like that," Young said. "I've been behind the scenes, studying the plays and seeing the plays. Each week, from studying, I'm getting better each day."

If Young starts Sunday it will be his first start in over a year.

Kafka, a second-year pro from Northwestern, finished games against the Falcons and the Giants earlier this year when Vick got hurt and Young was recovering from a hamstring injury. He's completed 11 of 16 passes with two interceptions.

Tom Coughlin said he expect to see Vick, not his backups, play against the Giants, and the team is preparing accordingly. Maybe that's because the first time these teams played, in Week 3, Vick played despite having suffered a concussion the week before that caused him to miss most of practice before the game. "Until he comes out in street clothes, I'll be prepared to play Michael Vick," Giants defensive end Justin Tuck said.

Wide receiver/kick returner DeSean Jackson is expected to return from his one-game suspension for missing a team meeting. Jackson, who is upset about his contract, apologized to his teammates on Monday for his behavior.

Reid, once hailed for his ability to integrate new talent, was asked Wednesday whether "he was concerned" about his job security. Said Reid: "I'm concerned about getting ready to play the New York Giants."

With or without Vick.

With Tom Rock