Michael Vick's Hand Not Broken, Says Eagles Coach Andy Reid

Michael Vick's initial broken right hand diagnosis left the Philadelphia Eagles' season in limbo for almost 24 hours.

The diagnosis would keep him sidelined for an extended period of time. The self-proclaimed Dream Team, standing at 1-2 after Sunday's home loss to the Giants, slowly saw its season slipping away.

But on Monday, Eagles head coach Andy Reid alleviated concerns about Vick. He revealed to reporters that Vick has a contusion in his non-throwing hand that will only be a day-to-day injury. Vick had a CT scan Monday that revealed the lesser extent of the injury.

He could play this weekend against the San Francisco 49ers if the swelling in his right hand subsides to a manageable degree this week. Earlier reports Sunday suggested Vick could miss several games.

It's not to say that he can't play with the swelling, Reid said in a news conference with reporters Monday. It's just got to be where he can bend his hand and work with it.

Original X-rays taken Sunday appeared to indicate Vick had suffered a broken bone in his right hand, but a blood vessel on the bone made the injury appear as a fracture, Reid said. Vick originally tried to continue playing Sunday after a hit by Giants' lineman Chris Canty triggered the injury, but he eventually was taken out of the game.

Still, the injury to Vick is just the latest setback for the star quarterback after signing a 6-year, $100 million contract last month. He was knocked out of the Eagles' Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons after suffering a concussion in the third quarter.

And Vick's issues go hand in hand with the Eagles' after a free-agent frenzy dominated offseason headlines and made them the odds-on preseason favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Thus far, though, the Eagles have limped to a 1-2 start.

For Vick, the frustration is becoming evident. After his setback Sunday, he used his postgame press conference to lash out at referees he felt were not protecting him from dangerous injuries.

Every time I throw the ball, I'm on the ground, Vick. And I don't know why I don't get the 15-yard flags like everybody else does.

That's pretty much been the story for the past three weeks, and obviously at some point something catastrophic was going to happen, and I broke my hand, he added.

The Eagles have led in both games from which Vick has had to leave, and ended up losing both contests. Their next challenge comes against the 49ers, who are coming off a 13-8 win on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.