"Michael Vick has been ruled out for the Eagles' game Sunday afternoon against the Patriots at the Linc, a team source said late Friday, and two-time Titans Pro Bowl pick Vince Young will make his second straight start at quarterback for the Eagles.

Vick hasn't practiced since suffering two broken ribs during the Eagles' Nov. 13 game against the Cards at the Linc. In his first start as an Eagle, Young overcame a slow start to lead the Eagles to a 17-10 upset win over the Giants at the Meadowlands last Sunday.

Vick threw for the first time on Tuesday and said on Thursday he was improving. The Eagles list Vick as questionable for the Patriots and head coach Andy Reid has refused to rule Vick out for the Patriots, but the source said Reid has already told Young he'll be starting Sunday against the 7-3 Patriots.

Reid said the biggest concerns with playing Vick are that he gets hit in the same spot again and his comfort level going through his throwing motion.

This will be the fifth game Vick has missed with rib injuries since he became the Eagles' full-time starter early last season. The Eagles went 2-1 with Kevin Kolb at quarterback last year after Vick suffered rib cartilage damage during a loss to the Redskins.

Under Reid, the Eagles are 17-10 (.630) when a backup quarterback has had to play because of an injury to a starter. That's with Jeff Garcia (5-1 in 2006), A.J. Feeley (4-1 in 2002, 0-2 in 2007), Koy Detmer (1-0 in 1999, 1-0 in 2002), Mike McMahon (2-5 in 2005), Vick (1-0 last year), Kolb (2-1 last year) and Young (1-0 this year).

This will be the second consecutive time the Eagles will face the Patriots with a backup quarterback. They lost 31-28 in Foxboro in 2007 with Feeley throwing a career-high 345 yards in place of an injured McNabb."