"Three weeks ago, after Michael Vick performed his amazing fourth-quarter magic against the Giants, after he brought the Eagles back from 21 points down in the final 8 minutes, everybody couldn't wait to spend Jeff Lurie's money for him. Everybody couldn't wait to make the bankrupt Vick a rich man again.

From the bricklayer in South Philly to the lawyer on the Main Line, the message was loud and clear: Re-sign Mike. The sooner the better. The longer the better. Put enough zeroes on the end of an offer to him to get a deal done. Don't blow this one like you blew it with Brian Dawkins 2 years ago.

Truth is, Vick probably isn't going to be getting a long-term deal from the Eagles any time real soon. For starters, nothing is going to happen until the owners and players shake hands on a new labor deal, which won't be tomorrow, won't be next month and might not be until next fall.

But let's make a few assumptions here. First, let's assume the Eagles are going to lose Sunday. Let's also assume Vick is going to play closer to the way he did against the Vikings 2 weeks ago than the way he did in the fourth quarter of that Giants game.

Let's also assume that the owners and players will somehow figure out a way to split their $9 billion-a-year pot of gold before the collective bargaining agreement expires on March 3.

All that being the case, what likely will then happen is the Eagles will place the franchise tag on Vick, which would keep him in Philadelphia for the 2011 season. After that, well, hey, let's do lunch sometime.

The Eagles are tickled to death by what Vick has done this season. He pretty much saved their season. He's the reason they still are playing football.

They've been impressed by his development as a quarterback. They've been impressed by the hard work he's put in in the weight room, the gym and the film room. They've been impressed by his leadership skills, which are head and shoulders above Donovan McNabb's. And they've been impressed by his personal reformation.

But they're not impressed enough right now to make a big-money, long-term commitment to him. They want him back next season and are willing to pay him the expected $20 million franchise salary. But they also want to keep their long-term options open right now in case the rest of the league has come up with the same blitz-the-hell-out-of-him Vick Antidote that the Vikings used 2 weeks ago. Of course, that could all change if the Eagles win on Sunday and Vick leads them to the Super Bowl."