"When the Philadelphia Eagles signed Michael Vick in August, questions about the decision centered on whether Vick deserved a second chance in the N.F.L. after spending more than a year in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting operation. Left out of the conversation was another question: after missing two seasons, was Vick any good?

A month into the Vick experiment, the answer remains unclear. Vick has barely been on the field in four games and has made almost no impact, rushing nine times for 22 yards and completing two of six passes for 6 yards. He has often looked slow, as he did on a run against the Redskins when he struggled to get around the edge. That could be an indication that he lacks the dynamism in his legs that had defined his talent. It seems unlikely he will ever again be able to run as he did in 2006, when he gained 1,039 yards.

"I think they signed a very nice backup quarterback," the former Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "I would question, did you waste some money? You don't just step back in.

"The difficulty you'll have is, how does he get better? The only place you get better is in a game. You can practice until the cows come home, and it won't make a difference.

"It will be next year before we have a chance to see if Michael Vick can come back," he said. "Maybe not to the degree he was - I'm talking about the ability to run around, do things like he did. But 90 percent of Michael Vick is still pretty good."

Most striking is how little the Eagles have used Vick and their Wildcat package. There was an expectation that he would become an extra weapon for the offense, one that defenses would have to prepare for extensively. Vick was in for 11 plays in his first game, and that was perceived as a tantalizing glimpse into what was to come. But Vick's involvement has decreased since then, and against Oakland two weeks ago, he was in for just two plays. Against Washington on Monday, he had one pass and three runs."