Regardless of whether Michael Vick's rib injury improves enough for the dynamic quarterback to start against his former team, a pair of the NFC's top Super Bowl contenders will square off Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field when the Philadelphia Eagles play host to the red-hot Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons made Vick the No. 1 overall pick in 2001, and he made three Pro Bowls in six seasons before Atlanta cut ties after his conviction on animal cruelty charges.
Although Atlanta hasn't regretted that move, in large part because of Matt Ryan's rapid development, Vick energized the Eagles' offense when Kevin Kolb suffered a concussion in the season opener against Green Bay.
When Vick was injured in the first quarter of a 17-12 loss to Washington two weeks ago, Kolb struggled, completing 22 of 35 passes for 201 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the end zone on the game's last play. In last week's 27-24 win against the San Francisco 49ers, though, Kolb performed well in Vick's absence, throwing for 253 yards on 21-of-31 passing with a touchdown and no interceptions.
If Vick does play, it won't be the first time he has faced his former team. He passed for one touchdown and ran for another in limited action in last year's 34-7 win, one of five Eagles victories in the past six meetings.
No matter who starts at quarterback for the Eagles, they'll have to deal with a Falcons defense that leads the NFL with 10 interceptions. Defensive end Kroy Biermann took one of those interceptions 31 yards for a touchdown last week to seal a 20-10 win at Cleveland, the Falcons' fourth consecutive win since a season-opening loss at Pittsburgh.
The Falcons haven't won five straight since finishing the 1998 season with nine consecutive victories.
Sunday's game will mark a homecoming for Ryan, who is from nearby Exton, Pa., and attended William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia. Ryan passed for 277 yards and two touchdowns in his only previous game against the Eagles. He missed last year's meeting because of an injury.
Ryan is off to a good start this season, completing 61.6 percent of his passes for 1,165 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions. He has found a favorite target in Roddy White, who leads the NFC in catches (37) and receiving yards (463). White has found great success against the Eagles, catching 17 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns in the past two meetings.
But Atlanta's greatest strength on offense is its running game, which leads the NFC with 148.8 rushing yards per game. Michael Turner has led the way with 421 yards, including 140 yards on 19 carries last week against the Browns.
The Eagles' backfield situation is also in good hands, as long as LeSean McCoy's rib injury doesn't keep him out of the lineup. McCoy leads the Eagles in rushing and receiving, and he is the only player in the NFL with more than 350 rushing yards and more than 200 receiving yards.
If McCoy is limited, the Eagles could back him up with Jerome Harrison, who was acquired from Cleveland on Wednesday in a trade for Mike Bell. Harrison led the Browns with 862 rushing yards and five touchdowns last season, but he had lost his starting job to Peyton Hillis this season.