Click Here to For More on Kolb's injury
Aaron Rodgers threw a pair of touchdown passes, Mason Crosby kicked a team-record 56-yard field goal and the Packers beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-20 on Sunday.
In their first game since trading Donovan McNabb to Washington, the Eagles (0-1) started with Kevin Kolb and finished with Vick. Kolb left with a concussion at halftime, so Vick played meaningful snaps for an extended period for the first time in nearly four years.
Vick, a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback during six seasons in Atlanta, invigorated an offense that was awful in the first half. He finished with 175 yards passing and ran for 103, reminiscent of his "Superman" days with the Falcons.
Vick's last NFL start came on Dec. 31, 2006, in Philadelphia. He missed the next two seasons while serving an 18-month sentence in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting operation. Vick signed a two-year contract with the Eagles last summer, and saw limited action mostly in a variation of the wildcat formation.
He finally got his chance, and made the most of it. Still, it wasn't enough against Green Bay (1-0).
The Packers were a popular preseason pick to reach the Super Bowl, and they began their quest for a 13th NFL title with a tough win in a hostile environment.
After a slow start, the Packers got going late in the second quarter and scored on three straight possessions.
Ryan Grant ran 13, 8 and 18 yards to spark an 86-yard drive. Greg Jennings kept it going with a leaping, one-handed catch for a 16-yard gain on third-and-9. Rodgers then tossed a 6-yard TD pass to Donald Driver to give the Packers a 10-3 lead.
After the Eagles went three-and-out, the Packers got the ball at their own 23 in the final minute. Rodgers quickly drove them past midfield to set up Crosby's 56-yarder before the clock expired, and Green Bay took a 13-3 lead into halftime.
Kolb was injured in the second quarter when he got tackled from behind by Clay Matthews. The team originally said he had a jaw injury and he returned for a series, completing two short passes.
Middle linebacker Stewart Bradley also came back in after he staggered off the field following a collision with teammate Ernie Sims before he sat out the second half.
Kolb was 5 of 10 for 24 yards before he left. Vick scrambled 23 yards on the first play of the third quarter. One play later, Vick connected with Eldra Buckley for 10 yards. But Buckley fumbled and Charles Woodson recovered at the Packers 38.
Rodgers drove them downfield, and John Kuhn ran in from the 3 to make it 20-3.
Vick looked like his old self on a 31-yard run to the Packers 2. He eluded a sack, spun away and sprinted down the left sideline before getting tackled. After a penalty, LeSean McCoy ran in from the 12 to cut it to 20-10.
Rodgers connected with Jennings on a 32-yard TD pass to give the Packers a 27-10 lead late in the third. But Vick brought the Eagles right back.
On third-and-goal from the 17, Vick fired a TD pass to Jeremy Maclin to cut it to 27-17.
Then the Eagles got a big play from rookie Nate Allen, who intercepted a poorly thrown pass by Rodgers and returned it to midfield.
A 24-yard field goal by David Akers cut it to 27-20.
The Eagles had a chance in the final minutes, but Vick got stopped on fourth-and-1 at the Packers 42.
Philadelphia also lost Pro Bowl fullback Leonard Weaver with a sprained left knee. His injury appeared serious.
Vick was in for six plays in the first half, including a pair that were nullified by penalties. He lined up as a wide receiver on Philadelphia's first play, but the Eagles were in an illegal formation.
Rodgers made Packers fans forget about Brett Favre last year when he passed for 4,434 yards and 30 TDs, made the Pro Bowl and led Green Bay to 11 wins.
He started slow, bounced a couple passes and threw an interception before finding his rhythm on Green Bay's third possession. He drove the Packers to the Eagles 24 before consecutive sacks pushed them back. Crosby nailed a 49-yard field goal to tie it at 3.
Eagles QB Kolb out with concussion
Kevin Kolb's head slammed into the turf, his eyes closed for several seconds and he was slow to get up and walk to the sideline.
Stewart Bradley flew headfirst into a teammate's leg. He was on all fours, struggled to get up on his own power, stumbled for a few steps and toppled to the ground.
Both Philadelphia Eagles briefly returned to play after the punishing collisions.
Both had concussions.
They weren't the only aching Eagles.
Pro Bowl fullback Leonard Weaver and center Jamaal Jackson could both be out for the season after they were seriously injured in the Eagles' 27-20 loss to the Packers on Sunday. Weaver has a torn ACL in his right knee and Jackson has a torn biceps on his right arm, part of a lengthy injury list that darkened an already abysmal opener.
Coach Andy Reid defended his decision to let Kolb and Stewart return because "they were fine" after early testing.
"All the questions that they answered with the doctors registered well," Reid said. "But as it went on, they weren't feeling well, so we took them out."
Kolb's game was cut painfully short after his three-year wait to succeed Donovan McNabb. Kolb's injury allowed Michael Vick his first chance to play meaningful minutes in four years when he was with Atlanta.
There's no guarantee Vick will get more - Reid said Kolb will start if cleared to play at Detroit.
Kolb was hurt in the second quarter when he was driven into the ground from behind by Packers linebacker Clay Matthews. Kolb, who fumbled the ball out of bounds, looked pained as he rolled over and rested his face on the ground.
Kolb, making his third career start, was looked at by trainers for several minutes on the Eagles sideline. He returned to the game for one more series and threw three short incomplete passes.
Kolb was 5 for 10 for 24 yards and was sacked twice.
The Eagles first said Kolb had a jaw injury, but it proved far more serious. Vick replaced him to start the second half and led the Eagles on a touchdown drive. Vick threw a TD pass and was 16 of 24 for 175 yards.
Kolb was making his ballyhooed debut after McNabb's April trade to NFC East rival Washington. Kolb started two games last year after McNabb got hurt in the opener. He put up impressive numbers, becoming the first player in league history to throw for 300 yards in his first two starts.
Kolb was horrible in the first half, throwing an interception that was overturned by replay.
Vick played at times like the No. 1 QB he so desperately wants to be. He showed off his former dazzling form on a 31-yard run that led to LeSean McCoy's 12-yard TD run.
Reid tried to sway talk away from a potential quarterback controversy.
"I'm not looking to the future, I'm trying to get the offense fixed so that we can win some football games here," Reid said.
Vick was a rare bright spot on an injury-filled day.
Bradley was hurt when his head slammed into teammate Ernie Sims while they both tried to tackle Greg Jennings. Stewart struggled with his balance and collapsed. Like Kolb, he returned to play with a head injury before leaving for good.
"Our doctors and our trainer were on it," Reid said. "The bottom line is we ended up taking him out."
Sims said he expected Bradley to play because "he's a tough player."
"I felt it," Sims said of the collision. "I've got a big bruise on my thigh. I think he's going to be all right, though. It's just a little freak accident."
Weaver suffered a gruesome knee injury on a rushing play early in the second quarter. His knee was severely twisted on a direct hit and he was down for several minutes. Reid came to Weaver's side and the fullback was helped off the field by teammates and the training staff.
"That was a very ugly looking injury," Reid said.
Weaver was selected to the NFC Pro Bowl team last season. He had a career-high 323 yards rushing, 140 yards receiving and four touchdowns in his first season with the Eagles.
Jackson, who tore a left knee ligament at the end of last season, injured his right elbow in the second quarter.
"Normally if it's torn, you're out for the year," Reid said.
