Eagles Notes: Vick leads the NFL in balloting for Pro Bowl

Michael Vick led all NFL players in fan balloting for the Pro Bowl as of Wednesday, receiving 729,838 votes, or 38,692 more than Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who was in second place.

It's a remarkable turn of events considering the Eagles' quarterback was considered a pariah by many just a little more than a year ago when he was reinstated by the NFL.

"I just think it's a credit to everything I've tried to accomplish on and off the field," Vick said. "Just working as hard as I can to change things around and be part of the solution and not the problem. It changed my life, so everybody can do it."

Vick is second in the league in passer rating (105.7), and the 8-4 Eagles are 6-1 when he has started and finished a game. After second-place Manning (691,146 votes) are Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (623,074), Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (591,598), and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (547,340).

The Pro Bowl squads are based on the consensus votes of fans, players, and coaches, with each group's vote counting one-third toward determining the rosters. The Eagles' David Akers leads NFC kickers in voting. Online ballots will close Dec. 20.

If Vick is voted in, it would be the former Falcon's fourth Pro Bowl.

Despite a quadriceps bruise, Vick participated fully in practice as the Eagles prepared for Sunday night's game at Dallas. After the victory over Houston last Thursday, Eagles coach Andy Reid chided officials for not calling penalties for some of the hits the quarterback took when scrambling.

Vick also questioned the no-calls. On Wednesday, Reid took a different approach.

"You know what, I'm done with all of that," the coach said. "We're moving on playing the game, and Michael feels the same way. And I probably put him in a bind by saying anything about it."

Despite an optimistic report from Reid during his radio show Monday, Asante Samuel was only a limited participant in practice.

The cornerback missed the previous two games because of a knee sprain and was expected to be fully recovered by the time the team returned from five days off.

But Samuel said he did not travel home to Florida or some vacation getaway as many of his teammates did during the break, because he was at the NovaCare Complex receiving treatment on his knee. And after Wednesday's practice, he walked to meetings with a limp and a mound of ice attached to his leg.

Joselio Hanson and Trevard Lindley have filled in for Samuel in his absence.

Winston Justice sat out practice because of his hyperextended knee. The right tackle showed off to reporters the large brace he said he would wear the rest of the season.

Justice was optimistic about Sunday: "In my mind, I'm 100 percent playing."

Reid was less so.

"He's not there right now," the coach said.

If Justice can't play, King Dunlap would start.