.MIAMI -- Michael Vick came back. So did the pain.
Vick, who missed the Eagles last three games after breaking three ribs during a loss to the Cardinals on Nov. 13, made a shaky return to action Sunday in the Eagles 26-10 win over the Dolphins at SunLife Stadium.
Vick did throw for 208 yards and a 38-yard second-quarter touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson, but he was just 4 for 11 for 41 yards with no TDs and an interception in the second half, when the Dolphins held the Eagles offense scoreless.
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Ominously, Vick said he was in a good deal of pain despite sitting out the past month.
I was in a lot of pain, but the only thing I wanted to do was to finish and to get through the game, Vick said. I did the best I could, and Im glad the first half went the way that it did and in the second half we didnt make any plays.
It will get better. Thats football, and thats the way it is. You just have to keep pushing and youve got to get better.
The Eagles went 1-2 under Vince Young during Vicks absence, beating the Giants, then losing to the Patriots and Seahawks. Theyre 5-8 with three games left.
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Just having his presence in the huddle, it changes everything, LeSean McCoy said. There are plays that should be called dead or be stopped, and instead you have Vick running around making plays down the field, so its good to have him back.
Vick certainly could have used another week off, but he spoke all week about accountability. With the season on the line and the Eagles playoff hopes dwindling, Vick felt like he had to play.
It shows my dedication, my will to win, to want to be out there and to be the best player that I can be, he said. I try each and every week and I want to be accountable and I want to hold my weight. Thats all I try to do.
For the most part, I just tried to hang in there and not make any excuses. I dont want to sit here and say that my ribs hurt, so I couldnt make a pass. Theres no credibility behind that. I want to be a stand up guy, and if theres something that could have been done better, Ill be able to watch the film and see what could have been done better.
The win was the first for Vick this year since a 34-7 win over the Cowboys on Oct. 30. Vick is now 4-6 as a starter this year.
Going back to last year, Vick had lost eight of his last 11 starts for the Eagles.
It feels good to win, especially after being off to have an opportunity to come back and get a win on the road against a very tough defense, Vick said. If we can continue to play this way and ultimately get better on offense, I think we have a chance of winning the next three games. Its going to be tough and its going to be a challenge.
The Eagles still have a slim chance to win the NFC East.
Im just proud of our guys for hanging in there and fighting, said Vick, who had to change his cleats because he was slipping so much on the wet turf in the first quarter. It was a very hostile environment early on in the game, but we finished.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com