King Nick headed for coronation

It almost feels like a scene straight out of Hollywood.

The Eagles ongoing, and self-inflicted, quarterback controversy — or, as offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur termed it, the quarterback conversation — seems a bit too glitzy for Broad Street. Especially after Mike Vick revealed Tuesday that he isn’t quite fully recovered from his pulled hamstring and may be relegated to the emergency role for a second straight week. All this, just one day after coach Chip Kelly indicated that he would evaluate everything before naming his starter.

So imagine the conversation that may have (or may have not happened) in recent days deep in the bowels of the NovaCare Complex. Remember, this is purely wild speculation, inspired by the silver screen in a scene from a movie we’ll call, “Vincible.”

Kelly: Where does it hurt, Mike?
Vick: It doesn’t hurt, coach.
Kelly: Where does it hurt, Mike?
Vick: Coach, I just told you it doesn’t hurt.
Kelly: We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Mike.
Vick: Right there. Right there.
Kelly: Good. We’ll re-evaluate you Monday morning.

Obviously we don’t believe Kelly would force Vick to fake an injury. However, it is very interesting how quickly this has materialized. Too quickly, almost as if the ghost of Andrew Bynum’s hair stormed into the locker room and gently brushed Vick’s leg. Kelly hasn’t officially announced it yet, but it seems pretty clear at this point. Backup Nick Foles will start Sunday against Dallas in the battle for first place atop the NFC East.

“I let Coach Kelly make that determination,” Vick said. “I’m not going to focus on what should be. Right now, I’ve got to rehab. I’ve got to get back to 100 percent, so I can help this team if I’m out there on the field.”

To his credit, Foles wouldn’t take the bait — and that bait was loaded on a 100-pound fishing line, smothered in fresh blood and thrown into shark-infested waters.

“Nothing changes,” said Foles. “I work every day like I’m the starter.”

Ahh, Andy Reid would be proud of his prized pupil. But even Foles can see through his coached-up cliché. This isn’t every day. If Foles beats Dallas — in what would be his first victory over a quality opponent in two years and only his third in nine career starts — then Vick’s fate will be sealed.

There is no way Kelly can go back to a 33-year-old quarterback who has resembled a walking triage unit over the past three seasons. No matter how much the fast-talking, fast-walking coach wants to hand the keys back to Vick’s hyperloop legs (and believe me, he does), he just can’t. It would be like the emperor continuing to parade around town in his “new clothes.” Philly fans would remind him just how naked he was at every stop sign, from Malvern to Passyunk.

Kelly knows all this. He’s too smart not to. He’ll let it play out, just like he did last week, until 12:59 p.m. Sunday afternoon. After that, assuming his Eagles win, Kelly will march to the postgame podium in a chic robe, complete with a shiny new visor, and declare Foles the starter for the rest of the season.

No one will point any fingers. No one will laugh. In fact, the townspeople will roll out the green carpet and the coronation for King Nick will get underway. How long he reigns, well, stay tuned. Kings don’t last long in Philadelphia.