It's been a tough week for the Andrews brothers.

First, Shawn Andrews was lost for the season when he was placed on injured reserve with a recurring back injury. And now Stacy Andrews has lost the starting right-guard position.

A little over a week ago, the brothers were lined up next to each other, with Shawn Andrews at right tackle. Now neither is with the first team.

Eagles coach Andy Reid, during his news conference yesterday, said that he would rotate three guards - Nick Cole, Max Jean-Gilles and Stacy Andrews - at two spots for tomorrow's home opener against New Orleans. Andrews, though, confirmed later that he would be coming off the bench as opposed to starting as he did in the opener.

Andrews said the rotation was already in place for last week's game against Carolina, but Jean-Gilles injured his knee. Reid said the demotion had nothing to do with Andrews' knee, and the guard confirmed as much, although he's less than a year removed from surgery to correct a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

"I really can't put a percentage on it, but it has been feeling real good," Andrews said of his right knee. "It hasn't been bothering me at all. I played a full game last week . . . and didn't have any setbacks."

Andrews said that missing most of the off-season and being slowly eased into practice during the preseason had more to do with his not starting. He said he was still getting used to the Eagles' pass-protection technique, which is different from the method he used in Cincinnati.

"I know I still have a ways to go," he said.

Not having either Andrews brother start the second game couldn't have been the way the Eagles imagined their offensive line after Shawn Andrews was moved to right tackle and his brother was signed to a six-year, $40 million contract in the off-season.

Reid said that Shawn Andrews, who had surgery to correct a herniated disk last October, does not need another surgery as of right now. The team plans to send the tackle to California to rehab his back with Robert Watkins because Andrews "would be near the doctor that did the surgery, and that's where he rehabbed before," Reid said.

Abiamiri hurt again

Victor Abiamiri was listed as questionable for the Saints game after he suffered a groin injury during Thursday's practice.

The defensive end sat out yesterday's session, but Reid said his starting left end was "feeling pretty good."

"It's tender," Reid added. "We'll see how he does here the next few days."

Abiamiri has a long list of injuries in his short stint with the Eagles. The third-year player dislocated his wrist last summer and missed the first five games of last season, suffered a Lisfranc sprain into the playoffs, and skipped most of this preseason with a strained pectoral muscle.

If Abiamiri, who scored a touchdown off a fumble recovery last week, can't go, Jason Babin will probably be activated, Reid said.

Extra points

Safety Quintin Demps (hamstring), linebacker Joe Mays (shoulder), and guard Todd Herremans (foot) are out for tomorrow. Wide receiver Kevin Curtis (knee), tackle King Dunlap (elbow), wide receiver DeSean Jackson (groin), tackle Winston Justice (shoulder), and Jean-Gilles (knee) are probable. . . . Rookie wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, who had no receptions in his debut last week, expects to be more involved in the offense. "I should be," he said. "I'm excited to go out there and play a bigger role." . . . Reid wouldn't divulge which receiver would be activated after Hank Baskett was released earlier in the week. Reggie Brown and Brandon Gibson watched last week's game in street clothes. On Thursday, Brown expressed frustration with his diminished role. "Reggie has a good attitude about it, and he's been working hard out there," Reid said.

Contact staff writer Jeff McLane at 215-854-4745 or jmclane@phillynews.com.