The Eagles are ranked 30th in the NFL in kick returns, averaging 20.1 yards per return. Only Tennessee and Oakland have a lower average.

The Birds are expected to turn to Macho Harris over Jeremy Maclin for Sunday night's game against Chicago, with Ellis Hobbs out following season-ending spinal surgery and Quintin Demps sidelined with a high ankle sprain.

“I like [Macho]," special teams coordinator Ted Daisher said. "He’s very aggressive. He hits it up in there north and south, very decisive with the ball in his hands. He has some toughness. He has a good feel on how to run the ball.

"I think Jeremy has potential to be a good returner and if we did a little better job blocking I think he would get the same results.”

The Eagles have had a significant numbers of penalties on special teams, which helps account for their poor resuls statistically, Daisher said.

“Statistically we may be down there, but if you’re an opponent playing us I think you need prepare very hard to play our kickoff return unit and our return game," Daisher said. "We have some excellent returners. I think the penalties have played a role. Obviously we would be ranked much higher if those things weren’t involved. We’re making progress. Are we where I’d like us to be right now? No, but I think we’re going in the right direction.”

On the other side of the field, the marquee name is Devin Hester, who is no longer returning kickoffs but remains the punt returner. He has returned 17 this season with a 9.9-yard average and a long of 33 yards.

“We have tremendous respect for Devin Hester," Daisher said. "I’ve watched him over the last several years; he’s obviously as good a punt returner as there has ever been, in my opinion. We have to do a good job of being disciplined, staying in our lanes and executing because if you have any problems at all with your coverage, he’ll exploit it.”

Linebacker Akeem Jordan (knee) and safety Quintin Demps (ankle) will not play Sunday against Chicago, coach Andy Reid said.

Reid was not saying who the starting middle linebacker will be, although indications are that it will be Joe Mays, with Chris Gocong moving back to the strong side and Will Witherspoon remaining at the weak side. “We’ll see. It depends on the personnel groups that they put out there,” Reid said. “[Mays] has worked in there. He worked in there last week a little bit too. We have different combinations that we can use there.”

With Demps out, Jeremy Maclin is expected to return kicks.

Cornerback Sheldon Brown was limited in practice today and is listed as questionable.

“We’ll see how he does,” Reid said. “He moved around pretty good today when he was in the team period. He took all the scout team reps yesterday. He felt pretty good coming out of them.”

As for Brian Westbrook, who will not play this week or next, Reid said Westbrook is doing “nothing this week.”

“We’re backing him off and letting him rest,” Reid said. “That was on the doctor’s plan that they had for him. Next week he can start going back to meetings and doing some things. We’ll see how he feels as he goes.

"I think the doctors want to see how he does after two weeks. What kind of symptoms he has and then they’ll just go back through and evaluate him after that, two to three weeks. We’ll just see how he feels after that.”

Kevin Curtis also is out for the game. Reid said Curtis is "still a little bit away," but indicated he did not play to put him on injured reserve, which would end his season.

Listed as probable for the Eagles are: DE Victor Abiamiri (knee), G Nick Cole (knee), DT Antonio Dixon (foot), LB Chris Gocong (hamstring), S Macho Harris (eye), WR Jeremy Maclin (foot), DT Mike Patterson (wrist, toe), T Jason Peters (ankle), RB Leonard Weaver (ankle).

On the Chicago side, tight end Desmond Clark (neck) and safety Kevin Payne (back) are listed as doubtful and are unlikely to play.

*

To read our previous post about play-calling, click here

There is not doubt that this is Andy Reid's offense, and his imprint is clear, as it has been from the outset.

However, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg's press conference yesterday included an interesting series of questions about the process the team uses and who makes the final decision on what play to call.

Here is a partial transcript:

On what he looks for when he goes back and evaluates the play calling: “If the players were in a good position to have success, or was it more of a fundamental, technique or assignment error. There are a couple of things, when a concept hasn’t worked or a time or two – maybe coaching a little bit better, play with a little bit more detail, you do some – because you have so much. Those are the decisions you make when you go back and self-scout yourself.”

On who comes up with the scheme: “Our whole staff is involved in that.”

On whether the final decision of what play is called is his: “Yeah.”

On whether head coach Andy Reid has certain plays he wants to call: “Not often. But yeah, he’s involved in everything with this football team.”

On whether things have operated the same way over the course of his career here: “Yeah, we’ve done it different, but we’ve done it different in different years.”

On when they shared the playcalling duties: “Back a couple of years ago. I’m not sure that was it. We shared it some several years back.”

On whether they stand next to each other during the game: “Usually not. It [happens very quickly], the decision making.”

*

When the Eagles signed Michael Vick, they talked about having another weapon that defenses need to prepare for. Vick has become something of a non-factor, but Chicago coach Lovie Smith indicated the Bears have spent some time on dealing with Vick.

''Michael hasn't been as big a factor in their offense for whatever reason, but he's still Michael Vick,'' Smith said, according to the Chicago Tribune. ''As far as our preparation goes, yes, we assume that he'll have a bigger part than he's had in the past, and we're getting ready for that.''

*

Check out all the content in today's Daily News Eagles Playbook by clicking here.

Each week, Daily News football writer Paul Domowitch will tell you the things he will be keeping his eyes on during that week’s game:

1. Defending the tight end: The Eagles will face yet another dangerous pass-catching tight end in the Bears’ Greg Olsen. In the last six games, opposing tight ends have 43 catches for 532 yards and five touchdowns vs. the Eagles. Olsen, who has 34 catches, including six TDs, is one of Jay Cutler’s favorite targets. Only WR Devin Hester has had more passes thrown in his direction (73) than Olsen (51).

2. Jay’s interceptions: Jay Cutler has a league-high 17 interceptions, including five in last week’s 10-6 loss to the 49ers. He’ll be going against a defense that has been very good at forcing interceptions. The Eagles have 15, the third most in the league, but just one in the last two games.

3. Eagles’ third-down defense: The Eagles are ninth in the league in third-down defense, but have struggled lately. In their last three games, opponents have converted 46.1 percent of their third-down opportunities, compared to 29.7 in the first six games. Last week, they allowed the Chargers to convert two critical third downs late in the game that helped put the game on ice.

4. The real McCoy: With Brian Westbrook out after suffering another concussion, the spotlight is on rookie LeSean McCoy. He played well in the three previous games Westbrook has missed, averaging 5.0 yards per carry in those games. He’s still a work in progress with respect to blitz recognition, though. He failed to pick up a blitz last week that resulted in a sack.

5. The longest yards: The Eagles are among the league leaders in big plays. They’ve had 38 plays of 20 or more yards. But they haven’t been nearly as successful lately with shorter distances. In their back-to-back losses to the Cowboys and Chargers, they converted just one of seven third downs of 2 yards or less. They were 3-for-7 in the red zone in those two games.

*

To read our earlier post with reports on injuries, the changes at linebacker and more, click here.

Poll: Who should start at middle linebacker for the Eagles? (1250 votes)

Even if Akeem Jordan remains sidelined, defensive coordinator Sean McDermott indicated that Chris Gocong could be moving back to strongside linebacker. Gocong played middle linebacker for the first time since high school last week against San Diego.

Gocong confirmed that was the plan; Will Witherspoon said he will remain on the weakside in the base defense, which means the Birds once again are in need of a middle linebacker. Your Eagletarian is prohibited from reporting the details of practice, but there aren't that many middle linebackers on the roster. Two of them are Joe Mays and Jeremiah Trotter, both confined to special teams lately.After practice, both acknowledged the possibility they could have more of a role in the defense Sunday night in Chicago. More reporters clustered around Mays than around Trotter, your Eagletarian observed, while carefully obeying the rules about what can be reported from practice. 

"If I were to be named the starter, I'd be very excited," Mays offered, demonstrating an impressive command of the subjunctive mood, no doubt the result of that North Dakota State education.

"They're giving me some reps right now, so they can give me a feel for the game, just in case my number's called, I can go in and produce," said Mays, who was McDermott's first choice to replace starting middle linebacker Stewart Bradley, back in August, when Bradley tore his ACL. Mays looked uncertain in a few preseason games, and was deep-sixed on the depth chart. He seems to have worked his way back, partly because McDermott is desperate, and partly because after wallowing in despair for several weeks, Mays has started to play the hard-hitting special teams role that demonstrates to the coaches his head is back in the right place.

"It always feels good to be able to get in there and play ... we'll see what happens when the game comes," said Mays, who was asked if he got down when the job was taken away from him before the season started. Omar Gaither, who inherited it, now is out for the season as he recovers from Lisfranc surgery.

"I did. I shouldn't have, but I did ... You just have to adjust, get better, pick up the pieces from where you left off," Mays said. "That's what I plan on doing."

Mays said he eventually realized that "everything is out of your hands, where decisions are made. I can't really control what decisions the coaches make, all I can do is go out there and perform my best and hope they make the best decision for me and for the team."

Trotter was even more determined not to give away any secrets.

"We're all just working hard, trying to stay ready for whatever happens," he said.

***

Brian Westbrook returned from Pittsburgh and was in attendance at the NovaCare complex Thursday, but he did not speak with reporters.

***

Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said if quarterback Donovan McNabb yelled over on camera during Sunday's loss to San Diego that the Eagles should have run the ball on third-and-1 from the 7-yard line, "He was probably right."

The TV cameras appeared to catch McNabb after one of the Eagles’ failed red zone excursions, turning toward the sideline and seeming to yell “just run the ball,” or something similar.

Mornhinweg said that he needs to do better at looking beyond which play should work against a particular defense, to the personnel he has trying to run the play.

"You've got to play to your players' strengths," he said.

He also said that is he is looking forward to getting the usual offensive line back together this week, if there is such a thing. Left tackle Jason Peters did not play against San Diego with an ankle injury.

"Continuity in the offensive line, that equals winning," he said.

***

McDermott said cornerback Sheldon Brown (hamstring strain) is day-to-day. "He says he's going to play; we'll just have to see," he said. Brown was again a partial practice participant. Left tackle Jason Peters (ankle) practiced fully for the second day in a row.

***

On the Bears' injury report, center Olin Kreutz (back) returned to practice after missing Wednesday and was a ful participant. Defensive tackle Tommie Harris (knee) and safety Al Afalava (shoulder), limited Wednesday, also were full participants in practice. Tight end Desmond Clark (neck) and safety Kevin Payne (back) did not practice.   

Poll: Who should start at middle linebacker for the Eagles? (1250 votes)

Donovan McNabb was asked about the way TV cameras caught him, after one of the Eagles’ failed red zone excursions, turning toward the sideline and seeming to yell “just run the ball,” or something similar.

“I’m a football player. I want to score,” McNabb said. “Do I remember that? I don’t know. I’ve said a lot of different things through the course of the game. I’m sure they might have clips of it, they might not. But again, it’s about winning ballgames, and I want to do whatever it takes to have a win.”

Asked about the rollout play to the left that the Chargers were all over, an incompletion to Brent Celek on second-and-goal from the 1in the second quarter, McNabb said if the Eagles had it to do over again, “we wouldn’t roll to the left. We would never roll it to the left.”

The quarterback was then asked if he can check to a runnning play instead of a pass play: “If the pass is there we’ll pass the ball.”

The Eagles' run-pass ratio was titled heavily toward the pass Sunday against San Diego, although getting down early was a part of that equation. McNabb was asked whether he was concerned that the coaches lost faith in the run game without Westbrook.

“I don’t think they will lose faith in running [LeSean] McCoy. I don’t think they’ll lose faith in running [Leonard] Weaver and [Eldra] Buckley," McNabb said. "I think that whatever play is called, we have to be able to execute and do the right things, do our job. If it calls for us to block somebody, we block somebody. If it calls for me to check into another play due to the front coverage, check into another play. To get it to our receivers, get it to them and let them work. I think that each individual has to do their job and if we do that, good things can happen.”

*

Two lengthy consecutive game streaks are on the line Sunday night. The Eagles' Sheldon Brown was optimistic that his streak of 133 games would continue. He said was a limited participant in practice and indicated there was "a good chance" he could play Sunday despite a hamstring injury.

In Chicago, coach Lovie Smith suggested that center Olin Kreutz's streak of 111 consecutive games played is likely to continue. He has missed the last two days of practice with a bad back.

"I think you look at history a little bit," Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "How many games has Olin Kreutz missed? He hasn't missed a lot. It's going to take a lot for him to miss (a game). If I was a betting man, I 'd say he'd be out there."

*

Donovan McNabb is not the only one terming this a "must-win" game.

Said NBC analyst Rodney Harrison: "This is a must-win game for two teams that have been inconsistent and underachieving."

NBC's Tony Dungy also looked at the bigger picture with what is at stake for the Eagles and Bears: "Thanksgiving is when you start looking at playoff implications. It's always better when both teams are in a similar situation. Head-to-head is the first tiebreaker and teams know that a game like this could decide a playoff spot."
 

The doctors who examined Eagles running back Brian Westbrook today in Pittsburgh reported in a statement that his symptoms have improved significantly since Sunday's second concussion and they expect a full recovery. He will be re-tested in 2-3 weeks, they said.

Westbrook was examined at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center by sports concussion specialists Dr. Joseph Maroon and Dr. Michael Collins.

“We are very encouraged by Brian’s progress, we believe that he has an excellent prognosis and we expect a full recovery,” Maroon and Collins said in the joint statement. “We developed a comprehensive physical rehab plan for Brian, and we will repeat the detailed testing in the next two to three weeks.”

As part of his visit today, the doctors said Westbrook was "re-tested today with a battery of neuro-cognitive tests, including ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), a computerized tool that is used by all NFL teams for evaluating injury recovery. He also underwent comprehensive physical and neurological exam, results of which were favorable." 

The statement said Westbrook was cleared completely from his symptoms after the initial concussion against Washington before sustaining the second concussion Sunday against San Diego. The doctors described the second as a "much milder concussion which was not related to loss of consciousness but associated only with dizziness and headache." Westbrook was knocked unconscious from the initial blow against Washington.

“We commend the Eagles athletic training and medical staff for their diligent and conservative care in this particular case as well as their historical excellence in managing these types of injuries,” added Dr. Mark Lovell, director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program.

Maroon is a UPMC neurosurgeon and longtime team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dr. Collins is a UPMC neuropsychologist at the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program.

For our previous posts from today, click here.

Donovan McNabb's assertion that this is a "must-win" game for the Eagles will rightfully get a lot of attention here in Philadelphia.

Out in Chicago, reporters had other things on their minds when McNabb spoke to them on a conference call.

McNabb, of course, is a Chicago native, and his homecomings often bring suggestions about the possibility of his finishing his career there, even with the Bears' acquisition of Jay Cutler.

"That will never stop,'' McNabb said with a laugh, according to the Chicago Tribune. "But Jay's going to be all right. It's still a long season ahead of us. I look for good things to happen over here in Philadelphia, and I'm sure he's looking for the same thing in Chicago.''

McNabb also was asked about his benching against Baltimore last year, in the context of the fate that Cutler might face. The Bears have lost four of their last five games.

"Nobody wants to be benched,'' McNabb said. "I'm sure you guys don't want to be pulled from writing your great articles that you guys write ... a suspension for a week or two. Then you'll probably be outside kicking old papers, sitting on the bench drinking coffee and feeling like nobody loves you.''

*

Meanwhile, cornerback Sheldon Brown, who left the San Diego loss with a strained hamstring, was a limited participant in yesterday's practice. Brown said he felt there was a "good chance" he will be able to continue his streak of 133 successive games played since entering the NFL in 2002. The outlook seemed less promising for weakside linebacker Akeem Jordan. Left tackle Jason Peters practiced and is on track to play in Chicago. 

*

From the Bears' side of the injury report, tight end Desmond Clark (neck), center Olin Kreutz (back) and safety Kevin Payne (back) did not participate in practice. Defensive tackle Tommie Harris (knee) and safety Al Afalava (shoulder) were limited participants.

*

To read our earlier report from Eagles' practice, click here.

Eagles coach Andy Reid said Brian Westbrook was undergoing testing in Pittsburgh for his concussions "as we speak" during his morning news conference. "We'll know more on him the next day or two," Reid said.

Reid said Westbrook "didn't seem rattled" when Reid spoke with him Monday. "He was in a good place."

In case there was any doubt, Westbrook will not play Sunday against Chicago.

Westbrook suffered his second concussion in three weeks when he was sandwiched on a screen pass against San Diego. He previously was concussed against Washington and then missed the next two games.

Reid mentioned fullback Leonard Weaver as part of the reason why he didn't feel he needed to make a roster move. The Eagles have rookie LeSean McCoy, Eldra Buckley and recently signed P.J. Hill behind Westbrook, although Hill has not been active since signing with the team.

Reid said McCoy has played better when he got more of the reps during the week in practice. That is the case this week.

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb said several players who are playing despite repeated concussions. "It's a scary decision you have to make; that's why you go see the specialist," he said.

"I look for him to be back," McNabb said, though "whatever decision Brian makes will be the best decision for him.

"It's out of Brian's hands, it's in God's hands."

In other injury news, Macho Harris is out today with an eye infection, although that is deemed to be not a big deal.

Sheldon Brown is "doing better" with his hamstring injury, Reid said, but he won't practice. 

Akeem Jordan (hyperextended knee) and Quintin Demps (high ankle sprain) also will not practice. Kevin Curtis, recovering from knee surgery, is out against Chicago.

Jason Peters will practice today after sitting out against the Chargers with an ankle injury.