Strongside linebacker Chris Gocong remained out of practice today as he continues to recover from quad and hamstring injuries he suffered to his right leg during Sunday's win over the New York Giants.

Having missed two straight practices, it's possible that Gocong could miss his first game since his rookie season when he missed the entire year after suffering a neck injury in the preseason.

If Gocong cannot play, rookie Moise Fokou is expected to make his first NFL start. Fokou replaced Gocong at strongside linebacker last week against the Giants and finished with three tackles.

In other injury news, defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley and defensive end Chris Clemons returned to the practice field. Bunkley had missed practice Wednesday with a sore knee and Clemons had been sidelined by a sprained shoulder joint. Both those injuries occured against the Giants.

Defensive end Victor Abiamiri, out the last two games because of a sprained knee, participated in individual drills and said before practice that he thought he was close to returning. It still seems unlikely that he will play Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys.

Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott said Sean Jones would remain the starter at free safety despite the return of rookie Macho Harris from an ankle injury. McDermott said he will rotate Jones, Harris and Quintin Demps at the free safety position.

According to Andy Reid, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has become a better leader since the departures of Brian Dawkins, Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan.

"Guys that have been here a long time aren’t here," Reid said today at the NovaCare Complex. "He is that senior guy. ... Now he is it and he has a bunch of young guys around him, more than he has before, at this stage in his career. He even had to step it up a notch from what he did before, he always did a good job, but he just took it up another notch.”

McNabb said that the notch is at the same level it has always been.

“It’s really no different than what I’ve been doing the past couple of years," he said. "I think that at this particular point right now, because those guys are gone, that I guess they probably hear my voice a little bit more or pay more attention to what I’m saying."

Through most of his ten years in Philadelphia, McNabb has dealt with criticism over his leadership abilities.

“It’s always been overrated," McNabb said. "I think if you are a rah-rah guy that’s who you are. I’ve answered this for the last I don’t know how many years, but you say what you have to say and you prepare yourself to go out and play well. In certain [situations] you have to step up and talk to guys and communicate with them and make sure they’re on the same page. This isn’t me that you just sit and yell at them every day or yell at them every week. Some guys need it, some guys can take it, some guys can’t.”

So is McNabb a better leader or this whole leadership thing overrated nonsense? What say you?

In injury-related news, Reid said that Westbrook will be available to play Sunday against Dallas. The running back practiced today and, barring a setback with his concussion, is "good to go" for the NFC East showdown.

Wide receiver Kevin Curtis (knee) is out for Sunday and won't return to the area until next week, Reid said. Curtis is in Utah recovering from knee surgery.

The following players did not participate in practice today: defensive end Victor Abiamiri (knee), defensive tackle Broderick Bunkley (knee), defensive end Chris Clemons (shoulder) and linebacker Chris Gocong (quadriceps/hamstring).

Safety Macho Harris (ankle) returned to practice after sitting out all of last week and missing the Giants game. Guard Max Jean-Gilles (shoulder) practiced, as well, but Reid said his status for Sunday was still up in the air.

The Giants came. They saw. And the Eagles conquered.

It is time to now gaze ahead to the Cowboys, who arrive in Philadelphia Sunday night with first place in the NFC East on the line. Eagles coach Andy Reid was asked about the 5-2 Cowboys today, who have won three straight.

“I think they’re playing aggressive," Reid said at his day-after news conference. "I think their offensive line and defensive line are playing very physical football. They’re giving [Cowboys QB] Tony [Romo] time to get back there and throw and then they match it with a good running game. Defensively, they’re flying around. [Cowboys head coach] Wade [Phillips] has taken over. They’re blitzing from all over the place. They have a whole variety of different blitzes. They’re utilizing everybody there.”

The 5-2 Eagles are fairly healthy heading into the Dallas game. Reid said that Brian Westbrook (concussion), who missed Sunday's game, should be back practicing by Wednesday. That doesn't mean the running back will be ready to go against the Cowboys, however.

"We're going to make sure that he's okay to perform," Reid said. "We're not going to do anything to put him in jeopardy."

Based off the run game's performance against New York, Reid may not need to rush Westbrook back.

Linebacker Chris Gocong has a quadriceps contusion and a hamstring strain, according to Reid, and is day-to-day. Defensive end Chris Clemons, who left the Giants game with a shoulder injury, is OK.

Defensive end Victor Abiamiri is still recovering from a knee strain and wide receiver Kevin Curtis (knee) is most likely out for the Dallas game.

No surprise here, Brian Westbrook won't play today when the Eagles host the Giants. The running back is among the list of inactives for the 4-2 Eagles, who face 5-2 New York today at 1 p.m.

Westbrook suffered a concussion last Monday in the Birds' victory over the Redskins. He had a lingering headache a few days afterward and all signs seemed to say that it hadn't gone away by Friday. Westbrook was supposed to start aerobic exercises that day, but did not.

LeSean McCoy will earn his second career start. Eldra Buckley could get some snaps with the first team. And new guy P.J. Hill is active.

As for Westbrook, the next question is how long the concussion will keep him out of the Eagles' lineup. There's every reason to believe this is not just a one-game injury.

Safety Macho Harris is the other notable inactive for the Eagles. Harris has an ankle sprain and will be replaced  by Sean Jones. The other actives are: cornerback Dimitri Patterson (quadriceps), guard Mike McGlynn, wide receiver Kevin Curtis (knee), defensive end Victor Abiamiri (knee) and guard Max Jean-Gilles (shoulder).

Kevin Kolb is the emergency third quarterback for the third straight week. Michael Vick is active and scaring the bejesus out of the Giants (uhh ... maybe not).

The Giants are 1 1/2-point favorites, according to most betting odds.

Brian Westbrook and Macho Harris are questionable for the Giants game, Eagles coach Andy Reid said today. Both players did not practice, but will be game-time decisions.

Westbrook suffered a concussion Monday night and hasn't practiced all week. Reid said that the headache the running back had earlier in the week was gone and that Westbrook was "feeling pretty good right now."

“This is going to end up being a game day decision I’m sure," Reid said. "These things take time and they’re all different so we’ll just see how it works here.”

Reid said that the team was awaiting a test result on Westbrook before they could clear him to do some aerobic exercising.

“As long as he’s okayed and he’s cleared then I think you’re okay," Reid said. "These are experts you are talking about that are looking at these things. I know he wants to play. We have to listen to the doctors, both Brian and myself and [head trainer] Rick [Burkholder].”

All signs point, however, to the Eagles being cautious and giving its bruised and battered running back the day off. LeSean McCoy will step in if Westbrook can't go.

Harris is recovering from an ankle sprain. If he can't play at free safety, Sean Jones will get the call. If that were to happen, Quintin Demps would take Jones' spot in the defense's dime formation.

Defensive end Chris Clemons was held out of the practice with an unspecified illness and is questionable for Sunday.

Reid said that defensive end Victor Abiamiri (knee), wide receiver Kevin Curtis (knee) and cornerback Dimitri Patterson (quadriceps) were out for the Giants game. Linebacker Omar Gaither (foot) was placed on injured reserve earlier this week and is done for the season.

Wide receiver DeSean Jackson (foot) and defensive end Darren Howard (calf, ankle) both practiced for the second straight day and are ready for Sunday.

In a Phillies-related note, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb said that the local nine will beat the Yankees in the World Series in six games. He predicted that Ryan Howard, Jason Werth and Raul Ibanez would hit home runs tomorrow when the series shifts to Citizens Bank Park.

"There will be a parade," McNabb said, obviously referring to the Phils.

Reid likes the Phils, as well. “I’m partial. I’m pulling for Charlie [Manuel] and the Phillies,” he said.

In how many games?

“I don’t care, and I don’t think they care," Reid said. "They just want to win it and that’s what they’re going to do. They’re tough guys. He has eight linebackers out there and when he puts those pitchers in that makes his ninth one. He has some tough guys playing for him, it’s awesome to watch.”

The Eagles apparently got a little healthier today. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson and defensive end Darren Howard were back practicing today after sitting out yesterday's session with various injuries.

Brian Westbrook, meanwhile, watched practice as his backup, LeSean McCoy, took all the first-team repetitions as the Eagles prepared for Sunday's big NFC East showdown with the Giants. Westbrook, who suffered a concussion against the Redskins on Monday, is expected to be a game-time decision.

Eagles coach Andy Reid said that the running back would begin doing some aerobic exercises tomorrow, which presumably means that his headache has either gone away or has gotten significantly better.

"He did better today," Reid said. "He's feeling a little bit better today than yesterday. He's getting better. We'll add a little bit tomorrow and see how he does. It's still going to be a game-time decision."
 
Macho Harris did not practice for the second straight day. The safety has an ankle sprain. Sean Jones and Quintin Demps are his potential replacements. Cornerback Dimitri Patterson (quadriceps) also didn't practice. 

Jackson (foot) and Howard (calf, ankle) were full participants in practice.

This may tell you all you need to know about the severity of Brian Westbrook's concussion: The Eagles signed running back P.J. Hill off the Saints practice squad today, according to a team spokesman.

To make room on the 53-man roster, the team placed linebacker Omar Gaither (foot) on Injured Reserve. That means that Gaither's season is officially over, if there were any doubt.

The 5-foot-10, 218-pound Hill was originally signed by the Saints as a rookie free agent and rushed 26 times for 128 yards during three preseason games. He was released prior to the season before final cuts, but was brought back to the practice squad. He played college at Wisconsin and ran for over 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons with the Badgers.

I actually got to see Hill up close a few times when I covered Penn State. At Wisconsin he was listed much heavier than he is now, which usually happens. But I think they had him at something like 235 pounds. He always looked a legit 235. Maybe he dropped some of the weight. Nevertheless, he was a between-the-tackles-type runner with the Badgers. I thought he would get drafted. It seems as though two DUI arrests scared some teams away. Maybe he's a gem that the running-back-loaded Saints thought they could hide on their practice squad for a season. Maybe not.

They haven't forgotten Donovan McNabb's phone call up at the Meadowlands.

With just over three minutes remaining in the Eagles' playoff victory at Giants Stadium last season, McNabb scrambled out of the pocket and ran eight yards before going out of bounds on the New York sideline. A giddy McNabb picked up the telephone to the coaches' box near the Giants' bench and acted as though he was making a call.

It was a phone call that drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty and the ire of the Giants.

The Giants disliked McNabb's move so much that they posted a picture on the wall of the incident at their practice facility during the offseason.

"It sits pretty heavy on us," linebacker Danny Clark told the Newark Star Ledger.

New York coach Tom Coughlin said this afternoon that there is no McNabb phone-call photo at the Giants' practice facility, but added he had no comment about the incident.

McNabb and Eagles coach Andy Reid don't seem concerned that it gives the Giants extra motivation for Sunday's game.

"No, I don't have any regrets for doing it," McNabb said during a conference call with the New York media. "But in this game, do you really need any psychological motivation? I don't think so. This is a game you dream about playing. If you need any little thing that happened during a game last year or years before, then really you're not truly focused on week in and week out trying to be the best at what you do."

Reid mostly joked about the incident.

"He must have had somebody he wanted to talk to," the coach said.

When pressed, Reid said he had spoken to McNabb about the incident.

Test are still being conducted on Brian Westbrook, who suffered a concussion Monday night, and a decision as to whether he can play Sunday against the Giants will be a game time decision, Eagles coach Andy Reid said.

Westbrook was knocked off for several moments in the first quarter of the Eagles' 27-17 win over the Redskins. He walked off the field, but never returned. Reid said that Westbrook felt fine and that the running back has shown positive signs of recovery.

Several other Eagles players will be held out of practice today. There are: wide receiver DeSean Jackson (foot), safety Macho Harris (ankle), defensive end Darren Howard (calf) and cornerback Dimitri Patterson (quadriceps). Wide receiver Kevin Curtis (knee), defensive end Victor Abiamiri (knee) and linebacker Omar Gaither (foot) are most likely out for Sunday.

More to come.