THINKS THE EAGLES STOLE ONE
The talk of today's practice was Brandon Gibson's two one-handed catches. So much so that the normally-guarded Michael Vick even agreed to talk about the snags after a near two-hour session.
He even answered a few questions about his return to practice. Vick was on the exempt list last week and couldn't practice as he served the first week of his suspension. But he was activated on Tuesday and even though he won't play Sunday against the Saints -- because of the two-game suspension -- Vick said he's getting closer to his old on-the-field self.
"It feels good to be out there, getting my legs back under me, keeping my mind fresh in football in this offense," Vick said. "I'm just happy. I'm football player so this is a great feeling for me."
Vick is slated to be reinstated for Game 3 against the Chiefs. He said his conditioning has improved, but he's not quite there yet.
"Being that I was out for two years, it's going to be hard to get back," Vick said. "Where I feel now physically, I think my body has done a good job of responding to the conditioning and the beating I put on it the last three or four weeks."
Vick has been splitting scout team repetitions with Jeff Garcia as Kevin Kolb takes the first string snaps. Donovan McNabb was out of practice for the second straight day. Vick threw both passes to Gibson that aren't always meant to be caught by a scout team receiver. The purpose is to prepare the first team defense and sometimes that means tossing a few underthrown passes.
Gibson's first catch was downright amazing. He split two defensive backs and, while running, looked like he was going to fall on his back trying to make an approximately 30-yard catch. Somehow, keeping his balance, the rookie reached back with one hand and brought the football to his chest. He made the second catch while running an out pattern to the sideline. Vick threw the pass slightly behind Gibson, but he reached and pulled the football to his helmet for another one-handed reception.
"Never seen that," Vick said.
"He just made an exceptional play," Vick added. "The quarterbacks do try to keep the ball away from the defense as much as possible, but it's kind of hard."
Gibson wasn't activated last week but there's a good chance those catches might put him in a jersey on Sunday. Hank Baskett was cut on Tuesday, opening up a spot. Reggie Brown, who voiced his displeasure over his situation earlier today, could also be activated.
"People make phenomenal catches every day in practice," Gibson said. "You just got to continue on about your business and act like nothing happened."
Also, LB Joe Mays (shoulder) and safety Quintin Demps (hamstring) missed practice for the second straight day. DE Victor Abiamiri left practice early with a groin injury.
The Eagles' reduced the receivers on the roster from seven to six Tuesday by releasing Hank Baskett, who signed today with the Indianapolis Colts.
Reggie Brown, however, doesn't feel any better about his situation. He was asked if he thought it was a compliment that the Eagles kept him over Baskett.
"Compliment?" Brown asked rhetorically. "I'm still not playing. I don't see that as a compliment."
Dating back to last season, Brown has been deactivated in four of the Eagles' last eight games, including the NFC championship loss in Arizona and the season opener Sunday at Carolina.
"I've been dealing with it since last year, so I guess I'm used to it," he said.
With Baskett gone, there seems like a pretty good chance that Brown will play in the Eagles' home opener Sunday against the New Oreleans Saints.
"I don't know if I'm up, so I can't get excited," he said. "I just want to play. Hopefully I'll get an opportunity to play and I can make the best of it."
Brown said he has tried to maintain a positive attitude, but based on his actions and answers these days, it's obvious easier said than done. He admitted that going from starter to a guy who can't get on the field has been the most difficult stretch of his career.
"You just try to stay positive," Brown said. "You try as hard as you can. You keep working hard. Even a rose can grow out of a pound of bull (manure), so why can't I?"
DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek and four other Eagles were fined $10,000 each for their end zone celebration after Celek's second-quarter touchdown in the Eagles' 38-10 win over Carolina on Sunday.
Jamaal Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Stacy Andrews and Alex Smith also were fined. The players received letters today from the league office via FedEx.
After Celek scored on a nine-yard TD reception, he handed the football to Jamaal Jackson. Several players encircled Jackson and DeSean Jackson. Jamaal Jackson spiked the football, at which point DeSean Jackson flopped to the ground. The other players -- Celek, Curtis Andrews and Smith -- hopped upon the spike. The clip is on youtube.
DeSean Jackson received a unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the celebration, and then a stern warning from coach Andy Reid.
Told that he could have avoided the entire mess if he had simply held on to the football, Celek refused to take the blame for $60,000 in fines and said he was appealing his fine.
"I was just trying to give it to a lineman to let him spike it," Celek said.
Winston Justice also was fined $5,000 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on a run by Brian Westbrook. He also said he'd appeal.
These fines come after the league decided that the hit on Donovan McNabb in the end zone by Panthers defensive tackle Damione Lewis was legal and not worthy of a fine. McNabb, of course, fractured a rib on the play.
Kevin Kolb is taking all the first-team repetitions at quarterback today at practice, while Donovan McNabb continues to rest a fractured rib, Eagles coach Andy Reid said.
Reid also said that the recently-acquired Jeff Garcia and the recently-activated Michael Vick will split reps with the scout team. Garcia was signed on Monday. Vick was taken off the exempt list yesterday and was added to the 53-man roster. He can practice, but he can't play Sunday against the Saints as he serves out the remainder of his two-game suspension. Vick will be reinstated by Week 3.
As for McNabb, Reid said that his quarterback is making progress, although he can't predict if he'll be ready to play Sunday. With Kolb running with the ones and the Eagles signing Garcia, the chance of McNabb being healthy enough to play seems unlikely.
"As far as the quarterback situation goes, I want to make [this] very clear: Kevin Kolb, right now, is the starting quarterback," Reid said. "If Donovan cannot play this week, Kevin will be the starting quarterback. ... Jeff Garcia becomes the backup. ... If Donovan is healthy he's the No. 3. If Donovan is not healthy to play he's the No. 2."
McNabb did not meet with the media today as he normally does. Kolb is expected to talk with reporters following practice.
Reid also said that linebacker Joe Mays (shoulder sprain) and safety Quintin Demps (hamstring sprain) are day-to-day, and neither player will practice today. Translation: They're questionable for Sunday. Guard Todd Herremans is out for Sunday's game as he continues to recover from foot surgery.
Reid originally said that Herremans would miss two games, but it's starting to look like the guard could be out for significantly longer. Herremans said today that he would like to return in time for the first of the Eagles' NFC East games. For those of you not keeping track at home, the Eagles don't play a division rival until Game 6 when they travel to Washington for a Monday night game on Oct. 26.
With the Eagles, the news just keeps on coming.
The latest is that the team has released wide receiver Hank Baskett in order to make room on the roster for quarterback Michael Vick, who has been removed from the exempt list.
"I'm not speaking about it yet," said Baskett when reached by phone.
Baskett had one catch for six yards Sunday and 72 catches for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns during parts of four seasons.
The sequence of today's events, including Shawn Andrews being placed on injured reserve, could have positive ramifications for two quarterbacks.
Vick obviously will be pleased that he can return to the practice field tomorrow as he awaits his reinstatement for the Week 3 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The departure of Baskett, meanwhile, could open the door for Jeff Garcia to remain whenever Donovan McNabb is able to return from his fractured rib injury. Garcia suggested Monday that he felt he could help Kevin Kolb in his development as a quarterback.
"I think with Kevin there, being a young guy, I can just open his eyes to some things that maybe he hasn't open his eyes to as of yet," Garcia said. "I'm sure he's been able to see so much of that through Donovan (McNabb), but I want to be able to help out where I can."
Of course, the player who may benefit most from Baskett's release is veteran receiver Reggie Brown, who did not dress for Sunday's season opener against Carolina. Brown likely will be activated Sunday against New Orleans and it will be interesting to see what roles he plays on special teams, which is why Baskett got the nod over him against the Panthers.
Jackson special teams player of the week
Wide receiver DeSean Jackson was named the NFC special teams player of the week after returning a punt 85 yards for a touchdown in the Eagles' opening-day win over Carolina. It was Jackson's second career punt return for a touchdown.
He also returned a second punt 21 yards, giving him a 53-yard average, the best in the league after Week 1.
Shawn Andrews' season is over and his career could be in jeopardy, too.
The Eagles placed the two-time Pro Bowl guard on injured reserve this morning, which also cleared a roster spot for quarterback Jeff Garcia, who the team officially signed today.
"It's disappointing to lose any player for the entire season, but we have full confidence in the other linemen we have on this roster to help this team succeed," coach Andy Reid said in a statement. "We wish Shawn all the best as he recovers and rehabilitates from this injury."
Andrews' season-ending back injury means that Winston Justice will be the team's right tackle for the second straight week and probably for the remainder of the season. The Eagles, according to a team source, were so pleased with Justice's opening-day performance against the Carolina Panthers that they do not feel the need to bring back veteran free agent Jon Runyan, who worked last week at the NovaCare Complex.
Runyan has also had workouts with Kansas City and Buffalo, but he remains unsigned.
The team source said the Eagles have some real concerns about Andrews' future because this is the second straight season that a back injury has sidelined him.
Andrews injured his back in Week 2 last season at Dallas and eventually underwent surgery by Dr. Robert Watkins in Southern California.
After an extensive offseason rehab, Andrews did not have any problems during the Eagles' spring camps at the NovaCare Complex. He arrived at Lehigh University for the start of training camp in good spirits and seemingly in great shape, but shortly after the team's conditioning test run his back stiffened at a team meeting.
He missed the remainder of training camp at Lehigh and eventually made another visit to Watkins in Southern California, where he received two injections to relieve the pain. Watkins told Andrews there was no structural damage to his back, but Andrews returned to practice for the first time Aug. 29 and it appeared as if he was going to be ready for the start of the season.
That changed after Wednesday's practice last week when he again complained of pain. Runyan visited the following day and Justice lined up at right tackle with the first-team offense. After starting all four games in the preseason, Justice made his second career start and first at right tackle against Carolina.
Now, Justice has a job he could keep for a long time and there is plenty of reason to wonder if Andrews' football career is over.
Jeff Garcia's return to the Eagles could be short, but the agent for the veteran quarterback said his client's first stint in Philadelphia was so sweet that he couldn't refuse the opportunity to return.
"Jeff understands it could be a short-term situation, but the experience with Philadelphia was so positive before that the chance to comeback is very exciting to him," Steve Baker said from his Northern California office.
Garcia signed a one-year deal with the Eagles this afternoon and will likely serve as a backup to Kevin Kolb when the Eagles play the New Orleans Saints Sunday.
During his only season with the Eagles in 2006, Garcia filled in for an injured Donovan McNabb and led the Eagles to a 5-1 record and an NFC East title in the team's final six regular-season games. He also quarterbacked the Eagles to a playoff win over the New York Giants before losing to the Saints in New Orleans the following week.
Garcia, 39, was released by the Oakland Raiders near the end of training camp after spending two seasons with Tampa Bay.
His time with the Eagles could be as short as one week given that Michael Vick will be eligible to play in Week 3 and the Eagles have a bye in Week 4.
The Eagles are holding out hope that Donovan McNabb, despite having a fractured rib, will be able to play Sunday against New Orleans, but that seems to be an unlikely scenario.
"He's going to try and battle through that this week," coach Andy Reid said during his day-after-the-game press conference at the NovaCare Complex. "But we will see how things go as the week goes on. It's pretty sore today and I think he'll struggle in practice."
Said McNabb: "It’s just Monday right now, but if Friday and Saturday come along and I’m feeling a lot better, you just never know.”
If McNabb were to attempt to play he would more than likely wear a flak jacket to protect his injury. If he can't go, Kevin Kolb will get his first career NFL start. Reid said that Kolb will be worked into taking repetitions with the starters once practice resumes on Wednesday. Normally, the backup doesn't take first-team reps during the week leading up to a game.
Pennsylvania Hospital's Dr. Art Bartolozzi, the former team physician for the Flyers and Eagles, said McNabb's prognosis for Sunday and beyond depends on which of the 12 ribs he fractured. Reid confrimed that McNabb's discomfort was in the lower back right portion of his body, which is where he was hit by Carolina defensive tackle Damione Lewis Sunday after scoring a third-quarter touchdown.
"It really depends on the location," Bartolozzi said. "If it's one of the bottom two, they are floating ribs and they don't connect to the front chest cage."
Reid said McNabb was not at risk of puncturing a lung right now, which is an indication it could be one of the lower ribs that is fractured. Bartolozzi said there is no risk of puncturing the lung if the quarterback has fractured one of the two lower ribs.
That doesn’t mean there is no risk involved in returning to the field.
“The lower ribs on the right-hand side are adjacent to the kidney and on the left-hand side they’re adjacent to the spleen,” Bartolozzi said. “If you get hit in just the right spot, it can cause damage."
Bartolozzi said the pain caused by a rib fracture takes between 10 days to four weeks to subside.
"I think if this is a significant rib fracture, then it’s unlikely he’ll be able to play (Sunday),” Bartolozzi said. “My guess is they’ll wait a week to 10 days to let it calm down and see how he feels.”
Bartolozzi noted that many athletes have played through the pain of rib injuries by padding the injured area and/or injecting the area with a numbing agent such as lidocaine.
It's reasonable to believe that at this early stage in the season the Eagles do not want to risk McNabb doing more significant damage to his fractured rib even though they are going against an explosive Saints offense Sunday.
“It’s a slow process of just meeting with our trainers, doing two-a-days with treatment, going through the process of just like I’m playing in the game, and seeing how I feel at the end [of the week]," McNabb said.
Kolb said he was going to prepare as if he was starting.
"It's not a switch you can flip on and off," he said. "That's what's hard about being a backup during a game. It's hard to flip that switch, so I want to make sure that I'm prepared mentally, emotionally and, obviously, physically."
Reid also said that he hasn't explored other options at quarterback. He did say that A.J. Feeley, who the Eagles cut last week, was still on their radar. The coach also said that Michael Vick, who is serving a two-game suspension to open the season, would remain on the exempt list for the time being.
McNabb fractured a rib in the third quarter of yesterday's 38-10 drubbing of Carolina when the 301-pound Damione Lewis pounced on the quarterback after he muscled his way for a 5-yard TD.
McNabb left the game and headed into the locker room to be examined. An x-ray revealed that he had broke one rib near his lower back. Reid said he hadn't spoken with McNabb, who was receiving treatment this morning at the team's practice facility. Kolb said he had met with his teammate.
"He's super sore," Kolb said. "He's sore. But ... he's a tough guy. He's played through a lot of things before."
If Kolb gets the nod, the third-year quarterback will get the opportunity to show that he was worth the second round draft pick the Eagles expended on him in 2007. Last season, Kolb started the second half of the Novemeber Baltimore game after McNabb had a brutal first half. Kolb, though, had a rough debut with the first team, throwing for two interceptions, one of which was returned 108 yards for a touchdown.
Yesterday he didn't fare much better in relief of McNabb, completing 7 of 11 passes for just 23 yards. Kolb was also sacked twice, fumbling once.
The 1-0 Eagles host the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field.
Check back for more.
CHARLOTTE -- Donovan McNabb fractured his rib in the Eagles' otherwise celebratory 38-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers today. Head coach Andy Reid didn't give a prognosis on whether McNabb would miss any time, although a team source said that the Eagles quarterback was "doubtful" for next Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints.
Asked if it was safe to say that McNabb was out for next week, Reid said, "No, that's not safe to say."
McNabb apparently suffered his injury when he was tackled while plunging into the end zone on a three-yard touchdown run. He laid on the ground for a while, finally arose and walked off without assistance. He soon left the field to get examined. McNabb returned in his pads, but did not return to the game.
Reid said that McNabb was out there in case of emergency. Kevin Kolb replaced McNabb, but the Eagles didn't have another quarterback dressed.
"That's why he was out there," Reid said. "I probably would have done everything not to do that. That's why we took his pads off there at the end."
Wide receiver DeSean Jackson confirmed that he was the emergency quarterback if Kolb got hurt, too. Jackson took a few direct snaps in the Wildcat formation today.
Reid said he was confident that Kolb, if need be, would step in and do the the job.
"If it comes to that," Reid said.
Michael Vick will be serving the second game of his two-game suspension next week. He will be reinstated by Week 3. Kolb was ineffective filling for McNabb. He completed 7 of 11 passes for just 23 yards. He was also sacked twice.
The Eagles cut quarterback A.J. Feeley last week. He has not caught on with another team as of yet.
CHARLOTTE -- Fourth quarter observations from the Eagles-Panthers game:
-- Donovan McNabb has a rib injury. He went into the tunnel to get checked out and came back out several moments later still in his pads. He was walking around gingerly and eventually sat down. He went inside with about six minutes left.
-- Leonard Weaver returned from getting an IV treatment. The fullback ran 11 yards on a play out of the Wildcat formation late in the third quarter.
-- Trent Cole continues to dominate. The Eagles defensive end nearly had another sack when he pressured Josh McCown into another incomplete pass. Cole and Eagles cornerback Sheldon Brown have to be the Eagles' defensive players of the game, and special mention has to go to coordinator Sean McDermott in his first for-live day on the job.
-- The Eagles scored a touchdown on offense, defense and special teams for the first time since Dec. 24, 1994 against the Cincinnati.
-- The Eagles' seven takeaways are the most since the 1999 season finale vs. St. Louis. The Eagles had seven that day, too. Their five interceptions are the most since they had five on Sept. 30, 1996 at Dallas.
-- Kevin Kolb, filling in for McNabb, hasn't looked too sharp. One thing can be said: He has played better than Carolina's quarterbacks.
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