IS STOCKPILING DEFENSEMEN
Kevin Curtis and his nagging knee injury are questionable for Sunday's game, Eagles coach Andy Reid said today.
Reid said that Jeremy Maclin is starting at wide receiver and that he would start even if Curtis' can go. It would be the second straight start for the rookie.
“I had him rotating in there, yeah I did," Reid said. "Just until I saw where Kevin was, he was in the starting position there.”
Curtis sat out the last game against the Chiefs, but the bye week allowed his inflammed knee some recovery time. He practiced on Wednesday and Thursday of this week, but there was a setback and the team decided to hold Curtis out of practice today.
"It was good to have that rest and it calmed down a little bit," Curtis said. "Obviously the fact that I wasn't out there today -- it's not where it needs to be."
Maclin believes the starting job is now his to lose.
"I [approach] it the way I did when I didn't have [the starting job]," Maclin said. "I go out there day-in and day-out and perform and know that you're treated as a starter."
After not having a reception in the opener, Maclin has snagged six catches for 45 yards. Curtis had five catches for 70 yards in the first two games. The 31-year-old hasn't looked quite right since an off-season sports hernia surgery, but his knee injury -- which the Eagles say isn't structural -- could be just a symptom of age.
"I've never felt better in a lot of ways," Curtis said. "Specific areas don't feel great, but I attribute that more to this game."
As far as other injuries, Todd Herremans (foot) is out and quarterback Donovan McNabb (rib), running back Brian Westbrook (ankle), safety Quintin Demps (hamstring), guard Max Jean-Gilles (shoulder) and cornerback Dimitri Patterson (hand) are listed as probable for Tampa Bay.
Reid also said that McNabb would most likely wear a flak jacket to protect his fractured rib. The coach came away satisfied with the way his quarterback, who missed the last two games, threw all week.
“I thought he had the velocity, that’s where you’d start, velocity and accuracy, after and injury like that," Reid said. "He showed both of those traits there. I think he’s ready to play and he’s excited to get back out there and go.”
