McNabb will try to play; Appears unlikely; Kolb ready
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.
McNabb will try to play; Appears unlikely; Kolb ready
Jeff McLane and Bob Brookover
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.
Bill1966 - You sound like such a loser. Were you watching the same game we all saw? The Eagles crushed a good team in all phases of the game, yet people are concerned about ripping McNabb.— TheMan- like I said in another post, if ben roth. played the same game it would be nothing but positives. McNabb took advantage of every opportunity he could for points and a W. Shut up haters!— diesler123
- like I said in another post, if ben roth. played the same game it would be nothing but positives. McNabb took advantage of every opportunity he could for points and a W. Shut up haters!— diesler123
- like I said in another post, if ben roth. played the same game it would be nothing but positives. McNabb took advantage of every opportunity he could for points and a W. Shut up haters!— diesler123
- Playing with a broken rib really doesn't put him at risk for the season. It's basically just if he can handle to pain. It's true, if anyone's ever had a broken rib, it's even difficult to breath deeply. However, if he can go and be somewhat effective passing the ball, I think I'd rather have him in there than Kolb. Every game counts. If we miss homefield advantange by a single game at the end of the year, we'll remember the game that Kolb lost against New Orleans. Whoever gives us the best chance of winning is who I want out there, and that's McNabb. So suck it up soup boy!!!— Jamerock
- Playing with a broken rib really doesn't put him at risk for the season. It's basically just if he can handle to pain. It's true, if anyone's ever had a broken rib, it's even difficult to breath deeply. However, if he can go and be somewhat effective passing the ball, I think I'd rather have him in there than Kolb. Every game counts. If we miss homefield advantange by a single game at the end of the year, we'll remember the game that Kolb lost against New Orleans. Whoever gives us the best chance of winning is who I want out there, and that's McNabb. So suck it up soup boy!!!— Jamerock
- Playing with a broken rib really doesn't put him at risk for the season. It's basically just if he can handle to pain. It's true, if anyone's ever had a broken rib, it's even difficult to breath deeply. However, if he can go and be somewhat effective passing the ball, I think I'd rather have him in there than Kolb. Every game counts. If we miss homefield advantange by a single game at the end of the year, we'll remember the game that Kolb lost against New Orleans. Whoever gives us the best chance of winning is who I want out there, and that's McNabb. So suck it up soup boy!!!— Jamerock
- Playing with a broken rib really doesn't put him at risk for the season. It's basically just if he can handle to pain. It's true, if anyone's ever had a broken rib, it's even difficult to breath deeply. However, if he can go and be somewhat effective passing the ball, I think I'd rather have him in there than Kolb. Every game counts. If we miss homefield advantange by a single game at the end of the year, we'll remember the game that Kolb lost against New Orleans. Whoever gives us the best chance of winning is who I want out there, and that's McNabb. So suck it up soup boy!!!— Jamerock
- Playing with a broken rib really doesn't put him at risk for the season. It's basically just if he can handle to pain. It's true, if anyone's ever had a broken rib, it's even difficult to breath deeply. However, if he can go and be somewhat effective passing the ball, I think I'd rather have him in there than Kolb. Every game counts. If we miss homefield advantange by a single game at the end of the year, we'll remember the game that Kolb lost against New Orleans. Whoever gives us the best chance of winning is who I want out there, and that's McNabb. So suck it up soup boy!!!— Jamerock
- Kolb stinks.— pucky88
- Hey Bill . . . you forgot to mention that McNabb is tied for #1 in wins. Last time I checked, that's the only stat that truly matters.— Unclepeat
- When it comes to folks like Bill who simply don't get it, I think of the wise old saying: "Ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but STUPID lasts forever." Just more of the same nonsense from Bill1966.— gc2332
- I sure would feel better if it were Feely next week. He's solid, knows the offense, and doesn't try to do more than he's capable of. Kolb inspires no confidence that he can get the job done.— Slidewell
- Sheesh--tough crowd. If he's too hurt to play, he's a wimp. If he wants to play, he shouldn't because he's injured and only cares about himself (SkipinWV, telling the guy needs to get on the bench and still calling him McWimp). And then there's Bill1966 who rolls off stats without putting them in their proper context (dropped catchable passes; dominance and points scored by defense and special teams). Seriously, you sound like one of those guys who says that Wins are the most important stat to pitchers (even I could win a game with enough run support). We're a good sports town with great, knowledgeable fans, but comments from some of you make me question that from time to time! ... I don't usually make sweeping statements like this, but I think that all -real- Eagles fans should be worried about one thing and one thing only: the fact that Kolb may have to make the start. But if he starts, I'll be rootin' like hell for the guy. Go Birds!— jester
- If Kolb does not get ALL the reps with the first team this week ... big trouble on Sunday. This guy desperately needs the confidence the reps can provide.— CarpGuy
