DONOVAN McNabb doesn't make guarantees. Those often tiresome proclamations of certain victory in a crucial upcoming game just aren't his style.

But now, with the sunset of his career being much closer than the sunrise, he does view this week's visit to Soldier Field with great import. Not because it's a homecoming for the Chicago native, but because the Eagles are dripping oil and in desperate need of a win.

Oh, and in case you hadn't heard, star running back Brian Westbrook will not play.

"I've been in the league for a while now, 11 years, and at this particular point in my career, as well as this point in the season, this is a must win for us and that's the way that we have to approach it," McNabb said. "I wouldn't care if it's at Soldier Field, I wouldn't care if it's playing in Champaign, Illinois, or we can play in Oklahoma. It doesn't matter. This is a game that we need to win. That's the way I'm approaching it and that's the way the other guys are approaching it as well."

McNabb has started four games in his home city and won three, including his first playoff road win following the 2001 season. His only loss, however, came last season when the Eagles were stopped on a first-and-goal late in the fourth quarter trailing by four. Problems in the red zone. Sound familiar?

"It's a new year and a new offensive line," lineman Todd Herremans said. "Hopefully, we'll be able to knock those things out. And, especially after last week, not have those questions asked after the game."

If the Eagles do have similar problems again this week and lose, those questions Herremans referenced will be way down on their list of worries.

The Eagles are 5-4 and holding on by their talons for a playoff spot. The trip to Chicago starts a run of five consecutive games against conference opponents in about the same position. Four of those teams - Chicago, Atlanta, New York and San Francisco - are either 5-4 or 4-5. The Eagles' two-game losing streak again has turned them into scoreboard watchers.

"You try not to, as a player, look [at other teams]," McNabb said. "You want to put yourself in a position where you don't have to do that. The last 2 weeks we haven't been and it's important that we go out with that attitude that this is a game that we have to win to put ourselves at 6-4 with a better opportunity, a better chance going into the following week."

On the flip side, if the Eagles win Sunday and the Redskins upset the Cowboys, the Birds would find themselves in a virtual tie with Dallas for the lead in the NFC East with the Cowboys holding, for now, the head-to-head tiebreaker. So, at the very least, the Eagles must keep pace with Dallas.

The importance is high even if "must wins" before Thanksgiving generally aren't a good sign.

"I wouldn't look at it as stress," said fullback Leonard Weaver, who is expected to get more carries in Westbrook's absence. "It's just a call out from our leader to say we all need to step it up and play some football. We're going to take it as a challenge. We're going to accept that challenge because obviously he's taken it upon himself to put it out there, so we're going to back him up."

Walk the line

 

It's no surprise that the Eagles have lost the three games their offense has passed disproportionately more often than run the ball. In two of those games (New Orleans and San Diego), they were trying to erase huge deficits. The Oakland game was just a mess.

Anyway, Todd Herremans indicated that the constant pass-blocking has contributed to the Eagles' troubles converting shortdistance running plays. How could it not?

"We practice run-blocking all the time," he said. "Just because you throw it 50 times in a game doesn't mean you don't know how to [run block]. We practice it all week long. You know, execution and technique.

"Maybe not doing it so much in a game, maybe your technique isn't as crisp as you'd like it to be because you've been pass-blocking the whole time, but it's just something we need to tighten up ourselves. Sometimes it appears [to be] the problem. You just have to find the way to go."

When asked if the playcalling needs more balance, Herremans said directly: "The scheme is fine. We just need to execute; less mistakes."

One of the elements the Eagles will miss with Westbrook out is his fine pass-blocking, particularly on blitzes. It is a skill not yet mastered by backup rookie running back LeSean McCoy or first-year Bird Eldra Buckley.

"We've got to focus on that a little bit more, because Brian knows the protections inside and out," Herremans added. "It's just something we need to pick up a little bit as the weeks go on."

From Da Bears

 

There's a reason why NFL coaches can be so maddeningly coy about injuries. There can be a competitive advantage in secrecy, as Bears head man Lovie Smith allowed yesterday.

Smith was not yet aware that Westbrook had been ruled out for Sunday night's game when he participated in a conference call with Philadelphia reporters.

Knowing it, he said, "definitely helps game-planning a lot." Smith added that the circumstances of Westbrook's absence due to career-threatening concussions are regrettable.

"Brian Westbrook is one of the best players in the game," said Smith, in his sixth season as the Bears coach. "He's good for our game. Whenever you lose a special player like that, you can't be as strong. But a lot of times when one good player can't go, another one will step in and I'm sure that will be the case. [LeSean] McCoy's a good football player and they have other weapons. But our chances are better without Westbrook."