CAN HEAR CLEARWATER CALLING
Brian Westbrook isn't practicing today, as the Eagles begin preparing for this Sunday's visit to San Francisco, and there are indications the Birds understand their franchise running back almost certainly won't be able to play effectively this week.
Fullback Tony Hunt said he has been told he will take his practice reps at running back, where he played before being switched near the end of training camp. Defensive tackle Dan Klecko, signed last spring with the idea he would be a fullback, has been reissued his old No. 49 jersey and apparently will play an expanded role at fullback while still participating in the defensive tackle rotation. Defensive end Victor Abiamiri, out since early in training camp following wrist surgery, was to participate in his first full practice today, and Abiamiri said he had been told he would work some inside at defensive tackle -- something he assumes reflects Klecko's decreased availability on defense. It isn't clear that Abiamiri will be ready to play by this weekend.
It is clear the Eagles have a lot of work to do to turn around their 2-3 season. Quarterback Donovan McNabb called a players' meeting Monday, in addition to the regularly scheduled session presided over by the coaches. McNabb and other players said he was critical of his own play and he emphasized that, as McNabb told reporters Wednesday, "everyone has to understand the situation we're in."
McNabb again expressed his frustration with losses the last two weeks, to Chicago and Washington teams he felt the Eagles should have beaten.
"I hate losing," McNabb said. "I especially hate losing in that fashion."
In other injury news, Andy Reid said right guard Shawn Andrews's back spasms have not improved significantly. Andrews did not practice today. Defensive end Juqua Parker is day-to-day with knee swelling, Reid said, and safety J.R. Reed did not practice because of hamstring and ankle problems.
Update: Wideout Reggie Brown left practice with a groin injury. No further information was forthcoming.
Les
Bowen has covered the Eagles for the Daily News
since 2002.
Before that, he spent nearly 13 years covering the Flyers. It took Les
only a few seasons after the switch to figure out that there was no
penalty box at the Linc, and that the time really wasn't his, despite
what Andy Reid kept saying. Les came to Philadelphia and the Daily News
from Charlotte in 1983. In the intervening years, he has pretty much
lost track of NASCAR, and his accent. He, his wife Barbara, and their
two sons live in Haddon Township, New Jersey.
E-mail Les at bowenl@phillynews.com
and follow
him on Twitter.
Paul
Domowitch has been with the Daily News since 1982.
He has spent most of his nearly 3 decades with the paper covering the
Eagles and pro football. For the last 10 years, he’s been a
selector for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A native of Wilkes-Barre
and a graduate of Wilkes University, Domo started his career in Texas,
working first for the Midland Reporter-Telegram (1976-78), and then for
the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he covered some god-awful Texas
Ranger baseball teams. His first beat at the Daily News actually was
boxing, which he covered just long enough to lose 2 sports coats to
blood spatter before moving on to football. Domo and his wife Shelley,
a University of Oklahoma grad who still hasn’t gotten over
that Fiesta Bowl loss to Boise State 5 years ago, have 2 terrific
daughters -- Allison, 28, who is an attorney in South Jersey, and Amy,
25, who works in administration for a professional baseball team.
E-mail Domo at PDomo@aol.com and follow
him on Twitter.
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