SCORES TWICE AFTER A PUCK TO THE FACE
Here are a few numbers to chew on after the Eagles' 20-16 loss to the Cowboys last night:
1. Eagles coach Andy Reid has had only 15 of his 46 challenges (32.6 pct.) overturned since 2000. In the last five seasons, he has gotten only 5 of 26 challenges (19.2) correct.
Reid couldn't get two crucial second half plays overturned with challenges last night. He had been 2-1 in challenges through the first seven games this season.
"The two missed challenges on my side of things, that was a problem and whether they were right or wrong they were wrong," Reid said today during his day-after debacle press conference. "That's my responsibility."
2. The Eagles are 1-8-1 in their last ten games that were decided by less than six points.
“That’s a pretty good stat,” Reid said. “There is probably some form of a link. I’m not sure what that link is, other than that stat. We have to do better in those situations on both sides of the ball.”
Reid also revealed sometime late in the pow-wow that Brian Westbrook, who sat out the Dallas game after symptoms from a concussion resurfaced, recently received treatment on his ankle. The Eagles coach said the ankle had nothing to do with the running back sitting out the game, but he did say it had something to do with Westbrook being held out of Friday's practice.
On Friday, however, he said Westbrook's not practicing was just a precaution, one he's used before with the oft-injured tailback. He reiterated today that Westbrook didn't complain of a recurring headache until Friday afternoon not long after Reid met with the media.
Are you as confused as I am? The point is, Reid and company were trying to hide Westbrook's injury and hide the fact that he wasn't going to play Sunday. I can think of several other ways that energy might have been better spent: Maybe working on short-yardage plays or how your coaching staff watches video replays.
But I digress.
Reid did say that Westbrook should be able to practice Wednesday. The running back has missed three games, one because of the ankle, two because of the concussion.
In other injury-related news:
Defensive end Victor Abiamiri (knee) and linebacker Chris Gocong (quad, hammy) should be back to practice by Wednesday, Reid said. Cornerback/kick returner Ellis Hobbs will have his spine examined by doctors in the coming days. Safety Quintin Demps has an ankle sprain. Linebacker Akeem Jordan hyper-extended his knee, has a bone bruise and could be out for a little while. Jason Peters had an ankle sprain, but did return in the game.
Kevin Curtis, meanwhile, is expected to return to Philadelphia sometime this week. The receiver had arthroscopic surgery in Utah a few weeks ago and stayed out there to rehab afterward. He hasn't played since Week 2.
