Even when its top West-Coast-offense receiver goes down.

The season has not even begun, and already the Eagles have been dealt a significant blow on the flanks with news yesterday that eight-year veteran wideout Kevin Curtis will miss significant time because of a sports hernia.

William Meyers, the chairman of surgery at Hahnemann University Hospital, who performed Donovan McNabb's hernia surgery in 2005, will cut Curtis this morning. Typically, this injury requires a minimum of six to eight weeks recovery time.

The 30-year-old Curtis, who did not practice yesterday, had been fighting through the injury since getting hurt in last week's exhibition game against Carolina.

"He just felt tight after the game, and it was bothering him," Reid said. "We checked it out. . . . It's one of those situations where if you can go you go, if you can't, then you have to have the surgery. He tried it, and he can't do that, so we've moved on.

"A player can function or can't function, and right now Kevin can't function. We know Kevin's a very tough guy, and he was trying, but he was just not able to get open out there."

Sheldon Brown, L.J. Smith and McNabb have suffered similar injuries. Brown played the entire 2003 season through it but says he should have had surgery in-season.

"It's tough," he recalled. "It feels like someone has stabbed you in the abdominal area. It's excruciating pain. I don't know how you can play through it. Probably the smartest decision you can make is to fix it.

"He is coming off a heck of a season. If his play drops, he is not going to go to the media and say, 'I'm hurt.' He's a stand-up guy and will say, 'I'm not doing the job.' The organization lets him get it fixed so he can be mentally back."

Smith said he told Curtis yesterday that he should take things slowly on his recovery from surgery.

"After you get surgery, you will feel 100 times better, and you're going to feel you can work out and start routes, be running, and try to rehab, but don't push it too soon," Smith said.

Curtis is not easily replaced. He had career highs in receiving yards (1,110), receptions (77) and touchdowns (8). Aside from Terrell Owens, he is the only receiver in Reid's offense to break 1,000 yards and only the fourth in club history to catch more than 75 passes in a season.

"We'll be fine there," Reid said of the receiving corps, adding that Reggie Brown (hamstring) is expected to be ready for the season opener against St. Louis. The club said it was not interested in Joe Horn, cut by Atlanta this week, or anyone else. Reid said he had his own replacement parts in Hank Baskett and DeSean Jackson.

The plan tomorrow night in New England is to rotate Baskett and Greg Lewis on one side, with Jackson on the other.

"We have confidence in them," he said. "They were all going to play anyway, so they'll play a little bit more now."

This is an unexpected break for Baskett, the second-year receiver from New Mexico, who has looked very good in camp.

"It definitely opens up a window of opportunity," Baskett said.

Jackson, the rookie from Cal, has made some nice plays in preseason, in addition to his return work on special teams.

"I just hope to go out there and make a great impression," Jackson said. "I go into things with an open mind."

So how do you make up for Curtis' production, assuming he returns around November?

"I don't see it as having to make up for anything," Lewis replied. "Last year was last year. This is a brand new year. Nobody has any yards anywhere. We have to come out and do what we have to do. Our offense will continue to flourish. We're capable of getting better and making plays."