In an effort to save some tread on the wheels of some of his most important guys, Reid granted half-days of practice to players 30 years or older every third day up at Lehigh. It is a gesture that Donovan McNabb has found very refreshing. "Small things like that make a difference on the football team," said McNabb, 31. "When you have some older guys who are playing at some key positions, they need their legs. Hopefully those types of things will help us in the long run."

Now whether this will help reverse the team's 3-6 record in openers under Reid will be seen on Sunday. It certainly has boosted morale in the locker room.

"I know he's helped me out tremendously with the 30-plus thing," said Brian Dawkins, 34. "I've been better off because of that. We went after it like we always do, but he pulled back at times and allowed a lot of the guys to get their legs back under them and all that good stuff. But we'll see if this is the right mixture and see how we come out against the Rams."

Say hey

Mays grew up in Chicago and attended Hyde Park High School, which is just a few first downs from McNabb's Mount Carmel High.

An aspiring basketball player, Mays decided to try football as a high school junior while watching McNabb lead the Eagles to four consecutive NFC Championships.

"He's the reason why I was an Eagles fan," said Mays, a sixth-round pick and the 200th player taken overall.

"It's been real cool. He's accepted me and all of the other guys accepted me, too," Mays said. "The locker room's been great. I just can't wait to get on the field."

Training camp was particularly stressful for Mays. Not only did he face the challenge of making the team as a low-round pick, but his wife LaToyia is about to give birth to their second child any day now.

His number's up

"I just wasn't feeling 78," he said. "I was trying, thinking of [Buffalo Hall of Famer] Bruce Smith, but I wasn't feeling it."

Abiamiri is sidelined indefinitely with a wrist injury and is scheduled to see a doctor on Sept. 15.

5 minutes with Quintin Demps

Height, weight: 5-11, 206

Age: 23

Birthdate: June 29, 1985

College: Texas-El Paso

Hometown: San Antonio

Years pro: Rookie

How acquired: Drafted in 4th round in 2008, 117th overall

This year: Will start the season as the Eagles' primary kickoff returner. Averaged 36.4 yards on nine preseason returns, including a 101-yard touchdown. Subtracting the touchdown, Demps still averaged a very respectable 28.4 yards per return.

Biggest influence: Mother, Jackie. "I came from a single-parent family and my mother was like my mom AND my dad," he said. "She taught me to keep my faith and stay humble."

Jobs as a kid: "I worked at McDonald's as my first 9-to-5, but I also used to cut grass. It was hot!"

Person in history would most like to meet: "Muhammad Ali, because of how he stood strong in what he believed in. I look up to him."

Athletes he'd pay to watch: Deion Sanders, Michael Jordan.

Best athletic moment: Had two interceptions as a sophomore off Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb, the second ended the game in double overtime.

What he's learned about NFL life: "It's strictly a business. It woke me up at the cuts with how much of a business it really is. Coaches want to win by any means necessary."

This week in Andy

The Andy Reid era opened with a disappointing loss to Arizona, 25-24. The Eagles jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter on a pair of Duce Staley touchdown runs and a Luther Broughton TD catch from Doug Pederson, but blew several opportunities to seal the game.

The most egregious mistake was an Al Harris' roughing-the-passer penalty on a third-and-10 incompletion from Arizona's 20-yard line. The Cards scored a touchdown on that drive and then turned a Kwamie Lassiter interception into a Chris Jacke field goal as time expired.

Reid's Week 1 record: 3-6.

Last year: Lost at Green Bay, 16-13.