"I'm lighter," Daniels joked yesterday. Lighter?

By $5,000, the fine the NFL assessed Daniels for tackling Antwaan Randle-El out of bounds at the end of a punt return in the third quarter of the Eagles' 23-17 loss to the Redskins, Daniels confirmed yesterday.

"It's going straight to the appeal," Daniels said. He was called for a facemask - replays showed his hand brushing across Randle-El's face - and unsportsmanlike conduct, for hauling Randle-El down several steps after they reached the sideline. Daniels said at the time that he made contact inbounds and didn't know they were out of bounds, when he took down the returner.

Whatever the merits of individual situations, the Eagles have taken too many special-teams penalties lately. Daniels added 15 yards to a 28-yard Randle-El return. It's not often your punter booms one 56 yards and the opposition ends up with the ball 13 yards away from where you last snapped it, but that was what happened, and it gave the Redskins a 43-yard field as they drove for the game's final touchdown.

"We can't be hurting the team like that," said Daniels, brought in at the end of training camp because of his special-teams experience on the Super Bowl-winning Giants last season. "We're going to play more sound, we're going to be more disciplined. If we're going to do anything, we're going to help our team, not hurt it, with penalties. Some of them are just not smart penalties. I know mine [haven't been]. I'll be better."

DeSean Jackson's 68-yard punt return for a touchdown Sunday was almost wiped out by a block-in-the-back penalty on Daniels. After discussion, the flag was picked up and the touchdown stood, apparently because the Redskins player turned his back just as Daniels hit him. That was a lucky break.

Special-teams coordinator Rory Segrest acknowledged concern yesterday.

"That's definitely been a point of interest here over the last couple of weeks, and we continue to get those penalties," Segrest said. "I think the players have gotten together and decided to govern themselves on it. There's very little we can do, as coaches, but it's obviously something that they all take great pride in. A lot of it has to do with the technique; being in the right place at the right time."

Segrest, by the way, said the Birds won't stop trying long field goals, even though David Akers has missed his last nine from 45-yards-plus, and Akers' 50-yard miss Sunday helped Washington get back into the game.

Birdseed