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Stage set for possible Eagles' quarterback controversy

The next meeting of the Kevin Kolb Fan Club could be held in a Toyota Camry. It is what happens when, in your first game as the newly anointed starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, you complete five of 10 passes for 24 yards and get sacked twice in the first half against the Green Bay Packers and then get knocked out of the game with a concussion.

The next meeting of the Kevin Kolb Fan Club could be held in a Toyota Camry. It is what happens when, in your first game as the newly anointed starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, you complete five of 10 passes for 24 yards and get sacked twice in the first half against the Green Bay Packers and then get knocked out of the game with a concussion.

"Kevin will be fine," Eagles coach Andy Reid said, when asked about Kolb's mental state, not necessarily his concussion. "I think we all had a piece of this and, like I mentioned before, I need to make sure that I put all of them in the right position. We missed a couple of throws and we had too much pressure. Actually, some of the calls were not the right calls for what we were seeing [defensively]. That's my responsibility to make sure we do a better job there."

We have heard Reid say this before; different quarterback, same song. It does not change the fact that, a) Kolb was unsuccessful in his debut, and that b) Michael Vick was rollicking and rampaging and more athletically successful in the second half of the 27-20 loss, and that a) plus b) equals the potential for c): controversy.

Kolb did not talk yesterday - none of the legion of injured Eagles did - so we don't know how he feels about all of this. Kolb returned to the game for a series after being hit by Clay Matthews near the end of the second quarter but before being ruled out with a concussion.

"I don't know exactly how Kevin was feeling," Vick said. "He just had a distraught look in his face and I got concerned, but seeing him throw the ball on the sidelines, he was throwing strong, so I figured he was going back in. On the next possession, he said he wasn't seeing things clearly, so he opted to come out and that was probably the smart thing to do."

On the one hand, it rescued Kolb from a tough situation. On the other hand, it kept him from having a chance to benefit from whatever adjustments Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg made at halftime. As Reid said, "We tried to make a few adjustments and do a couple of different things. They came out and played us in a nickel front most of the game - actually, all of the game. We made a few adjustments there, and we were able to move the ball."

When Kolb might return remains an open question, but the starting job is still his. Reid said so, and it is what you would expect. One half does not make a season, nor a career, however unsuccessful.

But it was as bad a start as anyone could have imagined for Donovan McNabb's designated replacement, and that is just the truth.