Eagles Notes: Eagles' McCoy leaves practice with stomach illness

LeSean McCoy, fresh off his NFC offensive player of the week performance against the Cowboys, was sent home from the NovaCare Complex Thursday because of "stomach flu," Eagles coach Andy Reid said.

Reid said that he didn't expect his running back to miss more than one day of practice. The Eagles' schedule this week has been pushed back a day because of their Monday night game against the Bears.

With McCoy not at practice, Dion Lewis and Ronnie Brown split repetitions with the first-team offense. Lewis did not play Sunday against the Cowboys because he was involved in car accident on the way to Lincoln Financial Field.

The rookie running back suffered a minor wrist injury. Lewis said that he was driving his Mercedes over one of the bridges between the Airport Marriott, where the Eagles stay the night before a game, and the stadium when he was hit from behind.

His car slammed into a wall and he was so shook up that the Eagles decided not to play him against Dallas. Lewis said his car was totaled.

"I was a little scared to drive the next day," he said. "But I got behind the wheel. I'm fine now."

Aside from McCoy, tight end Brent Celek and linebacker Akeem Jordan did not practice. Celek has a hip bruise, but he said after practice that he expected to play Monday. Jordan suffered a concussion against the Cowboys and hasn't been cleared to return.

Jason Avant stood by comments he made after the win over Dallas even though talk radio airwaves have been filled with angry Eagles fans for days.

"Let's get this clear: I will not apologize for what I said," Avant said to a large crowd of reporters at his locker stall.

The Eagles wide receiver made his initial comments to CSNPhilly.com.

"We look at home games like road games," Avant said then. "We like to get booed by our fans. . . . We don't want people jumping on our bandwagon now. We want people to go out and still talk bad about us."

On Thursday, Avant attempted to clarify his remarks.

"Whether you cheer us or boo us, we have an underdog mentality. That's what I meant," he said.

Former Eagles coach Buddy Ryan will be honored, along with some of his former players, during halftime of the game against the Bears.

The Eagles have until Sunday at 4 p.m. to decide if they want to activate defensive end Brandon Graham from the physically-unable-to-perform list in time for Monday's game. . . . Cornerback Asante Samuel said that he recently met with Eagles president Joe Banner and general manager Howie Roseman after comments he made last week that the members of front office were "playing fantasy football with the owners' money." Apparently, fences were mended. . . . DeSean Jackson will hold a weekly essay contest for Philadelphia-area middle and high schools in which one student will win two Eagles game tickets and an autographed jersey and will meet with the receiver after the game. Essays should be 500 words or less describing "goals in life" and "how receiving a quality education will help achieve goals," and be e-mailed to Bobby McRae at Twenty10Sports@gmail.com.