Eagles' Kendricks isn't better late

Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks was benched for the first drive of Sunday's 30-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Coach Andy Reid said it was for "disciplinary reasons" and Kendricks confirmed it was because he was late to a meeting on Friday.

"I had to be accountable," Kendricks said. "I let my team down."

Casey Matthews started at strong-side linebacker in Kendricks' place. He watched from the sideline while the Falcons went on a 16-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Kendricks entered the game on the second drive, when he was charged with a critical pass interference on 3d-and-7. That gave the Falcons a first down, and they capitalized by scoring a touchdown.

Kendricks did not make an excuse for his tardiness, owning up to the error and promising that he learned from it.

"It won't happen again," Kendricks said.

With Danny Watkins sidelined with a chronic ankle injury, rookie Dennis Kelly made his first career start. Kelly, a fifth-round pick, played the whole game at right guard.

"Running out it started to hit me, but then the first play, I was playing football," Kelly said. "It's the same thing you've been doing for a while, it's just a little bit faster. Once the game started it calmed down."

Kelly could see extended time at the position if Watkins' ankle injury lingers.

When the Eagles recorded their first sack in 15 quarters, it was an unlikely candidate who made the play: Cedric Thornton, a backup defensive tackle. Thornton brought Matt Ryan to the ground on a 2d-and-11 in the third quarter.

"We didn't have a sack in what, three weeks? Everybody was excited about getting sack," Thornton said. "We had two of them in this game. I think we did pretty good."

Cullen Jenkins recorded the other sack for the Eagles in the fourth quarter.

The official statistics showed that the Eagles committed six penalties for 57 yards, but that doesn't include three other penalties that were either declined or offsetting. Four of the penalties resulted in first downs for the Falcons. After the game, Thronton disagreed with some of the calls.

"They had a lay-up from the referee on a couple of drives, pass interferences and stuff, that they could have let go by," Thornton said. "The referee gave them 14 points. You saw that. Pass interference down the field. There was once they threw real late."

Mardy Gilyard was sidelined in the first half with a hamstring strain. Gilyard was slated to be the Eagles' starting punt returner, a job that was not as important on Sunday because they defense seldom forced the Falcons to punt.

At one point, DeSean Jackson looked ready to line up at punt returner. Brandon Boykin was the Eagles' returner on Atlanta's two punts. He had a seven-yard return on one, and another was blocked.

There was a chance second-round pick Vinny Curry could have been activated for Sunday's game when defensive end Phillip Hunt was listed as questionable with a calf strain, but Hunt played and Curry stayed on the sideline. Curry has not played all season.

Wide receiver/punt returner Damaris Johnson and linebacker Jamar Chaney were inactive for the second consecutive game. Quarterback Trent Edwards, running back Dion Lewis, and offensive guard Nathan Menkin continued to sit.