Eagles Notebook: Eagles' offensive line could be shuffled again

MICHAEL VICK looked clear-eyed and purposeful, Vick wearing his red practice jersey as he strode down a NovaCare corridor Wednesday morning. Vick said he was about to take an imPACT test, which could put the Eagles quarterback a step closer to returning to the field. Vick did not test normally on Monday.

"They keep making that test harder," Vick said.

As of Wednesday night, the team hadn't released the outcome of that day's test, which might very well be a sign that Vick still is not where he needs to be in order to be evaluated by an independent neurologist and return to the practice field.

In any case, rookie QB Nick Foles is almost certain to make his third successive start Sunday night in Dallas, possibly behind yet another offensive line permutation. With center Dallas Reynolds held out of practice by an ankle sprain, left guard Evan Mathis moved over to center. Danny Watkins, the right guard who left his starting spot with an ankle injury five games ago and seems to have been replaced by Jake Scott, manned Mathis' usual position.

"Evan's been doing a great job all year. I know he'd step in and do a great job . . . He's been out there fighting every day," Foles said.

Mathis said he has played center in preseason games before, and spent a few games in the middle during his college career at Alabama.

"If they need me to play center, I'll play center," Mathis said. "I feel pretty comfortable."

Asked if he would make blocking calls, Mathis said he would do everything Reynolds does, when Reynolds plays.

Foles was asked how he feels he has played so far. He has completed 59 of 99 passes for 542 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. His passer rating is 65.3.

"I feel like we've run the offense well, and we've just got to eliminate mistakes," he said.

Bryce Brown set a franchise record Monday night by running for 178 yards on 19 carries in his debut as a starter. How can Brown top that Sunday?

"You don't try to," he said. "You just go out there and play within yourself, play within the system, do everything right. If it happens, it happens. If not, just be disciplined and play the game that we know how to play, as a unit."

Brown said he has heard from lots of people since his electrifying evening.

"A lot of phone calls, a lot of text messages, I guess a lot more attention," Brown said. "But I approach everything the same. I don't get caught up in what all the people are saying - if I'm going to be starting [this week] I gotta get prepared."

Andy Reid said Tuesday that LeSean McCoy remains at the initial stage of the concussion recovery process. It seems very unlikely McCoy might play Sunday.

Brown again expressed regret over the two fumbles he lost in the 30-22 defeat.

"When you get in a game like that, you fight and you try to get extra yards," Brown said. "You play your heart out, and sometimes the ball gets on the ground. You just gotta remember, when you are fighting, to protect it."

Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles said Monday night that personnel changes would be made if needed. Jason Babin was cut Tuesday, but fans were more upset by the ineffective, disconnected play of the secondary. Backup safety David Sims acknowledged Wednesday he is disappointed, not to have been able to convince the coaching staff he deserves a shot. Neither Nate Allen nor Kurt Coleman seems a likely Pro Bowl selection this season.

"It is a little frustrating. I'm a player; I've never really sat behind anybody for this length of time," said Sims, whose only NFL experience before this season was 5 weeks on the Browns' practice squad at the end of 2011. "I'm just hungry, ready to go out there and play again."

Sims has worked almost exclusively on special teams. He started at safety vs. New Orleans Nov. 5, when Allen was sidelined by a hamstring problem. Sims was asked about the perception that somebody who can't get off the bench on a 3-8 team must not be very good.

"I guess that's what it is, on the outside looking in," he said. "I just gotta wait."

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said on a conference call that running back DeMarco Murray was a limited practice participant Wednesday. "We'll see how he responds to that work and continue to evaluate him as the week progresses," Garrett said. Murray practiced for the first time since suffering a foot sprain Oct. 14 vs. the Ravens . . . Eagles wide receiver Jason Avant was a full practice participant. Avant said he isn't all the way back from his hamstring injury, but hopes to play in Dallas . . . Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox sat out practice with a bruised tailbone, but Cox said he hopes to practice by Friday and plans to play . . . Buffalo and Washington also put in waiver claims for Jason Babin, but Jacksonville had the worst record and the winning claim.

Blog: eagletarian.com