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Eagles are MRSA-less in Tampa

The bacterial disease that infected three Buccaneers gave the Birds one more opponent to think about.

Fan holds up a "Show no MRSA" sign. (Ron Cortes/Staff Photographer)
Fan holds up a "Show no MRSA" sign. (Ron Cortes/Staff Photographer)Read more

TAMPA - Oh, MRSA, MRSA me.

Things ain't what they used to be.

After two seasons of ineptness, the Eagles are turning into a viable NFL franchise. They have two quarterbacks capable of starting and winning. They have a defense that, despite serious personnel issues, occasionally makes a play or two. They have MVP candidates at running back and wide receiver.

Consecutive wins against winless teams in disarray might not make the Eagles favorites to make the playoffs, but both wins did come on the road. And imagine what two losses would have meant.

Instead, after winning the Bacteria Bowl, 31-20, the Birds find themselves at .500 and capable of solidifying their hold on first place in the NFC East next week against the Cowboys, with games against the woeful Giants and Raiders to follow.

They are 3-3 thanks to wins over Washington and the Giants . . . who, combined with the Bucs, had one win going into the Washington's game against Dallas last night; and that win belonged to Washington, over the Raiders, who stink.

First-year NFL coach Chip Kelly and his largely collegiate staff might affect a revolution after all.

"We're learning the coaches, and they're learning us more," said left tackle Jason Peters. "What we can and can't do."

To be sure, there is plenty they still can't do.

"We ain't good yet," said receiver Jason Avant. "But we're getting there."

The host Bucs are going in the opposite direction.

"Host Bucs" carried a double meaning this weekend. At least three Tampa Bay players are carrying a terrifying strain of staph infection, MRSA. One of them - cornerback Johnthan Banks - played yesterday. The mini-epidemic fueled speculation Friday that the game might be rescheduled.

Kurt Coleman, one of the Eagles union representatives, participated in an hourlong conference call Friday evening, well before the Eagles' plane was scheduled to leave for Tampa. Coleman, who endured a staph outbreak while at Ohio State, spoke with NFLPA representatives and its independent third-party physician from Duke, Dr. Deverick Anderson. Coleman exited the coversation confident that his teammates would be safe.

"They said there was more chance of somebody getting MRSA in the Washington-Dallas game tonight than of anyone getting it here," Coleman said. "They said it is contained. They said the guys that have it aren't contagious."

The illness might have attacked the NFL's most laughable franchise, but really, MRSA is no laughing matter. Thousands of people die from the infections every year. Overuse of antibiotics has made the bacteria impervious to most. In unsanitary conditions, it can spread like wildfire.

It doesn't take an epidemiologist to realize that a 19,000 square-foot pigsty full of sweaty men knocking the snot and spit out of each other pretty much defines "unsanitary conditions." Indeed, the experts' assurances did not alleviate everyone's worries.

"I didn't care once the game began, but beforehand, I was asking dudes, 'Yo, do you guys have this under control?' " said safety Nate Allen.

No Bucs collapsed like leprous zombies, but they didn't provide much resistance, either.

The Bucs were felled less by a microbe less than a millionth of a meter thick than by Eagles backup Nick Foles, who, once again playing in place of injured Michael Vick, has never beaten any other team as a starter. In his seventh career start, Foles - who beat the Bucs here late last season - found heretofore absent receiver Riley Cooper four times for 120 yards and a touchdown. He hit DeSean Jackson, again the league's most dangerous player, six times for 64 yards and a career-best two receiving TDs. Foles used versatile LeSean McCoy 27 times for 171 total yards.

Foles completed 22 of 31 passes for 296 yards with three touchdowns, ran for another, and, most important, threw no interceptions.

"We did a really good job in the turnover battle," said Chip Kelly, whose team gave away a fumble but snared an interception. "We're getting better each week."

The Eagles scored touchdowns in two of their three visits into the red zone, far better than their toxic, 41.2 percent rate in their first five games, 30th in the 32-team league.

It was remarkable that the Birds shut out this week's distractions: a new quarterback and a new pandemic. Their efforts were far from perfect.

At times, it looked like they were catching passes with latex gloves and tackling in hazmat suits. Who could blame their hesitancy?

Not defensive end Brandon Graham, who clearly was relieved to depart with the victory, and with no new lesions.

A staph infection cost Graham a game during his senior season at Michigan. Three sores opened up on his right shin. Before he knew what it was, he massaged the painful area, which helped the disease spread to his left armpit.

Doctors dug out the infected areas with scalpels.

"Dog, that hurt like you can't believe," Graham said.

Eager to escape Florida uninfected, cerebral guard Todd Herremans advised his offensive linemates to supplement their usual postgame cleansing.

"He told us to shower with hand sanitizer," said center Jason Kelce. "That was fine, until I read the back of the label."

Warning: Do not use on genitals.

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