Eagles Notes: Safety Wolff sits out practice again

One day after Earl Wolff expressed optimism about returning to the field against the New Orleans Saints on Saturday, the Eagles safety remained an observer in Wednesday's practice because of a lingering knee injury.

Wolff said he thinks he will practice on Thursday, although that practice is a walk-through. The Eagles will practice again Friday.

Either way, it's not a good sign for the rookie safety.

"Earl has to practice if he's going to play," coach Chip Kelly said. "He's got to get out there at some point in time."

Patrick Chung is the starter with Wolff absent, but don't be surprised if Kurt Coleman also plays on defense. Chung has struggled at times in recent weeks - the coaching staff has admitted as much - and Coleman rotated with Chung before suffering a hamstring injury Dec. 15.

Coleman returned to the field in Sunday's win over Dallas but played only on special teams.

"I just want to help out this team any way I can, but we'll have to wait and see," Coleman said. "I prepare myself every week as a starter. We'll see how things go. I wish nothing but the best for Pat. We need him to step up and be big."

Safety Colt Anderson returned to practice Wednesday. He expects to play in Saturday's wild-card playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field. Anderson would bolster the Eagles' special teams.

Offensive lineman Julian Vandervelde remained out with a back injury.

Kelly has said that the Eagles have played in high-pressure games ever since they were 3-5. Last week's win in Dallas was like a playoff game because of its win-and-in nature. Still, the Eagles lack significant playoff experience, especially compared to the Saints.

The Eagles have 22 players on the active roster who have appeared in a playoff game. The Saints have 35 players with postseason experience. Kelly said the value of experience will be determined by who wins.

"If we lose, we were inexperienced. If we win, then there will be another story," Kelly said. "We are concerned with how do we prepare to play a really good Saints team, and that's all we can really be concerned with."

The Eagles have been practicing outdoors all week. It could help them acclimate to the weather for Saturday's game, when the temperature is expected to be in the 20s.

That was not Kelly's rationale. The coach prefers to practice outdoors, where the Eagles have more space. They practiced indoors last week before the Cowboys game.

"Whatever the weather is like and if we can get out, we want to get out," Kelly said. "There's some times when it's going to snow or rain, or reportedly snow or rain - we got duped one time. But we try to get out if we can get out."