Eagles' Henery hoping to give competition the boot

THIS HAS BEEN Alex Henery's best NFL training camp, Henery said this week, except for the part about missing two of three field goals he has tried in preseason games.

"That's probably the most frustrating part, is that I'm hitting good balls in practice. It's just those two that popped up in the games. Those aren't the ones I'm happy about," Henery said.

So it is, despite strong work in practice, Henery fights for his job this week, against just-acquired rookie Cody Parkey, and any other kicker who might get cut.

"My first training camp here [2011], my camp was terrible," Henery recalled. "But I kicked good [once the season started]. I guess it's just whatever you read into that. When training camp's over, you make sure you're ready for the season."

A reporter got in one more question - did Henery think the coaching staff has his back? He said the coaches always have supported him - before punter Donnie Jones, who is also Henery's holder, jumped up from the adjoining locker stall.

"Let me help Al out here," Jones said. "I've played a long time. This is year 11 for me. Obviously, I'm a punter and Al's a kicker, but throughout the course of 11 years, I don't know how many bad games I've had, bad weeks of practice . . . you don't know why.

"This guy's a good kicker. He knows he's good. He'll bounce back from it. I know it's frustrating, because I've been through the same thing - that's what I try to tell him. We all go through it. It's a matter of dealing with it and keeping your confidence. That's the first thing that goes. Today I had a [bleepy] day at practice. It [stunk]. Why? I don't know.

"I remember one year, back in 2007, [the Rams] had just signed me to a multiyear deal. I had, like, two or three games, I couldn't hit a ball. Don't know why. But I [stunk] in a game, I went back the next week at practice and worked and worked, came back next week in the game, [stunk] again. Coach said, 'What the hell's wrong with Donnie?' 'Don't know, coach. Wish I could answer it.' It took me 3 weeks, but I finally got that groove back."

Jones said he expects a similar rebound from Henery.

"We've all got the confidence that he's going to do great."

If Henery's struggles had just cropped up over the last few weeks, maybe everyone would take that view. But Henery, a fourth-round pick in the Eagles' disastrous 2011 draft, has seen his field-goal percentage decline in each of the past two seasons, after he set the Eagles' franchise accuracy record as a rookie, when Henery went 24-for-27 (88.9 percent). He has not been among the league's best at touchbacks, either.

In last season's playoff loss to the Saints, Henery missed a 48-yard field goal, then Darren Sproles ran his kickoff back 39 yards, the Eagles taking a penalty on the play, New Orleans ultimately getting the ball on the Birds' 48. The Saints easily maneuvered for the game-winning field goal as time expired.

The Eagles thought a strong offseason would restore Henery. They only booked Vanderbilt rookie Carey "Murderleg" Spear to compete, and Spear's nickname turned out to be a lot more intriguing than his kicks. Now, Parkey, a rookie from Auburn, is here after failing to beat out Adam Vinatieri in Indianapolis. Yesterday, the Cardinals cut 38-year-old Jay Feely, the Lions cut Giorgio Tavecchio, and the Bills bid farewell to Dustin Hopkins, so next week, who knows?

"Everyone's been great. I'm hitting some good balls. I'm hoping that they see what kind of talent I'm capable of bringing to the team, helping them better the kicking job," Parkey said yesterday.

Running back Chris Polk practiced again and hopes to play Thursday, he said, even though his strained hamstring remains a work in progress.

"It's coming along," said Polk, whose spot behind LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles might be in jeopardy. "Right now it's not really holding me back. I feel good. I'm not where I want to be, but that's what practice is for."

Polk said he watched film of every carry this preseason by every Eagles back, trying to get back into the flow after having suffered a Grade 2 strain the second day of camp.

Asked about playing in the preseason finale, he said "that's the plan," then noted that "we've still got a few more days here" for more healing.

He said the hamstring still hurts when he cuts.

"I'm getting great treatment," he said. "Every day, before and after practice . . . as of right now, I want to play. That's my goal."

Blog: ph.ly/Eagletarian