Eagles might need sub for Kendricks

WATCHING Mychal Kendricks on Monday night, Emmanuel Acho could see exactly why Kendricks is considered a rising star in the Eagles' defense.

Acho was on the sideline when the Indianapolis Colts snapped the ball for their second play from scrimmage.

The Colts ran Trent Richardson to the right side. Trent Cole forced him wider. Kendricks knifed through and dropped Richardson for a 4-yard loss, then danced a herky-jerky jig.

"Shoots through the line of scrimmage, gets a tackle for a loss, then shows his emotion, as Kendricks always does," Acho said yesterday. "He's just a big-time player, and finally it's all coming together for him."

Inside linebacker Kendricks and defensive end Fletcher Cox have been the Eagles' best defensive players through two games, so Kendricks' exit Monday night near the end of the third quarter, as Indianapolis drove for a go-ahead touchdown, potentially was a huge blow.

Kendricks told reporters afterward he would be OK, that his right calf had just cramped up. But he was limping heavily as he spoke, and Eagles coach Chip Kelly said Tuesday that Kendricks was getting an MRI. Under Kelly, the Eagles don't tend to release the results of such tests. Defensive coordinator Bill Davis said yesterday that Kendricks wouldn't practice and was day to day. Davis said that if Kendricks isn't able to play Sunday against Washington, Casey Matthews or Acho will start in his place, "or a mix of both."

Davis went to Matthews first after Kendricks went down, and Matthews got most of the practice reps yesterday. Matthews' play Monday was uneventful, except for a screen pass to Richardson with a little more than 9 minutes left, on which Matthews could have dropped the running back right after he caught the ball, but instead Richardson cut inside him, leaving Matthews flapping in the breeze.

"I felt pretty good, felt comfortable out there," Matthews said yesterday. "Obviously, I overpursued on one play, that's the one I wish I had back. That's football . . . I was in the right place every play, just [not] on that one."

Middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans said yesterday that he is confident Matthews and Acho know the defense, "but playing with Mike so long, it's comfort in having him out there with me, just knowing how we communicate. It won't be much, but it'll be a little communication barrier between me and whoever steps in for him, because some stuff, me and Mike just had the understanding - we don't even have to talk on some plays, because we know what each other is thinking."

Ryans said he hasn't been on the field very much with Matthews or Acho until now.

Matthews has become the Eagle many fans love to hate, now that Danny Watkins and Kurt Coleman are gone. He was probably doomed in that regard from the moment then-defensive coordinator Juan Castillo made him the Game 1 starter at middle linebacker his rookie year of 2011, even though nothing in Matthews' resume suggested the fourth-round pick from Oregon could handle such a role, other than the "bloodlines" Castillo referred to whenever he was asked about it.

Matthews is indeed related to several distinguished players, but generally, such decisions have more to do with size and speed, two areas where Matthews, 6-1, 245, is very modestly blessed, by NFL standards.

Coaches have always liked him, because he works hard, is a willing special-teams cog, doesn't make mental mistakes, and is versatile. But had Travis Long, a similarly versatile, 6-4, 255-pound linebacker, not torn an ACL in preseason, and had Najee Goode, another versatile, 6-foot, 244-pound linebacker, much quicker than Matthews, not joined Long on the injured reserve list with a torn pectoral muscle suffered in the season opener against Jacksonville - well, if those guys were around, Matthews would not be in the conversation for a starting role Sunday, and he might not even be on the roster.

It was interesting that Davis switched from Matthews to Acho for the final defensive series against the Colts, two running plays that left Indianapolis with a third-and-5, which the Birds then successfully defended with their dime package, taking Acho off the field for Nolan Carroll.

"It was nervewracking, man, was a heckuva time to make a debut," Acho, 6-2, 240, noted yesterday.

The setup took another twist when first-round rookie outside linebacker Marcus Smith told Phillymag.com that he took all his practice reps yesterday as an inside 'backer, because he could cover in nickel packages. Davis said in the preseason that pass coverage was Smith's strongest suit.

Having Matthews or Acho - who came up from the practice squad last week when Goode went on IR - instead of Kendricks against Washington would be a significant dropoff.

"Knowing Mike and his work ethic . . . you can tell, in his mind, he wants to be the best linebacker ever," Matthews said. "Obviously, he's very talented, very athletic. You can [see] how he uses his speed to his advantage."

Kendricks has 10 solo tackles through two games, tied for the team lead with Ryans and Cox. "He's been highly productive in the first two games . . . I think he was on an ascent and still is - he's ascending," Davis said yesterday.

The Redskins have a strong receiving group, including DeSean Jackson, but the place where the Birds might miss Kendricks most is against the run. Alfred Morris has 176 yards on 36 carries (4.9 yards per carry), Roy Helu 71 on 12 carries (5.9).

"Alfred Morris is a great runner. They really live and die with that stretch run game, and he does it very well," Davis said.

Davis said the Washington offensive line is "very athletic, and they really set the tempo with their offense through that run game."

Ryans said against Morris and the Redskins, "you really have to be very sound in your scheme . . . guys have to come off blocks and make a play. That's what it's going to come down to. We know they're running a stretch. They know they're running a stretch. It's not a secret. It's just about us manning up and getting off blocks and making tackles."

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