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Eagles' Kelce targets return on Nov. 10 against Carolina

Jason Kelce reveals that abdominal injury in Eagles' opener was the culmination of small tears he had had for years.

Eagles center Jason Kelce. (David Maialetti/Staff Photographer)
Eagles center Jason Kelce. (David Maialetti/Staff Photographer)Read more

JASON KELCE first felt pain after the season opener against Jacksonville, he said yesterday, but hoped he could play with partially torn abdominal muscles, as many players do. In the third quarter against Washington, Sunday before last, Kelce completely ripped the muscles, and knew he would need surgery.

The Eagles' center, the fulcrum of their league-best ground game last season, said that his recovery is going well and that he has targeted the Nov. 10 Monday night game against Carolina for his return. That also is when left guard Evan Mathis is eligible to come off the designated-for-return injured-reserve list, where Mathis ended up after spraining his right MCL in the opener. So, Kelce, Mathis and Allen Barbre (ankle, out for the season) all suffered serious injuries in the opener, after the Eagles' o-line started the same five players every game last season.

Kelce said that, as he understands it, he had at least a small tear for years, which he tweaked and then really ripped, in what is often referred to as a sports hernia.

"Right now, it feels great," Kelce said. "It had gotten a little bad right before the [Washington] game, on Friday, and the trainers and everybody did a great job; I felt great before game time. It's not one of those things you really worry about, because so many guys play on these things. It's just something you fight through. It's just unfortunate [that his tore so extensively]."

Kelce said he has "been dealing with some extent of this injury probably my whole NFL career," which began in 2011. "The way it was [explained] to me is that everybody is ripping and pulling on this area of your pubic bone, where all the [groin and abdominal muscles] attach. Everybody has some extent of damage down there. As you play . . . the damage gets worse."

No longer in a Huff

Third-round rookie wideout Josh Huff said he should not have implied that he thought he should have been active Sunday against the 49ers when he spoke to reporters Tuesday about his frustrations coming off a preseason shoulder injury.

Huff spoke yesterday after Eagles coach Chip Kelly told reporters, "He wasn't ready to go physically or mentally last week."

Kelly said Huff knew Friday he would not be active for Sunday.

The Eagles' receiving corps could use a boost, but Huff didn't really establish much in the preseason beyond running a kickoff back for a touchdown at Chicago. Chris Polk and Darren Sproles have capably filled the return jobs.

Though the Eagles listed Huff as a full practice participant all last week, Kelly said he took a hit on the shoulder and missed some reps last Wednesday.

"We've got to make sure he's 100 percent healthy, physically and mentally," Kelly said. "He's missed so much time, and he's still a rookie."

Later, Huff said: "The coaches know what's best for me. Obviously, they don't want me rushing back in and hurting something else. It's definitely frustrating, not playing, I do want to get out there with my teammates, but at the same time, coaches are looking out for my best interests."

Huff would seem to be competing with another Oregon alum, Jeff Maehl, for the final active wideout spot.

Even further review

For fans still concerned about the letter of the law on that 49ers Stevie Johnson touchdown last Sunday, an NFL spokesman said yesterday - without addressing the Johnson catch specifically - that, yeah, the ball has to break the plane of the goal line, even on a reception, for it to be a touchdown.

All TDs are reviewed during games, but there was no delay in kicking in the extra point, and, as Fox showed replays, announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman understandably concentrated on Johnson's amazing toe-tap as he stood in the front of the end zone and extended his arms back toward the playing field for the ball.

It isn't clear whether anyone considered the possibility that the ball didn't cross the plane. But two points seem relevant: Absent a view straight down the goal line, it would be hard to say for sure no part of the ball ever crossed the line, which is what you'd need to overturn the call, and if the catch wasn't a touchdown, it was a first down on about the 6-inch line. It isn't as if they would have ruled it an incomplete pass or anything.

Birdseed

Darren Sproles, who ran a punt back 82 yards for a touchdown last Sunday, was named NFC special teams player of the week . . . Linebacker Jake Knott, brought onto the practice squad when his 4-week NFL banned substance suspension ended, said he was told he would be re-evaluated when he was cut in August, but he got no assurances. Knott, who played in 12 games last year for the Birds, battled a hamstring injury during training camp . . . It seems inside linebacker Mychal Kendricks, still not practicing with that calf strain, might sit until the bye week, which starts after the Oct. 12 home game against the Giants . . . Chip Kelly said there were no injury issues with Nick Foles . . . Jeremy Maclin and James Casey, who sat out Tuesday's light workout, practiced fully yesterday. Brandon Boykin (hamstring) did not practice.

Blog: ph.ly/Eagletarian