NJ.com: Everything Jersey
excerpt:
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- The first two weeks of training camp alone represent a minefield to NFL coaches, particularly to ones like Andy Reid, who this summer had his Eagles in full-contact scrim mages for 11 straight days.
Throw in the four preseason games and 16 more in the regular season, and it's a miracle if any team's core group can make it through to the playoffs without any major physical setbacks.
That the Eagles lost three straight NFC championship games before finally winning one perfectly illustrates this.
Most of the players were healthy in 2001, but running back Brian Westbrook was in college. In 2002, quarterback Donovan McNabb missed the second half of the season with a broken leg. He returned for the NFC playoffs, but clearly wasn't the same in the postseason, particularly in that infa mous 27-10 title-game loss to Tampa Bay. The following season, Westbrook was on injured reserve when McNabb was knocked out of the team's 14-3 NFC Championship Game loss to Carolina.
The 2004 postseason remains the only one in the McNabb-Westbrook era in which both were healthy. Not coincidentally, it re mains the only one in which the Eagles were able to break through to the Super Bowl. They didn't even need superstar receiver Terrell Owens, who sat out both playoff wins with an injury.
So if the Eagles take the field at Baltimore tomorrow night and McNabb (sore knee) doesn't play, it's no cause for concern. If Westbrook (knees) is held out of prac tice every now and then, it's no big deal. And if a Hall of Fame-bound veteran safety like Brian Dawkins (Achilles) doesn't practice at all until the Eagles visit Green Bay for their season opener, it might be beneficial to him at this stage of his career.
Everyone from owner Jeffrey Lurie to the part-time support staff at camp believes the Eagles have a Super Bowl team this year ... if there are no catastrophes.
"I'm very optimistic, but tell me who's going to be playing in November, December, and January in terms of our roster," Lurie said. "We've all been doing this too long. Is Donovan going to be healthy this whole year? Is Westbrook going to be healthy the whole year? Is (defensive end) Jevon (Kearse) going to be healthy the whole year?"
If they are, Lurie likes his team's chances. If they're not, it's anyone's guess.
Considering just getting to the playoffs no longer is this team's main focus, Reid will continue to handle his valuable veterans delicately, a philosophy that is appreci ated even by the players who don't get special treatment.
Eagles playing today with focus on tomorrow
Eagles playing today with focus on tomorrow
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