The Eagles thought they had gotten their quarterback through the exhibition season unscathed. But in last night's preseason finale, everything changed. The quarterback broke the third metacarpal in his hand.
That the quarterback was A.J. Feeley, not Donovan McNabb, and that it was his non-throwing, left hand was small comfort.
Feeley is the backup this season, and with McNabb coming off a season-ending knee injury, Feeley's health is of paramount importance. If Feeley misses any significant time - and he insisted afterward that he would not miss any, including the season opener a week from Sunday in Green Bay - rookie Kevin Kolb would be McNabb's understudy.
And even though coach Andy Reid said he would have no problem turning a game over to Kolb, that wasn't the plan when the Eagles opted not to re-sign Jeff Garcia. The plan was for Feeley, just as he did in 2002, to step in if McNabb went down.
Feeley, who did not have the hand wrapped after the game, will see a hand specialist today.
"It shouldn't be IR," said Reid, referring to season-ending injured reserve, after the Eagles' 13-11 loss to the New York Jets at Lincoln Financial Field. "I'd be surprised if it was."
Feeley thought he suffered the injury on the Eagles' second offensive possession, when he was sacked by the Jets' reserve nose tackle, C.J. Mosley. On the next play, Mosley blindsided Feeley, who held onto the ball a bit too long, for another sack, forcing a fumble.
Feeley completed a 31-yard pass to Jason Avant on the next play, but Mosley completed a sack trifecta a little later, sacking Feeley again and forcing yet another fumble.
But Feeley said he had no trouble getting the snap or holding onto the ball, and said he won't miss any time.
"I'm ready," he said. "I played the whole series with it. It's not my throwing hand. That's just the way it goes in football . . . it was fine, actually. Just draw on adrenaline a little bit. You just think it's a nick or a pain here. It wasn't until I came to the sideline when I was like, 'You guys might want to look at this a little bit. It's hurting a little bit more than it should.' "
Feeley's injury was the major injury cloud on a night when the final score meant next to nothing. This was a night for second- and third-stringers to make a final impression on coaches.
The major preseason issues - the respective knees of McNabb and Jevon Kearse, the sudden release of Jeremiah Trotter, the need to shore up the run defense, the uncertainty about Brian Dawkins' wheels - lay frozen in place.
This was a night for players such as rookie Tony Hunt, who started, and third-string defensive end Marques Murrell, a likely practice-squad candidate, who had two sacks and two forced fumbles. Newly acquired defensive tackle Montae Reagor played well, too.
One significant personnel battle was not resolved: the punting job, a near-dead heat between rookie Sav Rocca and incumbent Dirk Johnson.
Johnson averaged 44.5 yards on two first-half punts, continuing an outstanding preseason. Rocca averaged 34.3 yards on three second-half punts, putting two inside the opponents' 20.
"I think I came in pretty raw," Rocca said, "and I think I've sharpened up a couple of spots. Hopefully, it's enough."
Said Johnson: "I think it's been my most consistent preseason . . . it's not like I was going out there and had a bad performance."
Rocca held on David Akers' three first-half field-goal attempts. Jon Dorenbos bounced the first snap to Rocca, who couldn't settle the ball and had to try a throw on the run.
On the second, Rocca tilted the ball a little, and Akers pushed a 46-yard attempt wide right. The snapper, holder and kicker got it together for a 43-yarder late in the first half.
Kolb came in after Feeley's injury and led the Eagles to their only touchdown late in the fourth quarter, driving them 90 yards. He threw a 31-yard rope to wide receiver Zac Collie for a touchdown with 2 minutes, 50 seconds remaining, then hit back Nate Ilaoa for the two-point conversion to temporarily give the Eagles a lead.
"My entire life, I've come in and led ball clubs," Kolb said. "I think I'll be all right."
Feeley breaks hand in shabby loss to Jets
Feeley breaks hand in shabby loss to Jets
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