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McNabb's season debut comes tonight
By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer
As preseason games go, the Eagles' meeting with the Carolina Panthers tonight at Lincoln Financial Field offers a little more drama than most.
Start with the fact that Donovan McNabb is going to play in an actual game for the first time since Nov. 19, 2006, another November date that will live in infamy for the Eagles quarterback.
As he did on Nov. 14, 2005, and Nov. 17, 2002, McNabb suffered an injury last November that ended his regular season when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee as he ran out of bounds to avoid the pursuit of Tennessee's Kyle Vanden Bosch.
It was against the same Panthers at the Linc in a Monday Night Football game that the Eagles, with Jeff Garcia at quarterback, started to resurrect their 2006 season by holding on for the first of five straight victories, giving them their fifth NFC East title in six years.
Tonight's result isn't nearly as important as the one in the last meeting with the Panthers, but a lot of eyes will be focused on McNabb in his preseason debut. The entire team also will be under the microscope because the Eagles were so lethargic and mistake-prone in their 29-3 loss in Baltimore on Monday.
"It will get better," Eagles coach Andy Reid promised after his team went through a morning practice at the NovaCare Complex yesterday. "I can sit here and tell you a million different things. They're all excuses. Bottom line is I've got to do a better job, as well as the coaches and the players. We'll see how we do."
McNabb, entering his ninth NFL season, will unquestionably be the center of attention as he steps onto the field wearing a protective brace on his right knee.
"I'd like him just to get back into rhythm," Reid said. "I think with that will come confidence in his game and the leg and his form. Just try to get him . . . back into the speed of a football game."
Reid said he expected his starting offense and defense to play most of the first half against the Panthers, but McNabb might not be under center for all those snaps.
"I will see how he's doing through the first quarter, and we'll see how it goes from there," Reid said. "We'll just see how he feels. Is his knee sore? Has he absorbed too many hits? Whatever it might be."
McNabb is more concerned with moving the offense than the state of his surgically repaired right knee.
"I don't approach it like it's a big step," he said. "I think I tried to approach the practices and training camp that way. You gauge what you can do and how it's going to respond. I think [the knee] responded great."
Asked if he had any trepidation about returning less than 11 months after surgery, McNabb did not hesitate with his answer.
"No," he said. "I'm looking forward to having a good time."
Nevertheless, this is the first time that McNabb will step onto the field without the protective red jersey given to quarterbacks at training camp. He has not yet taken a hit or scrambled out of the pocket with live ammunition coming at him.
"This game is going to be exciting in a way, because I can get out there with the team and put on a game uniform and try to do some things we've been doing in practice," McNabb said.
The first-team offense looked sharp with McNabb under center during training camp, but it was going against the Eagles' second defense rather than a Carolina front that is still considered among the best in the NFL.
"Any time I'm out on the field, I want us to have a great showing," McNabb said. "I think we can do that. When we're clicking on all cylinders, we're definitely one of the best teams in the league, if not the best. I can say that with confidence.
"Consistency is something that we all have to continue to do. In this particular game, it's important that we sustain drives, pick up first downs, and come out with points. Not just three points, but seven."
Consistency, in fact, was the offense's biggest problem last year during the 101/4 games the Eagles played with McNabb at quarterback. The Eagles ranked among the best offenses in the league statistically and McNabb had outstanding numbers, too, but they didn't always translate to points and victories. The Eagles were 5-6 in McNabb's 11 starts last season, and they're only 9-11 in his last 20 starts since the 2004 Super Bowl season.
"In order for us to continue to grow in the preseason and to have that confidence going into the first game, it's got to start now," McNabb said.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20070817_McNabbs_Return.html
By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer
As preseason games go, the Eagles' meeting with the Carolina Panthers tonight at Lincoln Financial Field offers a little more drama than most.
Start with the fact that Donovan McNabb is going to play in an actual game for the first time since Nov. 19, 2006, another November date that will live in infamy for the Eagles quarterback.
As he did on Nov. 14, 2005, and Nov. 17, 2002, McNabb suffered an injury last November that ended his regular season when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee as he ran out of bounds to avoid the pursuit of Tennessee's Kyle Vanden Bosch.
It was against the same Panthers at the Linc in a Monday Night Football game that the Eagles, with Jeff Garcia at quarterback, started to resurrect their 2006 season by holding on for the first of five straight victories, giving them their fifth NFC East title in six years.
Tonight's result isn't nearly as important as the one in the last meeting with the Panthers, but a lot of eyes will be focused on McNabb in his preseason debut. The entire team also will be under the microscope because the Eagles were so lethargic and mistake-prone in their 29-3 loss in Baltimore on Monday.
"It will get better," Eagles coach Andy Reid promised after his team went through a morning practice at the NovaCare Complex yesterday. "I can sit here and tell you a million different things. They're all excuses. Bottom line is I've got to do a better job, as well as the coaches and the players. We'll see how we do."
McNabb, entering his ninth NFL season, will unquestionably be the center of attention as he steps onto the field wearing a protective brace on his right knee.
"I'd like him just to get back into rhythm," Reid said. "I think with that will come confidence in his game and the leg and his form. Just try to get him . . . back into the speed of a football game."
Reid said he expected his starting offense and defense to play most of the first half against the Panthers, but McNabb might not be under center for all those snaps.
"I will see how he's doing through the first quarter, and we'll see how it goes from there," Reid said. "We'll just see how he feels. Is his knee sore? Has he absorbed too many hits? Whatever it might be."
McNabb is more concerned with moving the offense than the state of his surgically repaired right knee.
"I don't approach it like it's a big step," he said. "I think I tried to approach the practices and training camp that way. You gauge what you can do and how it's going to respond. I think [the knee] responded great."
Asked if he had any trepidation about returning less than 11 months after surgery, McNabb did not hesitate with his answer.
"No," he said. "I'm looking forward to having a good time."
Nevertheless, this is the first time that McNabb will step onto the field without the protective red jersey given to quarterbacks at training camp. He has not yet taken a hit or scrambled out of the pocket with live ammunition coming at him.
"This game is going to be exciting in a way, because I can get out there with the team and put on a game uniform and try to do some things we've been doing in practice," McNabb said.
The first-team offense looked sharp with McNabb under center during training camp, but it was going against the Eagles' second defense rather than a Carolina front that is still considered among the best in the NFL.
"Any time I'm out on the field, I want us to have a great showing," McNabb said. "I think we can do that. When we're clicking on all cylinders, we're definitely one of the best teams in the league, if not the best. I can say that with confidence.
"Consistency is something that we all have to continue to do. In this particular game, it's important that we sustain drives, pick up first downs, and come out with points. Not just three points, but seven."
Consistency, in fact, was the offense's biggest problem last year during the 101/4 games the Eagles played with McNabb at quarterback. The Eagles ranked among the best offenses in the league statistically and McNabb had outstanding numbers, too, but they didn't always translate to points and victories. The Eagles were 5-6 in McNabb's 11 starts last season, and they're only 9-11 in his last 20 starts since the 2004 Super Bowl season.
"In order for us to continue to grow in the preseason and to have that confidence going into the first game, it's got to start now," McNabb said.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20070817_McNabbs_Return.html
