Eagles Notes | Game-time decisions: Hicks and Mayberry
By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer
As the Eagles' No. 1 offense practiced yesterday, Artis Hicks and Jermane Mayberry walked together along the sideline at the NovaCare Complex.
That, of course, is not the scene the Eagles hope to see Sunday when the team plays the Green Bay Packers at Lincoln Financial Field.
"They are working through some things," offensive coordinator Brad Childress said of the Eagles' starting offensive guards, both of whom are nursing injuries. "They are trying to get out there and push around a little bit and see what they can do. Those things are probably a game-time decision."
Whether Hicks or Mayberry has any chance of playing Sunday will likely be decided today. If they practice this morning, they at least have a chance. If they don't, Steve Sciullo will likely make his second straight start at left guard and Alonzo Ephraim will make his first NFL start at right guard.
"Sciullo has some experience and Ephraim got some experience and did a nice job for us in that game [against the Giants]," Childress said. "Those guys can't wait to get tapped on the shoulder to play. You are not in it to practice. You're in it to play the game. Alonzo showed that he can play the guard position."
Hicks suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in the Eagles' Nov. 21 victory over the Washington Redskins and sat out Sunday's game against the Giants. Sciullo, claimed off waivers from Indianapolis four days before the start of the season, took his place and made his second start of the season.
Mayberry, meanwhile, has been playing with a strained calf since the Oct. 31 game against Baltimore. He missed the game against Pittsburgh the following week and has been unable to finish two of the last three games because of the injury.
Wayne's return. According to defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, linebacker Nate Wayne, who spent three seasons with Green Bay, is expected to return this weekend after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury.
"I'm anxious to get out there, and not just because it's the Packers," Wayne said. "The defense has been having a lot of fun out there the last couple of weeks and I've been sitting at home with a remote in my hands."
The last time Wayne was well enough to play was in the Dallas game, when he lost his job as the starting weakside linebacker to Mark Simoneau, who was moved from middle linebacker to make room for Jeremiah Trotter.
At that time, he wasn't talking about the demotion.
"I think I'm doing a pretty good job dealing with that," Wayne said. "When it first happened, I didn't talk because I was just starting to deal with it, but now I'm just trying to contribute to what's happening here the best I can."
And how much does Wayne expect to be on the field Sunday?
"I don't know," he said. "Ask Jim."
Covering T.O. The Packers' No. 1 cover cornerback is former Eagles nickel back Al Harris, which means he will spend most of the game matched up against Terrell Owens.
Extra points. A story in a Provo, Utah, newspaper said that Eagles coach Andy Reid has made it clear he wants to coach at Brigham Young and would consider taking the job vacated when Gary Crowton stepped down earlier this week. Reid said yesterday through a team spokesman that he has no interest in the BYU job and is focused on achieving his goals with the Eagles... . In seven games this season, quarterback Donovan McNabb has had better than a 100 passer rating. He'd never had more than five such games in any previous season... . The Packers use a running formation in which they bring an extra tackle on the field, and the Eagles expect to see it a lot Sunday. How will they combat it? "No comment," Johnson said, choosing not to reveal his strategy.
Reid has a clause in his contract that will not allow him to leave for BYU. This is a clause from his most recent extension that he got this past offseason. He will not be able to leave (voluntarily) for the next 4 years.
General Failure wrote:Damnit, why'd you have to go and tell them that? I was hoping to see this thread get 3 or 4 pages deep before I crushed their hopes.
Wait, why wouldn't we want a coach who can't get over the hump to stay in Philly? It's fun watching you Philly fan's hopes and dreams get crushed each winter...
No, the poster above is mistaken. Reid HAS an out only for BYU.
That said, he said this year he was committed to the Eagles. And why not? That team is stacked with talent, in tremendous cap shape and he owns the city of Philly.
A report yesterday contended that coach Andy Reid had told BYU that "money was no object," and that Reid "reportedly" had an out clause in his Eagles contract that would allow him to leave for BYU. Yesterday, Reid's agent, Bob LaMonte, said there is no such clause, and that there is zero percent chance" that Reid will be leaving for BYU. In fact, Reid, who signed a contract extension through 2010 in September, has a clause in his Eagles pact that explicitly prohibits him from leaving for BYU. -- Philadelphia Daily News
Being a non eagles fan, and noing nothing about reid, whats his fanscination with BYU? I can't see why a college job is more appealing then an NFL gig. No recruiting necessary and in his situation, he has solid job security in philly.
doroshjt wrote:Being a non eagles fan, and noing nothing about reid, whats his fanscination with BYU? I can't see why a college job is more appealing then an NFL gig. No recruiting necessary and in his situation, he has solid job security in philly.
He's a mormon and BYU is the mother of all Mormon schools.
RIP 21
"Nah, I trust the laws of nature to stay constant. I don't pray that the sun will rise tomorrow, and I don't need to pray that someone will beat the Cowboys in the playoffs." - Irn-Bru
