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Running back LeSean McCoy and cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, each of whom was limited in practice this week by injuries, will both suit up and be available to play for the Philadelphia Eagles tonight against the Seahawks in Seattle. McCoy has a toe injury and Asomugha has a knee injury, and it remains to be seen how much they will be able to play and how effective they will be in the game.

McCoy is the NFL's leading rusher and has been the Eagles' best and most consistent player this season. Because they were trailing for most of the game and because they generally prefer pass-heavy game plans, the Eagles only ran the ball 17 times in Sunday's loss to New England. But they're likely to run it more tonight. If McCoy can't shoulder the whole load, expect contributions from Ronnie Brown and/or Dion Lewis. My bet is Lewis would be the first replacement off the bench if they needed to spell McCoy for a bit or if he couldn't finish the game.

Asomugha played Sunday but was severely limited. He was only the field for only about 18 or 20 plays. Seattle does not have the same kinds of receiving threats that New England does, though, and it's possible that if Asomugha is limited again it won't hurt the Eagles, who will play Asante Samuel and Joselio Hanson plenty at cornerback anyway. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is listed as inactive and will miss his third consecutive game with an ankle injury.

Quarterback Michael Vick (broken ribs) and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (hamstring, shoulder injuries) also will each miss his third game in a row. Vince Young starts at quarterback again in place of Vick and Riley Cooper starts at wide receiver in place of Maclin. The other Eagles inactives are offensive lineman King Dunlap, defensive end Philip Hunt, linebacker Greg Lloyd and offensive lineman Julian Vandervelde.

NFC West blogger Mike Sando is at the game for us, but I'll be watching and tweeting (@ESPN_NFCEast) and posting as warranted. So don't go far.

The Philadelphia Eagles have officially announced that quarterback Michael Vick, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will not play in Thursday night's game against the Seahawks in Seattle. It will be the third missed game in a row for all three players, who were injured in what has turned out to be an extremely costly Week 10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Vick's broken ribs are healing, but the Eagles don't want to put him back into a game until they're fully healed, since they worry they'll affect his throwing motion and make him less effective. Vince Young will make his third start in a row at quarterback. Maclin is dealing with shoulder and hamstring injuries, and the timetable for his return remains unclear. Expect Riley Cooper to get another start in Maclin's place opposite DeSean Jackson. And Rodgers-Cromartie has an ankle injury. Joselio Hanson has filled in fine for Rodgers-Cromartie, but with Nnamdi Asomugha limited by a knee injury, the Eagles' once-impressive depth at cornerback has dwindled.

Asomugha and running back LeSean McCoy, who has a toe injury, are listed as questionable on the team's Wednesday injury report.

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha has been listed as active for Sunday's game against the New England Patriots.

Asomugha, who injured his knee in Thursday’s practice, also did not practice Friday. But the team has deemed him healthy enough to start this afternoon's game. It's a critical break for an Eagles' pass defense that already will be without injured cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and likely couldn't have withstood the Tom Brady's aerial assault minus two of its big three cornerbacks.

The Eagles will be shorthanded offensively, however, as starting quarterback Michael Vick will miss his second straight game with broken ribs and leading receiver Jeremy Maclin will sit out again with hamstring and shoulder injuries. Vince Young will make his second straight start at quarterback for the Eagles, who hope Vick will be healthy enough to start Thursday night against the Seahawks in Seattle.

Wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who missed some practice time with a foot injury this week, is active and will start. Riley Cooper gets the start at the other wide receiver spot in place of Maclin. The Patriots have the 32nd-ranked pass defense in the NFL, so it's possible the Eagles' backups could be productive in this one.

The Philadelphia Eagles will play the New York Giants on Sunday night without the help of starting quarterback Michael Vick and top wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. The team officially announced Saturday that Vick and Maclin have been downgraded from "questionable" to "out" due to their injuries and will not travel with the team.

Vick broke two ribs in Sunday's loss to Arizona and Maclin is dealing with shoulder and hamstring injuries. Neither player practiced at all this past week.

Backup quarterback Vince Young, whose only pass so far this season was intercepted by Washington's DeAngelo Hall, is likely to start in Vick's place, though the team made no official announcement on that. Maclin is likely to be replaced by Jason Avant, Riley Cooper or possibly former Giant Steve Smith as a starting wide receiver opposite DeSean Jackson. Avant started last week opposite Maclin in place of Jackson, who was benched for that game because he missed a team meeting the day before.

The big news Tuesday seemed to be hope on the NFL labor front, which is what everybody wants, of course. But sometimes we can let the seeming approach of the thing we want get us more excited than we should actually be. Reports that a solution to the labor issues is close, or that the framework is in place, or that a deal could be done by Tuesday's owner's meetings are all premature and overly enthusiastic, according to the people I spoke with Tuesday.

Those people admit work is being done, and that finally, after years of posturing, there is actual negotiation taking place with each side apparently committed to the shared goal of an eventual deal. And that is positive. But one of the people I spoke with Tuesday, who's connected to and knowledgeable of the situation, told me people are underestimating how much work remains, and that even if progress continues to be made at the rate it has over the past week or so, the process will be long and likely include more setbacks before a final solution is reached.

So in the end, while there's more hope than ever of training camps and the season starting on time, it's still far from guaranteed, and I wouldn't expect any big, happy announcements today.

Meanwhile, we link:

Dallas Cowboys

Jean-Jacques Taylor hopes Tony Romo learned some things from Dirk Nowitzki during the Mavericks' run to the NBA title. Taylor falls into the "championships are all that matter" camp, which was discussed at some length in the comments section under yesterday's links. I have said many times that I consider that an overly simplistic way of assessing a player's career, and I think in this case it underestimates how much more Nowitzki had already accomplished in his career than Romo has in his, even before the title. Taylor raises some decent points here, but the central, underlying one is that Romo's book hasn't been completely written yet, and there is time for him to change the tone, tenor and content of the story. I'm just not sure he needed to see the Dallas Mavericks win a championship in order to realize how important it is to win one.

Todd Archer predicts, based on the results of the player voting so far, that DeMarcus Ware will finish between 10th and 15th on the NFL Network's list of the 100 best players in the league. I predict that it'll be a long, long time before somebody finds a way to stretch out a story the way the NFL Network has with this list.

New York Giants

Give Perry Fewell credit. The Giants' defensive coordinator is passionate about his job and determined to do it well. But he's not pulling anybody's leg about whether he wants to be a head coach again someday. He wants it bad.

Keith Bulluck says he'd like to sign with the Giants, Lions or Patriots once the lockout is over. He said the Giants are on the list because "they gave me an opportunity to come and continue my career, really get healthy, where I needed to be." And that is true, but I'm not sure the on-field results from 2010 made the Giants as interested in bringing Bulluck back as he may be in returning.

Philadelphia Eagles

Les Bowen went up to British Columbia to do the Danny Watkins firefighter story, which is well worth a read. Looking at the NFL through the eyes of people who don't generally think about it very much is always interesting for those of us who think about is so much. Les tells the Watkins story from the perspective of people who knew him before the NFL was even on the radar.

Sheil Kapadia missed the Plaxico Burress release while on his honeymoon (good for him), but he joins the chorus of Philadelphia media who think Riley Cooper can do the same job for far less hassle.

Washington Redskins

Mike Jones writes that Trent Williams and LaRon Landry haven't attended any of the workouts organized this offseason by and for Redskins players. It never stops, right? I always find it ridiculous when coaches get on players for missing "voluntary" offseason workouts, and now ... I mean, have there ever been workouts more "voluntary" than these? Someday, we may be able to go back and track how much of this stuff meant. But as of now, I just can't get too worked up about taking attendance at these practices. Heck, maybe they couldn't find the workout.

I did enjoy this item, though, on John Beck scouting rookie teammates by finding clips of them on YouTube.

Enjoy your morning. Hope it's as sunny where you are as it is here. We'll be back later to talk broken tackles and whatever else ends up being on your mind, my mind and the news wire today.

Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson examines the wide receivers of each NFC East team. Today: Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles might have the most explosive group of wideouts in all of football. DeSean Jackson, with his league-leading 22.5 yards-per-reception average, is probably the most dangerous wide receiver in the game today. He is pure electricity, but Jackson did catch only 47 passes this past season. In half of the 2010 games, Jackson caught three or fewer balls. With his skill set, that is unacceptable. He needs the football.

This crew does have a weakness near the goal line. Jackson and Jeremy Maclin are not big or physical, and they don’t play big. Maclin is better in this regard and seems to be improving. He did catch 10 touchdowns in 2010 and certainly was more consistent than Jackson. Overall, it is pretty difficult to criticize the Eagles' starting pair of wideouts. They are exceptional. Do not think for a minute that Maclin can’t blaze past most corners to get deep and create big plays.

Jason Avant is an underrated contributor who is sure-handed and reliable. He does his best work out of the slot and is a good complement to Jackson and Maclin.

Riley Cooper and Chad Hall are also intriguing. Cooper has enough size and skill to take a substantial step forward in his second season. Meanwhile, Hall is a jack-of-all-trades who could see a greatly expanded role in this offense. Getting the football in Hall’s hands should be more of a priority, but in an offense loaded with playmakers, that might not be so easy to accomplish.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.

» NFC Decisive Moments: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

It's difficult not to choose DeSean Jackson's 65-yard walk-off punt return for a touchdown to end the game against the Giants, but we'll give it a try. That play doesn't happen without a perfectly executed onside kick by the Philadelphia Eagles with 7:28 left in the fourth quarter.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin insists that his players were warned about an onside kick, but you couldn't tell by looking at them. Veteran kicker David Akers approached the ball just like he was planning to kick it deep, but then induced a perfect lob wedge that rookie wide receiver Riley Cooper fielded without any problem.

Replays showed that Giants reserve receiver Duke Calhoun already had begun his retreat as Akers made contact with the ball. Apparently the warning didn't get through to the return unit. Once Michael Vick jogged onto the field with his team trailing 31-17, the Giants were in big trouble. He led two quick scoring drives, which set up Jackson's dramatic return.

Eagles special teams coach Bobby April has received a lot of (deserved) criticism for the way his units have played, but the kickoff coverage group completely duped the Giants at a critical time in the game. And that's why the onside kick is our decisive moment of the week. And depending on where the Eagles go from here, it may end up being one of the most decisive moments of the season.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants spent the better part of three quarters making Eagles quarterback Michael Vick look pedestrian. They battered him with a variety of blitzes as the Giants took what appeared to be a commanding 31-10 lead in the fourth quarter.

What happened next will be talked about by Eagles fans for years to come. And no matter how hard they try, the Giants won't be able to purge a stunning 38-31 loss from their memories. Anyone who says they saw this coming should be labeled a liar because nothing in Vick's game Sunday suggested he was about to slip on his cape midway through the fourth quarter.

The Eagles (10-4) now have sole possession of first place in the NFC East and the Giants (9-5) will have to rally to make the playoffs. All hope is not lost, but now's not a good time to convince Giants fans of that. When quarterback Eli Manning threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kevin Boss with 8:17 left in the fourth quarter, the Giants held a 31-10 lead. New York defensive coordinator Perry Fewell had put together a brilliant game plan to confuse and frustrate Vick, but one play provided the Eagles a shred of hope.

Vick found tight end Brent Celek racing down the seam and delivered a perfect pass over the outstretched arms of Giants defensive end Justin Tuck, who had dropped back in coverage. Celek seemed so surprised to be in the open field that he frantically changed directions several times for no apparent reason.

What happened next probably will be left out of the Tom Coughlin biography, if he chooses a generous author.

The Giants' coach said his players were warned about a potential onside kick, but apparently it wasn't enough of a concern to send out the hands team. And when the ageless David Akers induced a perfect hop, rookie wide receiver Riley Cooper caught the ball with no Giants player in sight. Replays showed that Giants reserve wide receiver Duke Calhoun didn't seem overly interested in making a play on the ball. The Eagles' sideline erupted and you could sense that something remarkable might happen.

"[Special teams coach] Bobby [April] did a great job with that," said Eagles coach Andy Reid, who was drenched in Gatorade by center Mike McGlynn during his postgame address to the players. "That was a surprise onside. In other words, we didn't have our hands people in there, you know our onside kick people in there."

Down the hall, Coughlin was defending his decision to stay with the normal personnel.

"There were still seven and a half minutes to go and they were down two scores, so we didn't think it was necessary to do that at the time," Coughlin said. "There was no reason for us not to make a better play on the ball. We didn't have anybody even around the ball."

Coughlin further explained that having the normal personnel in the game gave the Giants a chance for a better return. And if someone could remind me of the last time the Giants had a big kickoff return, perhaps that explanation would hold water.

Given new life, Vick simply took over the football game. On the second play after the onside kick, Vick scrambled up the middle for 35 yards to the Giants' 9-yard line. And on third-and-goal from the 4, Vick raced around the right side for a touchdown. Everyone in the stadium knew he was going to run the ball, but it didn't matter. Doubt had come to visit the Giants' sideline and a false start penalty helped kill what could've been a game-sealing drive.

The Eagles got the ball back on their 12-yard line with three minutes and no timeouts left, which was not an issue for Vick. On third-and-10, he scrambled to the left and then raced for 33 yards. I'm not sure if the Eagles were sending in passing plays at that point, because it was obvious he was destroying the Giants with his legs. Vick ran for 94 of his 130 yards in the fourth quarter, and he finally let one of his teammates get involved when he found Jeremy Maclin for a game-tying 13-yard touchdown pass.

Things were going so poorly for the Giants at that point that it would've been wise to cut their losses and head to overtime. Instead, they were forced to punt with 14 seconds showing on the clock. Coughlin said rookie Matt Dodge had been instructed to punt the ball out of bounds, but he instead sent a line drive toward DeSean Jackson, who had time to muff the ball before making the play of the season.

Jackson darted right and then benefited from a crushing block by wide receiver Jason Avant. Once Jackson slipped past Dodge, it was obvious that the game was over. As Jackson tends to do, he made an abrupt stop at the goal line and raced to his left in order to milk the clock. By that time, there was pandemonium on the Eagles' sideline.

"Get your butt in the end zone," is what Eagles safety Quintin Mikell remembers saying as Jackson put one last dagger in the Giants. Mikell, one of the veterans on this team, said he'd never seen his head coach this emotional after a game.

Asked if he can recall being so emotional after a win, Reid said, "You know, I can't name another one of these. This is a special one. I mean, this is exciting. This was exciting for you guys; it's a great day to be a Philadelphia writer."

Reid admitted that he "goofed" when he didn't challenge a Jackson fumble early in the fourth quarter. At the time, it looked like the play would end any hope of an Eagles comeback. But on a day when the Eagles scored 28 points to win a game in the fourth quarter, Reid's gaffe is only a footnote. Vick can erase a lot of mistakes.

"He just had this determined look on his face," said left guard Todd Herremans. "It's like he's saying, 'I'm about to win this game. If you want to help, you're more than welcome.'"

So the Eagles went along for the ride.

I'm trying to flip back and forth between Eagles-Titans and Redskins-Bears, but fortunately I was watching when Philadelphia rookie wide receiver Riley Cooper made a remarkable play to bail out his quarterback.

The Eagles ran what amounts to a double-reverse wide receiver pass that was thrown by Kevin Kolb. Once you watch a replay, my last sentence will make a little more sense.

Kolb underthrew the ball that was about to be picked off by Titans safety Chris Hope, but Cooper raced across the field and made a play on the ball at the last second for a 37-yard gain. Kolb rewarded his teammate with a short touchdown pass three plays later.

Cooper's in the Eagles' three-man rotation at wide receiver because of the absence of DeSean Jackson, who is out with a concussion.

So the second and third catches of Cooper's career go for 37 yards and then a touchdown. On the TD, he absorbed a blow from linebacker from Stephen Tulloch near the line of scrimmage and then broke free near the goal line. Then one of the Fox broadcasters pointed out that Cooper roomed with Tim Tebow in college.

At least until an NFC East team wins in convincing fashion Sunday, this blog will no longer be referred to as The Beast. I'm pretty sure my longtime pal John "The Professor" Clayton buried our beloved division the moment Brett Favre and Randy Moss were finally united in the dreaded NFC North.

For years, we could turn up our collective nose at the smell coming from the NFC West and AFC West, but now the division that Landry and Gibbs built is in similar shape. How else do you describe a division that has three teams tied for the lead at 2-2, and the Cowboys sitting "pretty" at 1-2. (Yes, I know the Skins are 2-0 in the division, but just work with me folks.) Against my best judgment, I've now seen all four teams in person.

I was on the verge of joining the Michael Vick redemption tour until he was sandwiched at the goal line by two Redskins defenders in Sunday's game. Now it looks like it would take a miracle for this man to stay in one piece for an extended amount of time. He plays behind the most overrated left tackle in the league in Jason Peters and his most brilliant skill (scrambling from large men) exposes him to injury on an inordinate number of plays. (Bill Parcells loved the word "inordinate" with all his heart, so I try to keep it in play.)

Even the most hallowed of NFL traditions, the ESPN.com Power Rankings featuring “The Professor” himself, has no clue what to make of this division. The Dallas Cowboys surged to No. 14 to lead the division this week based on the fact that no one had to watch them play last Sunday because of the bye.

The Cowboys have reemerged as the division favorite based on their talented roster, a nice road win in Houston and our distrust of the other three teams. I applied to drive the Mike Shanahan bandwagon during training camp, but his extremely white teeth and disregard for certain positions (such as running back and receiver) have caused me to go in a different direction. It should be pointed out (by me of course) that only one of our 357 contributors at ESPN.com picked the Skins to beat the Eagles, but I think Shanahan's about to get caught in the teeth of a snarling schedule that includes the Packers, Colts and Bears in successive weeks. Even with Slingin' Don and the bruising Ryan Torain, this offense isn't built to score points on a consistent basis.

At least two teams in this division are on a crash course for 8-8, which is good enough to win an NFC West crown, but not quite strong enough to win the weakened "Beast." I picked the New York Giants to make the Super Bowl, but that's before I watched them embarrass the Mara and Tisch families against the Tennessee Titans two weeks ago. The Giants showed an utter lack of discipline in that game, and the bounce-back win against Jay Cutler and the Bears didn't totally restore my faith in Tom Coughlin's team.

The Bears were the most fraudulent 3-0 team since the Broncos of 2009. Cutler is the ultimate coach-killer because he holds the ball too long, doesn't secure it and throws too many interceptions. Other than that, I love his game.

I'd be shocked if the Bears are still in the playoff conversation in December -- especially because the Vikings are fulfilling Favre's bucket list. If they move one home game to Hattiesburg, he'll be set.

This isn't the first time the NFC East has gone through a lull. The Redskins, Cowboys and Giants all faded in December 2008 while the Eagles made an improbable run to the NFC title game, which forced fans to endure Donovan McNabb for another season. And the Redskins and Giants were both dreadful in 2009. I guess you could say there has been a trend over the past couple of seasons of the division's reputation exceeding its production.

But this is the first time I can remember looking at all four teams and seeing only mediocrity. The Eagles have one of the most dangerous receiving corps in the league, but it doesn't really matter when teams play Tampa 2 coverage and force quarterbacks to throw everything underneath. Until DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin show they can get open for Kevin Kolb or Vick downfield on a consistent basis, that's what they'll face. Coach Andy Reid made a mistake against the Redskins by taking only four receivers to the game. When Riley Cooper suffered a concussion, Jackson, Maclin and Jason Avant played too many snaps. They were so tired on the final possession that they could barely get a release at the line of scrimmage.

I'll reluctantly admit that Dallas has the best chance to break away from the pack. Tony Romo was extremely efficient in the win over the Texans and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett found the "running plays" section on his laminated play-calling chart. The Eagles and Giants didn't take advantage of the Cowboys' slow start, which will haunt them down the stretch. I didn’t expect the Redskins to do anything this season, so they’ve already exceeded my expectations.

The Cowboys play host to a wildly inconsistent Titans team Sunday and then travel to Minneapolis for a pivotal game. They return home after that to play the Giants and Jaguars in successive weeks. If the Cowboys can go 3-1 in that stretch, which seems reasonable, they'll be in control of the division heading into November.

Linebacker Keith Brooking, who normally has a good gauge of the Cowboys' locker room, said he’s not worried about the other teams in the division at this point.

“All that matters, all that truly matters -- I mean this with all my heart – is what we do, what we take care of,” Brooking said earlier this week. “We have five games left to play in our division right now. That’s all that matters. If we take care of our business and we prepare the way we’re supposed to prepare, everything will take care of itself. It’s not about what other teams do.”

But with all due respect to the founding fathers of this proud division, the best weapon these teams have is the bye week. Just ask Wade Phillips.

Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid told reporters Wednesday that it would be a "stretch" to envision quarterback Michael Vick (ribs) playing against the 49ers on Sunday per the Daily News' Les Bowen. He said Vick still had some swelling in his chest, but was feeling better than he was Monday.

Reid also indicated that he wouldn't be signing a quarterback or running back this week as insurance behind Kevin Kolb and LeSean McCoy, who has a cracked rib.

"Right now, I'm not making any transactions," said Reid per Bowen.

The Eagles coach said he expects cornerback Asante Samuel and wide receiver Riley Cooper, who both suffered concussions, to play this Sunday and he left the door open for McCoy to return as well. Asked if Kolb would have a chance to earn his starting job back with a strong performance against the 49ers, Reid quickly tried to change the topic.

Here's a blog item from the Daily News regarding Reid's news conference.

We weren't able to catch the Eagles-Jaguars exhibition live in the Dallas area, but I stayed up for the replay. Kevin Kolb had a nice first outing and he showed a lot of poise. Sorry, I can't muster up much disappointment about the red-zone performance. Tight end Brent Celek will make that catch in the back of the end zone in the regular-season. The fact that the Eagles won, 28-27, is just a side note. Here are my observations from the game:

• We were quickly reminded that DeSean Jackson is perhaps the most exciting player in the league on Kolb's first throw. He hit Jackson in stride on a quick slant, and the Jaguars linebacker never had a chance. Jackson's a matchup nightmare for any team, but the Jags seemed especially overmatched.

• You might have been surprised to see how mobile Kolb was on Friday night. He does a really nice job of always keeping his eyes looking downfield as he escapes the pocket. He doesn't have a lot of speed, but he's actually pretty elusive. I didn't see any evidence of "happy feet" in the first quarter. Both Kolb and Michael Vick did a nice job using their legs.

• Speaking of Vick, he looks like a completely different player than last season. That touchdown run was vintage Vick in that he broke containment and then turned on the afterburners down the sideline. The Jaguars defensive linemen had no chance when Vick decided to take off. He was so much more decisive in Friday's game than he was at this point last season.

• Jeremy Maclin looks so much smoother in his route running. On that first pass from Kolb, he sort of lulled the Jags to sleep and then he exploded across the middle. He and Kolb seem to already have a nice rhythm. If Kolb's able to hit Jackson and Maclin in stride most of the time, this offense will put up huge numbers. The one thing Kolb can't do is stare down a receiver in the red zone. He did that with Jason Avant on that first drive. Fortunately, Avant was able to break up a possible interception.

• Give cornerback Asante Samuel credit for popping big tight end Marcedes Lewis early in the game. He's normally averse to contact, but he made a really nice play on third down. The first-team defense didn't get a lot of reps, because they played too well. Two three-and-outs is a good way to begin the preseason.

• Trevard Lindley prevented a long kick return early in the game with a really nice open-field tackle. I think general manager Howie Roseman has to feel pretty good about getting him in the fourth round. Lindley and free-agent rookie safety Kurt Coleman are both very aggressive players who play with a ton of confidence. Coleman's in the process of playing his way onto the 53-man roster.

• I'd love to see Chad Hall make this team, but you have to put Jackson back there on punt returns during the regular season. I heard the Philadelphia broadcasters talking about letting someone else do it to prevent an injury to Jackson. That doesn't make sense to me. Jackson's gamebreaking ability makes it worth the risk.

• You have to give it up for the first-team offensive line. Seemed like Kolb and Vick both had plenty of time in the pocket. By the way, Vick's pass to Riley Cooper was a thing of beauty. Cooper's acting like he belongs. It's going to be impossible to keep him out of the rotation once the regular-season begins. Three catches for 61 yards in his first preseason game. Just a very impressive rookie. He and Bengals' rookie Jordan Shipley have really stood out to me.

• Surely the Jags will have a better plan against the Eagles in a game that counts. Giving Jackson a free release is like begging him to beat you. The 26-yard catch and run was pretty impressive, but the end-around was the play of the night. Jags cornerback Derek Cox is trying to have film of that play destroyed, because Jackson made him look silly with that little stutter-step.

• LeSean McCoy did a nice job between the tackles. I thought he was a little too quick to bounce runs outside last season. On Friday, he lowered his shoulder and churned out yards in the first quarter. It wasn't a huge night or anything, but I saw some good signs. The huge night belonged to Martell Mallett. Some players just take it to the next level when the lights come on, and Mallett was that guy.

• I know Joselio Hanson wants to be competing for a starting job, but he can't bite on those double moves. Luke McCown, who hails from Jacksonville, Texas, made Hanson look really bad on a long touchdown pass. And if Hanson's going to interfere, you better pull the guy to the ground. Really poor technique. Geoff Pope also got burned on a deep ball from McCown.

• Left tackle Austin Howard basically took over the game in the second quarter. He had at least two pancake blocks in the game and his footwork was outstanding. I was amazed to see how technically sound he looked. And at 330 pounds, he was doing an excellent job of anchoring.

• Akeem Jordan was ready to play. Loved seeing him knife through on what might have been a run blitz early in the game. It's hard to complain about anything the first-team defense did.

• Jonathan Tamari of the Inquirer felt like center Mike McGlynn had a solid effort. The announcers sort of acted like he has the starting job sewn up until Jamaal Jackson returns, but I'm not so sure.

ESPN.com NFL Power Ranking (pre-camp): 17

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- On a Tuesday afternoon last week, Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb watched one of his star wideouts, Jeremy Maclin, get carted off the field. The same thing had happened to DeSean Jackson a couple days earlier. You would think Kolb might be worried, but that's not an emotion that suits him. Kolb spent the three weeks before camp playing out every possible scenario in his mind so that setbacks like these wouldn't affect him.

"I tried to play out the good situations and the bad situations in my mind," Kolb told the NFC East blog. "I need to stay consistent as the quarterback of this team, so I imagined what all could go wrong and sort of told myself how I was going to react. Only 32 guys in the world that will get this opportunity, and I don't want the opportunity to pass me by."

If you were expecting a wide-eyed quarterback trying to grow into a job, you've come to the wrong place. Handed the task of following the best quarterback in the history of the franchise, Kolb just doesn't seem fazed. With Jackson and Maclin both out of Wednesday's practice, Kolb started firing balls to rookie Riley Cooper. Kolb entered the league in the same rookie class as linebacker Stewart Bradley and Brent Celek in 2007, and everyone's known those players would eventually take over the team in terms of leadership. But it was still stunning when the Eagles pulled the trigger on the biggest trade of the offseason.

Kolb has reached out to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to ask him about following an elite quarterback. And he's also struck up a texting friendship with Cowboys Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, which may make a few fans queasy. Recently, Kolb spent hours watching an old tape of Aikman because "he was unbelievably accurate."

Kolb is relishing the Eagles' new underdog role and he understands that a lot of that has to do with him being the starter. He understands there's added pressure playing quarterback in a city that seems to base its identity on how the Eagles are performing. But he seems to have the right temperament.

"I played in front of 15,000 people when I was 15," said Kolb. "I think playing high school football in Texas gives you a good foundation. And now that I'm a little older, I think I'll be able to handle 70,000."

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Will this offensive line have any continuity heading into the season?

When the Eagles lost center Jamaal Jackson last year in the playoffs, the offensive line was in trouble. Nick Cole had done a nice job at right guard, but he was thrown into a bad situation at center. Jackson is still recovering from a knee injury and will likely be sidelined to start the season. Cole's been banged-up in practice and it's not like Mike McGlynn and A.Q. Shipley inspire a lot of confidence. The most consistent player on the offensive line last season, left guard Todd Herremans, has missed the first part of camp with a foot injury. You don't want Kolb lining up behind an offensive line that features a different player every week.

2. Do the Eagles have the best receiving corps in the league?

When Maclin and Jackson are healthy, the Eagles may have the most dangerous group in the league. Jason Avant is one of the best third receivers in the league, and he can bail out a quarterback on third down. Kolb's biggest strength is his accuracy. He knows how important it is to deliver the ball to Jackson and Maclin in stride. If you're wondering why this team seems to have such a quiet confidence, just look at these receivers. Throw in the fact that Kolb and Celek are best friends and you have the makings of a Tony Romo-Jason Witten combination.

3. Can rookie Nate Allen solve the issues the Eagles had at safety?

The Eagles never recovered from the loss of Brian Dawkins via free agency last season. They tried just about everyone at his old position, but it was a nightmare. Allen has looked like a starter from the day he stepped off the bus. He's mature beyond his years and moves with a grace that belies his inexperience. I think the Eagles made great use of the Donovan McNabb pick (No. 37) in landing Allen. And the former South Florida star doesn't appear to feel any added pressure because of where he was taken. It's easy to see that he would've been starting in front of Marlin Jackson even if he'd remained healthy.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

I know it's tough to call a first-rounder a "surprise," but Brandon Graham has exceeded everyone's expectations. I love how he's spent time in the film room studying some of the shorter defensive ends around the league. And then he immediately takes some of the moves (Elvis Dumervil) to the field. The Eagles' offensive line doesn't know what to do with Graham, and I think other NFC East offensive tackles will have the same issue. Graham is learning how to use his arms at this level and he already gets incredibly low to the ground when he's turning the corner. He's been the story of camp in a lot of ways. Can't wait to see him in a game. And one more surprise: Ellis Hobbs is having an excellent camp after returning from a neck injury.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

There's nothing that really jumps out at this point other than the offensive line issues. But I'd like to see more from Darryl Tapp. The defensive end was hoping to jump-start his career after coming over in a trade from Seattle. He just looks out of place in Sean McDermott's defense right now. In the practice sessions I observed, he didn't really make anything happen.

OBSERVATION DECK

• Cooper is taking full advantage of the extra repetitions. He made the catch of the day last Wednesday when one of Kolb's passes was tipped by Tapp. Cooper cut off his route and made a diving catch in the flat. Seems like he's quickly becoming a fan favorite and he could actually play himself into the rotation this season. General manager Howie Roseman's a Florida grad, so look for the Gator connection to continue. I don't think Hank Baskett is long for this roster, but he and Kolb did hook up on a deep ball.
• I talked to second-year running back LeSean McCoy about how he's improved his lower-body strength. He thinks he left a lot of yards on the field because he didn't break enough tackles. I think it's helping McCoy to have Duce Staley in camp serving a camp internship.
• Rookie free safety Kurt Coleman out of Ohio State has made a favorable impression but was called for pass interference Wednesday when Kolb used an excellent play-action fake to free up McCoy down the sideline. You can tell that McCoy's going to show up in the passing game a lot more this season.
• This is the only camp I've attended where fans tailgate in the parking lots between morning and afternoon practices. Even NFL commissioner Roger Goodell seemed to get caught up in the moment when he remembered that he'd visited the Lehigh University campus when he was deciding on colleges a few years back.
• Bradley destroyed Eldra Buckley when he made the mistake of trying to jump over a pile. And when Buckley made a catch in the flat, former Lions linebacker Ernie Sims lit him up. Sims stared down at him like Chuck Bednarik once did to Frank Gifford. As I noted in my observations last week, Andy Reid's team hits harder than any of the other teams in the division during camp. We're not simply talking about thuds. I'm talking about linebackers taking ball carriers to the ground. This is how things were done about 20 years ago across the league. Roseman told me that the Eagles felt like it was important to quickly introduce the rookies to how physical the league is.
• I watched Reid take Kolb aside Wednesday and have a long conversation. I think he and McNabb had such an understanding that they rarely had to have a lot of long discussions. But I'm not saying that's a negative about Kolb. It seems like Reid's sort of rejuvenated by the thought of having to coach a quarterback all the way through practice. I remember Bill Parcells saying that about Romo all the time. "You have to coach him all the way through the game," Parcells would say. Reid didn't think that was a big deal when I brought it up, but it's obvious he's spending more time with Kolb. And the two seem to have a great rapport. In fact, Kolb already takes the sharp stick to Reid at times.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- I'm not sure if there's a perfect approach to training camp, but Andy Reid's the only coach in the division who seems to encourage big hits. It's hard to believe that poor Eldra Buckley made it through practice in one piece. While I've watched the Cowboys and Giants deliver love taps in practice, Eagles defenders try take ball carriers to the ground. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman explained to me Wednesday morning that he thinks it's important to quickly familiarize young players to the physical nature of the game. With that in mind, here's what caught my eye in practice this morning:

• It's a good sign that DeSean Jackson was able to do some light jogging on the side Wednesday with his sore back. The Eagles won't rush him back onto the field, but he needs to maintain his conditioning. Meanwhile, Riley Cooper is taking full advantage of the extra repetitions. He made the catch of the day when one of Kevin Kolb's passes was tipped by Darryl Tapp. Cooper cut off his route and made a diving catch in the flat. Seems like he's quickly becoming a fan favorite and he could actually play himself into the rotation this season. I don't think Hank Baskett is long for this roster, but he and Kolb did hook up on a deep ball Wednesday.

• I talked to second-year running back LeSean McCoy about how he's improved his lower-body strength. He thinks he left a lot of yards on the field because he didn't break enough tackles. He did more squats than he's ever done in his career in the offseason and he appears to have better balance and power. McCoy said he's really enjoyed having former running back Duce Staley hanging around serving an internship.

• Rookie free safety Kurt Coleman out of Ohio State has made a favorable impression but was called for pass interference when Kolb used an excellent play-action fake to free up McCoy down the sideline. I think McCoy's going to be dangerous in the passing game this season.

• This is the only camp I've attended where fans tailgate in the parking lots between morning and afternoon practices. I'm sure Latrobe, Pa., is also nice, but I can't imagine a better scene than Lehigh University. Lush green practice fields on the side of a mountain. Even NFL commissioner Roger Goodell seemed to get caught up in the moment. He said he remembered visiting the Lehigh campus when he was trying to decide which college to attend a few years back.

• Middle linebacker Stewart Bradley destroyed Buckley when he made the mistake of trying to jump over a pile. And when Buckley made a catch in the flat, former Lions linebacker Ernie Sims lit him up. Sims stared down at him like Chuck Bednarik once did to Frank Gifford. And like Gifford, Buckley remained on the ground. It seems like this defense is trying to regain its swagger after being embarrassed by the Cowboys at the end of the 2009 season. And I haven't seen Reid tell anyone to calm down.

• I watched Reid take Kolb aside Wednesday and have a long conversation. I think he and McNabb had such an understanding that they rarely had to have a bunch of discussions. But I'm not saying that's a negative about Kolb. It seems like Reid's sort of rejuvenated by the thought of having to coach a quarterback all the way through practice. I remember Bill Parcells saying that about Tony Romo all the time. "You have to coach all the way through the game. If you don't, you'll be sorry," Parcells would say.

• It's too early to know what rookie safety Nate Allen's going to be, but he certainly looks like a starter. I had a long talk with him after practice. He grew up watching Ed Reed and Brian Dawkins, but he wants to carve out his own identity. Just seems a lot more mature than I realized.

• There's no way you can keep rookie defensive end Brandon Graham out of the starting lineup. Really enjoyed watching him in some one-on-one drills against Winston Justice. Graham's initial burst is pretty remarkable, but he's also developing some nice counter moves. He's smart enough to have asked for tape on some of the smaller defensive ends across the league. He can watch Elvis Dumervil on tape for an hour and then try to take some of his moves straight to the field.

• Fourth-round pick Clay Harbor is eventually going to be the Eagles' second tight end. Cornelius Ingram's the better athlete, but Harbor's already doing a really good job running routes. And it looks like he and Kolb already have some good chemistry.

• I've had my doubts about Ellis Hobbs as a starter, but he had a nice day Wednesday. He broke a couple passes and he's bringing a lot of emotion to the field. I told Roseman that I didn't think the Eagles had enough depth at cornerback. I'll give you his answer later Wednesday, but mainly he thinks that Hobbs' Super Bowl experience outweighs any injury concerns. And he also thinks Joselio Hanson gives the Eagles a great option at the nickel. I'm still not sold, but we'll see how things develop.

• I think Moise Fokou will eventually have to play defensive end if he wants to stay on this roster. I've been watching him in pass-rushing drills. Sean McDermott hasn't admitted anything, but everything's pointing that way.

• Third-round pick Daniel Te'o-Nesheim might be the most intense player on the roster, but he's not anywhere close to Graham as a pass-rusher at this point. Put a decent little rip move on Greg Isdaner, but that's about all I was able to see.

• Tapp hasn't really done anything to distinguish himself at this point in camp. It seems like the offensive tackles have been able to keep him in check for the most part.

• Offensive tackle Fenuki Tupou is a much improved player. He's an enormous guy and his technique looks pretty solid right now. I'd sort of written him off, but he's caught my eye in one-on-one drills.

• I'm not sure the Eagles have done enough to improve the depth at defensive tackle. OK, I'm off to watch special teams practice and then visit with Reid.

Dallas Cowboys

Receiver Miles Austin took part in the ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic, which helps raise money for the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

The Dallas Morning News' Jean-Jacques Taylor thinks the Cowboys will sign Austin to a long-term deal by mid-season.

Are the Cowboys concerned they haven't signed any of their 2010 draft picks? Taylor says not at all -- the club typically doesn't start negotiating contracts with agents until a week or so before training camp begins. ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon says negotiations with draftees' agents have begun.

In the eighth installment of his 10-part series on Cowboys "who have a lot to prove in training camp," MacMahon looks at quarterback Stephen McGee.

New York Giants

Giants president and CEO John Mara remembers George Steinbrenner.

Former Giants running back Tiki Barber was sued by an indoor cycling company for which he was a spokesman. The suit claims his marketability has been "rendered worthless" by allegations that he engaged in an affair and by the breakup of his marriage.

Dave Goldberg expects the Giants to be playoff contenders this season thanks to the addition of defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and the return of key players from injury on defense.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Birds' Eye View blog takes a look at the quarterback and defensive line positions in advance of training camp.

The team signed fifth-round pick Riley Cooper, a 6-foot-3 wide receiver out of Florida.

The Eagles plan to hold on to quarterback Michael Vick, sources say -- unless it turns out he was lying about what happened the night of his 30th birthday party.

Washington Redskins

Dan Steinberg looks at the frequent comparisons made in the media between Redskins owner Dan Snyder and late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

Albert Haynesworth's personal trainer, Tripp Smith, said the defensive tackle is "going to open some eyes when he gets to camp." Haynesworth has lost 32 pounds according to Smith.