Philadelphia
Eagles

With Jordan out last week, defensive coordinator Sean McDermott moved middle linebacker Will Witherspoon to Jordan's weak-side spot, slid Chris Gocong from the strong side to the middle and plugged in rookie Moise Fokou at Gocong's strong-side position.

The moves produced mixed results. Witherspoon, who is more suited for weak side anyway, played well. But Gocong, who hadn't played in the middle since high school, struggled. He got beat on a 20-yard touchdown catch-and-run by fullback Mike Tolbert and also was out of position on a 20-yard touchdown run by LaDainian Tomlinson.

"The thing you appreciate about Chris is that he's the consummate team player. He came in last week, prepared himself like he would to play any position, and he played a game, just like any game," McDermott said. "There are plays that he would tell you that he'd like to have back."

McDermott has other options. He could put Fokou or second-year man Joe Mays in the middle. There's also Jeremiah Trotter. But he clearly feels he's better off with Gocong inside.

"We'll have different combinations based on the situation at this point," McDermott said. "We are still trying to work through some of those different combinations with who is available, who's healthy and who's not at this point."

--While Brian Westbrook spent Wednesday in Pittsburgh talking to specialists about his football future after suffering his second concussion in less than a month, the Eagles began preparations for Sunday night's critical road game against the Chicago Bears.

The Eagles, who began the season with high Super Bowl hopes, stand at 5-4 after back-to-back losses to the Dallas Cowboys (20-16) and the San Diego Chargers (31-23). They still are in the thick of the playoff hunt, but can ill-afford another loss right now.

Westbrook already has been ruled out of this week's game and very well could miss the rest of the season. He'll be replaced by rookie LeSean McCoy.

The Eagles drafted the former University of Pittsburgh star in the second round of the draft last April to take some of the load off of the 30-year-old Westbrook's shoulders and eventually replace him. Well, eventually may have already arrived.

The rookie has played pretty well so far. He's averaged 4.1 yards per carry and has 23 receptions. In the three games Westbrook missed with an ankle injury and his first concussion, McCoy averaged an impressive 5.0 yards per carry.

"He's done a nice job," head coach Andy Reid said. "When he's had the opportunity to practice during the week and get the majority of reps, he's played good football."

The Eagles drafted McCoy because he's a similar type of back to Westbrook. A shifty runner who also can catch the ball and take advantage of speed mismatches in the passing game against linebackers and safeties.

"His maturation rate has been accelerated by what Brian has gone through," Reid said. "I think he's handled it well. I think he feels good physically right now. He's not banged up or nicked up. I think he's excited about the opportunity to step in there and be the guy."

The one area in which McCoy still is a work-in-progress is blitz-recognition. He's failed to pick up blitzes a half-dozen times already this season, including once Sunday when he failed to spot Chargers safety Paul Oliver coming on a blitz until it was too late. Oliver dropped quarterback Donovan McNabb for a nine-yard loss.

With Westbrook out, Reid likely will use fullback Leonard Weaver more frequently in the three-wide receiver, one-back, one-tight end set that the Eagles favor.

McNabb, who already doesn't have a lot of faith in an offensive line that has allowed just one fewer sack (22) in nine games than it gave up all of last season, said he has the utmost confidence in McCoy, both as a runner, a receiver and a blocker.

"I think he's ready to go," McNabb said. "It goes back to providing that confidence for him. (Making sure) that he understands we're behind him and supporting him."

SERIES HISTORY: 36th meeting. Bears lead the series, 26-8-1. The two teams also have met three times in the post-season, including the infamous "Fog Bowl" in 1988, which the Bears won, 20-12. The Eagles have lost the last two meetings to the Bears, including a 24-20 verdict last season.

"We are very encouraged by Brian's progress, we believe that he has an excellent prognosis and we expect a full recovery," reported Drs. Maroon and Collins. "We developed a comprehensive physical rehab plan for Brian, and we will repeat the detailed testing in the next two to three weeks."

--Chicago native Donovan McNabb will be making his sixth trip back to his hometown as an Eagle. He's won four of the previous five games he's played against the Bears at Soldier Field. McNabb said going back home isn't quite as special as it was earlier in his career, particularly this year with the Eagles struggling and badly needing a victory over the Bears. "Early on in my career, it meant a little more to go home and play in front of family and friends," McNabb said. "This time, it's more about the game. It's a must win for us. I wouldn't care if it was Soldier Field or Champaign, Ill., or Oklahoma. It's a game we need to win and that's the way I'm approaching it."

--The Eagles have been one of the league's top big-play offenses this season. Through nine games, they've already notched 38 plays of 20 yards or more. But it's the small plays that have been giving them problems of late. In the last two games -- losses to Dallas and San Diego -- they have converted just one of seven third downs of two yards or less. Three times Sunday, they got inside the Charger 20 yard line and had to settle for field goals. "It's execution and scheme," said Andy Reid. "I'm not going to sit here and hang people out to dry. I just want to get it better, and I'll do that in-house."

--The Eagles continue to have problems defending the opposing tight end. The Chargers' Antonio Gates had seven catches for 78 yards last week, including a big third-down catch late in the game when the Eagles needed to get the ball back. In the Eagles' last six games, opposing tight ends have 43 receptions for 532 yards and five touchdowns.

BY THE NUMBERS: 0-8 -- The Eagles' record in Sunday night games under Andy Reid.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I talked to him on Monday. He was in a good place. I think he's grateful for the care that he's received and the people that have been looking over him. He just wants to find out what went on with this last one." -- Eagles coach Andy Reid on running back Brian Westbrook, who suffered his second concussion in less than a month last week."

PLAYER NOTES

--WLB Akeem Jordan didn't practice again Thursday, making it likely that he'll miss his second straight game Sunday. Jordan has a hyperextended knee.

--RCB Sheldon Brown, who suffered a hamstring injury last week against the Chargers, participated in some individual drills for the second straight day and remains hopeful that he'll be able to play Sunday.

--RB Brian Westbrook was back at the NovaCare complex Thursday after visiting concussion specialists in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Westbrook, who has been ruled out of Sunday's game, suffered his second concussion in less than a month in last week's loss to the Chargers. The doctors have told him he will make a complete recovery, but it's not clear whether he'll play again this season.

--S Quintin Demps didn't practice again Thursday. He missed last week's game with a high ankle sprain. He isn't expected to play this week. Demps would've been the Eagles' kickoff returner. Macho Harris is expected to handle those chores.

--WR Kevin Curtis has been declared out of Sunday's game. It will be the eighth straight game he's missed since having surgery on his knee. The Eagles have not put him on IR, which would indicate they expect him back at some point.

GAME PLAN: Jay Cutler leads the league in interceptions, and the Eagles defense already has picked off 15 passes, which is the third most in the league. What they want to do is shut down the Bears run and get Cutler to put the ball in the air as much as possible Sunday.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Eagles FS Sean Jones vs. Bears TE Greg Olsen. The Eagles have struggled against opposing tight ends this season. Olsen already has six touchdown catches.

Eagles RDE Trent Cole vs. Bears LT Orlando Pace. Cole is the Eagles' best pass-rusher. Pace once was one of the league's top left tackles, but has lost a yard off his fastball.

Eagles WRs DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin vs. Bears CBs Charles Tillman and Zack Bowman. Jackson and Maclin have combined for eight touchdowns and eight 40-plus yard pass plays.

INJURY IMPACT: If RCB Sheldon Brown (hamstring) can't play Sunday, Dimitri Patterson will make the first start of his NFL career and Ramzee Robinson, who was signed off the street last week, would be the nickel corner. ... RB Brian Westbrook's (concussion) absence likely will mean more ball-carrying opportunities for FB Leonard Weaver. ... The Eagles are hopeful that LT Jason Peters (ankle) will be able to play this week. If he can't, they'll do what they did last week -- Todd Herremans will slide from left guard to left tackle, Nick Cole will move from right guard to left guard, and Stacy Andrews will play right guard.