Thanks for the luck wishes guys, good luck to you with you pop anything this week.
From Eagles website:
With the starters expected to play for most of, if not all of, the first half, tonight's preseason game should provide some significant clues about the Eagles and where they stand right now. There are some important things to watch, including ...
- The red zone offense (with Donovan McNabb on the field) went one for two last week in Pittsburgh. The good news is that the Eagles moved the ball extremely well with McNabb out there. The running game looked good. The passing game had openings and took advantage of those openings. McNabb was sharp, and the offense put together long, impressive drives. The Eagles want to be better tonight in the red zone, for sure. They aren't going to necessarily unveil their master plan in the scoring area, but it's safe to say that the offense has some wrinkles it wants to introduce this season that maybe it didn't use last year. The philosophy hasn't changed, neccessarily, but the approach has been tweaked. Look for a more aggressive, throw-it-in-the-end zone series of play calls against the Panthers.
- With Brian Westbrook playing, the Eagles can use some of the formations we have seen in training camp, as well as some of the personnel groupings that are potentially very exciting. Westbrook and Lorenzo Booker are going to play together, and tonight is the first time they will do so in a game. Both have speed and know the route-running adjustments they have to make to open up the field and make big plays.
From Panthers website:
2
. RECEIVING DEPTH: The Panthers went into their first preseason game without Ryne Robinson and D.J. Hackett, who continued to nurse knee and toe injuries, respectively, that were incurred during practices in the past two weeks. The win over the Colts saw Steve Smith suffer a concussion, ruling him out for the practices this week and for Thursday night's game.
When Dwayne Jarrett succumbed to a leg bruise Monday night, Carolina's complement of wideouts was down to five, a number more like a regular-season group than that of an 80-man preseason roster. Muhsin Muhammad, Jason Carter, Travis Taylor, Dominique Thompson and William Buchanon are the receivers expected to play Thursday night.
Among those five, the spotlight could shine brightest on Carter and Taylor, both of whom lined up alongside Muhammad with the first team during Tuesday afternoon's practice at Wofford College. Carter has wowed onlookers with some acrobatic catches in traffic, while Taylor has shown a consistency reflective of his eight years of experience. Taylor was also a full-season starter as recently as 2006 with the Minnesota Vikings.
3. THE IMPACT OF INJURIES: Wide receiver isn't the only position with players who will not play Thursday night, as Fox announced Wednesday that the players who were injured and sidelined for Tuesday's last full practice would not be in uniform at Philadelphia.
The Panthers will do without a pair of tight ends for a second consecutive game, with Dante Rosario and Gary Barnidge each sitting out. Cornerback will also be shy two men as Ken Lucas and Chris Gamble not making the trip as they recover from a broken nose and a strained hamstring, respectively. Defensive tackle Ian Scott and safety Chris Harris will also remain sidelined; Scott is recovering from a knee injury while Harris continues to work his way back from a strained groin.
With Rosario and Barnidge out, Chris Conklin and Chad Upshaw could see substantial playing time in Philadelphia, just as they did against Indianapolis. Upshaw, a mid-camp signee who had been waived in July has "done some good things" since returning to the Panthers, Fox said.
Richard Marshall and Ricardo Colclough have worked as the first-team cornerbacks in practice and against the Colts while Lucas and Gamble have missed time. Terrence Holt has filled in for Harris at safety.
No need for a write up or anything like that in this one. Panthers will try to control the game on the ground and Philly will bring their run blitz packages. Jake only has possession wide out Mushin healthy and back ups will get their chance to shine, only problem is they are going up against one of the top 3 secondarys in the league.
Official Play:
Philadelphia 1st half -2.5 -120 ($600 to win $500)
Preseason Summary 1-1 +$885
