Eagles Get Back to Basics

Eagles Get Back to Basics

They'll be no rest for the weary. Even with a bye-week upon them, Coach Andy Reid and his battered Philadelphia Eagles realize their entire season could hinge on just what they get done this week.

A pessimist might say that has as much to do with there being so much wrong with this year's team as anything, and any action stemming all the bleeding at least makes for a longer shelf life. But Reid and his men see things differently and they have vowed to approach their much needed break as such.

At the very least the 1-3 Eagles, who return action Oct. 14, to face the Jets at Giants Stadium, the scene of their last humiliation, figure to have a new look about them. Starters Brian Westbrook, William Thomas, L.J. Smith, Lito Sheppard and Brian Dawkins are all optimistically expected back by then.

"Probably 80 percent of winning games is having the [first-string] guys out there," right tackle John Runyan told the Philly Inquirer. "They're in the flow of the game, they know what they're doing. They understand things, whether it's a quarterback, receiver, whatever. They know where everyone's going to be on the field. It's huge. Because everyone's a little bit different.”

Indeed, the team's last two performances leading into the bye give credence to Runyan's words. After putting up a record-setting 56-points against the Detroit, the Eagles managed a lone field goal against the Giants with Westbrook and Thomas out of the offense.

It's all enough to make Reid grow philosophical. “This week we'll go ahead and scout ourselves as coaches," he said. "We'll go through every possible detail that there is. We're going to figure it out and get ourselves right."

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