Head coach Andy Reid acknowledged following Thursday night's game that, due in large part to injuries, it is tough to get a gauge on his team.
"In certain spots, yes," Reid said . "I'm worried about that. That bothers me."
Not one to make excuses, Reid was visibly frustrated following a mistake-filled loss to the Colts.
"All in all, that was an embarrassing performance and way too many penalties, not enough intensity all the way around, starting with me," Reid said. "It was a poor performance."
Four of the five projected starters on the offensive line -- Shawn and Stacy Andrews, Jason Peters and Todd Herremans sat out Thursday night with injuries. Three defensive starters, including pass rushers Trent Cole and Darren Howard, and cornerback Sheldon Brown, were also sidelined. In all, 12 players did not make the trip to Indianapolis.
The head coach said had Thursday night been a regular season game, a number of those players probably could have played. However, he would not specify a figure.
"We have to get guys back healthy, get them at practice so they can work a little bit together," Reid said.
The team has another opportunity to build the much-need chemistry and continuity when the preseason continues next Thursday, Aug. 27 when Philadelphia hosts Jacksonville.
Typically, the third preseason game offers a good barometer on where teams stand a couple weeks before the regular season begins. At this point, Reid would just like to get a glimpse of his projected first-team offensive and defensive starters.
"We just need guys to get healthy," quarterback Donovan McNabb said.
Again, Reid would not use the absence of those players as an excuse for the team's dismal outing in Indy.
"The way we played was unacceptable," Reid said. "Whether it was the ones, twos, threes; whether it was offense, defense or special teams ... it was a poor performance."
Reid was frustrated by the mistakes - 12 penalties to be exact. He was frustrated by the lack of a pass rush on the Colts' 12-play, 81-yard scoring drive to open the game. He was frustrated with the team's inability to convert in short-yardage situations.
The miscues prompted reporters to question whether the addition of Michael Vick during this last week may have been a distraction, but Reid and his players dismissed any such notion. Still, the addition of Vick is the latest in a series of twists, turns, sprains and overall drama that has made this training camp/preseason period one of the more unusual ones of the Reid era.
"It's been interesting," McNabb said. "It's been a carousel."
Perhaps the carousel will stop spinning prior to next week's game with the Jaguars.
-- Posted by Bob Kent, 3:15 a.m., August 21
