Now that he's 24 hours removed from the most prolific performance of his young career, quarterback Kevin Kolb is moving on to next week, and facing the uncertainty that comes with it. Of course, the Eagles are in a unique situation at the quarterback position. Few teams have one quarterback among the top 10 in the NFL in passer rating; the Eagles have two.
With Michael Vick's status for next Sunday's game in Tennessee an unknown, Kolb plans to be ready.
"I just have to approach it like I am the starter," Kolb said Monday. "I think if you don't, you're behind the eight ball and you're not totally prepared. Even though you might feel like you are, you're not mentally there. And that's what I've learned, there's a big difference between backing up and preparation for a starter. You have to make sure you prepare like a starter every time."
What a wild six months it's been for Kolb. On Easter Sunday, 11-year quarterback Donovan McNabb was traded to Washington, thus anointing Kolb to the starting position. Then after months of preparation, a hard hit from Packers linebacker Clay Matthews on opening day knocks Kolb out of the game, and ultimately off of the top of the depth chart.
Just as Michael Vick was beginning to solidify his role as the team's starting quarterback, he injured his ribs and right back in goes No. 4. Fast forward two weeks, and Kolb has thrown for 579 yards, four touchdowns and, most importantly, has two wins to show for it in his two starts.
It's probably not the way he scripted the season in his head, but Kolb has learned that it's foolish to predict anything in the NFL.
"The thing that you learn is that a soon as you predict something, or try and predict something, you can just throw it out the window and the totally opposite happens," Kolb said. "Who would have thought we'd be in this situation this offseason when the (McNabb) trade went down? You just roll with it one day at a time and hopefully keep racking up the wins."
If Kolb gets the start on Sunday, which Reid labeled as "likely," he will try to help the team rack up its third straight win.
-- Posted by Josh Goldman, 4:24 p.m., October 18
