Can The Eagles Bounce Back Emotionally And Physically For Sunday?
The charter flight from Dallas landed in Philadelphia at 5 AM on Tuesday. By then in a normal week after a Sunday game, the players have already had a day to recover and the coaches have already spent an entire day preparing a game plan for the following week.
Instead, the Eagles came home and those players not needing treatment went to their own beds and slept. The lengthy list of players who needed medical attention after a bruising loss in Dallas spent hours at the NovaCare Complex receiving help from the athletic training staff. The coaches quickly broke down the Dallas loss, assigned grades, and looked ahead to the Steelers.
Win or lose, the Eagles knew they had to recharge their batteries on a short week for the Steelers. The sting of Monday night's loss was replaced by the reality that Sunday is going to be another battering-ram of a game.
On the injury front, there are a few bumps and bruises that deserve some concern. Offensive guard Shawn Andrews left Monday's game with a back injury and did not return. Fullback Tony Hunt left with a hamstring injury and did not return. Same with defensive tackle Trevor Laws, who departed with a quad injury. All three players have key roles with the Eagles and their availability to play on Sunday is critical.
Wide receiver Reggie Brown should be a go for the Steelers game, and defensive end Victor Abiamiri may not be too far behind. Wide receiver Kevin Curtis, for that matter, could be back in the next couple or few weeks.
At 1-1, the Eagles have a really tough stretch ahead with Pittsburgh, at Chicago and home with Washington waiting. All three teams are physical. All three teams are thinking playoffs and more this season.
Nobody spent much time dwelling on the loss to the Cowboys. There was simply no time. A huge challenge – physically and emotionally – comes on Sunday with a Super Bowl-contending Steelers team visiting Lincoln Financial Field.
Can the Eagles, in a test to their maturity and the resiliency, play an "A" game to beat Pittsburgh?
