Peters shaken up in Eagles win

ATLANTA - For the second time this season, Jason Peters' day ended before halftime.

With 10 minutes, 56 seconds left in the second quarter today, the Eagles' giant left tackle made a cut block on an Atlanta Falcons defender and when the third-down play was over, so was Peters' afternoon inside the Georgia Dome.

"He went to cut somebody and he fell and hit his shoulder and his head," coach Andy Reid said after his team's 34-7 win. "He bugged me the whole game to go back in. I don't think it was too bad."

Given that the Eagles are already without running back Brian Westbrook and wide receiver DeSean Jackson because of concussions, it was natural to wonder if Peters was the latest to be sidelined by a brain injury.

"We've got to look at it," Reid said when asked if Peters had a concussion.

Peters insisted he did not have a concussion, but he was clearly frustrated that he had to sit out most of the game. He also sat out most of the Oct. 18 loss in Oakland with a sprained ankle and he missed the Nov. 15 loss in San Diego after he aggravated an ankle injury suffered the week before against Dallas.

"I wanted to go back in," Peters said. "I just got nicked up. I've been playing hurt for a couple of weeks and it's like every play something happens. Somebody hits my ankle. Somebody hits my knee. It's a bad deal. I wanted to go back in, but Coach kept me out."

"It wasn't a head injury," Peters said. "I was fine to go back in. I'm just banged up. I landed on my shoulder wrong. I was trying to get back in the game, but Coach told me to stay on the sideline."

Peters said he plans to play Sunday night when the Eagles travel to the Meadowlands for a game against the New York Giants.

Quarterback Michael Vick left the game with a bruised hand after throwing a fourth-quarter touchdown in relief of Donovan McNabb. Vick said his hand hit a helmet, but he didn't think the injury would keep him out against the Giants.

Wide receiver

Reggie Brown

had been nearly irrelevant through the first 11 games of the season, but he found himself in the starting lineup today with Jackson sidelined.

On the Eagles' first drive, he dropped a would-be first down when McNabb threw to him over the middle. But McNabb went back to Brown on the Eagles' ensuing possession when the Eagles faced third and 13 from the Falcons' 25.

"We've been playing together for a while," Brown said. "He knows that I'm going to come back. So it's good for your quarterback to have that kind of confidence in you."

Brown was blanketed by cornerback Brent Grimes, but McNabb tossed a perfect pass and Brown adeptly kept his feet inbounds for a 21-yard reception. One play later, the Eagles tacked on a touchdown for a 10-0 lead.

McNabb targeted Brown on only one other attempt – an incompletion – but the receiver was on the receiving end of Vick's longest pass of the season. Brown was open downfield, but Vick short-armed his pass. Still, the receiver made a nifty leap-and-catch for 43 yards. Three plays later the Vick connected with tight end Brent Celek for a 5-yard TD.

Brown, who had only three receptions coming into the game, finished with two catches for 64 yards. The Eagles' receivers, in Jackson's absence, had nine catches for 183 yards.

Jeremy Maclin, who filled in for Jackson on punt returns, gained 27 yards on his first attempt.

"I let the kicker tackle me," he said. "He got me. Hopefully, it won't happen again."

A team source said Jackson is likely to return against the Giants.

The Eagles will also get cornerback Joselio Hanson back this week. Today marked the end of his four-game suspension for violating the NFL's drug policy. Hanson lost an appeal last month after testing positive for a diuretic following the Eagles' NFC championship loss in Arizona last season.

Hanson was not allowed to practice or be around the team during his suspension.

The Eagles are also hopeful that linebacker Akeem Jordan (knee) will be able to return against the Giants. He missed his fourth straight game today.

When the Falcons scored on the game's final play, it prevented the Eagles from registering their first shutout since Dec. 1, 1996, when they beat the New York Giants, 24-0, at Veterans Stadium. . . . The Eagles won their 100th game of the decade, becoming the 13th team in NFL history to accomplish that feat. New England, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh also have done it in this decade. . . . Vick's rushing touchdown was the 22d of his career and his first since an Oct. 15, 2006, game against the Giants. His last passing touchdown before today came against the Eagles in his final game for the Falcons on Dec. 31, 2006.

David Akers' field goal at the end of the Eagles' first possession gave him 17 straight, which tied a career high. He missed a chance to break the mark when a 39-yard attempt sailed wide right on the final play of the first quarter.