Eagles Notebook: McNabb in a rush to get accurate

IF ANDY REID doesn't want to say it, Donovan McNabb will. McNabb is trying to work out some kinks in his delivery in practice this week. McNabb knows he didn't throw the ball well Monday night at Washington; the Eagles didn't need him to be all that sharp against a Redskins team in crisis, but they'll need his best game this week against the New York Giants, especially if Brian Westbrook can't play.

McNabb gets into these funks, as Eagles fans well know.

"Rushing throws," he said yesterday. "Trying to rush them, trying to get the ball out quick to give [the receiver] an opportunity to get up the field, make the guy miss, or whatever it might be, instead of just giving it to them."

Sometimes it's poor footwork that causes a pass to go awry, McNabb said. Other times he feels he aims the ball, instead of just throwing it. Monday's numbers (15-for-25 for 156 yards and a touchdown, no interceptions) didn't quite reflect the reality, with at least half a dozen balls missing open receivers, often on third down, usually bouncing at their feet. He has been worse, certainly - around the time of the famous benching last Nov. 23 at Baltimore, fans had to wonder if McNabb might try to spike the ball and miss the ground - but he also has been much, much better, very recently. For instance, in his first game back from the broken rib, McNabb was 16-for-21 for 264 yards and three touchdowns, Oct. 11 vs. Tampa Bay.

So you wouldn't think the rib would be the problem, though McNabb said yesterday that he will not be fully healed for a while. It might be more that knowing he isn't quite right makes McNabb less comfortable in the pocket, more vulnerable to pressure, behind an offensive line that also is working through some injury issues. McNabb was sacked six times while completing just 22 of 46 passes in that awful loss at Oakland, and the Redskins sacked him three times, pressured him several more.

"I wouldn't say that," McNabb, ever mindful of not knocking his o-line, said when asked if he was being pressured more. "Like I said, I thought the guys played well. Now it's just being able to execute.''

McNabb said he works on trying to make his throws more automatic.

"You spend time after practice or in practice; you throw it like you would throw it in a game and have the receiver react to it. I think that anytime you get to footwork, or not aiming, or trying to place it in a perfect spot . . . just go out and let it go,'' he said.

Reid, meanwhile, is as mindful of saying something negative that might be repeated to McNabb as the quarterback is about protecting the feelings of his linemen.

"Like every great quarterback, Donovan keeps firing," Reid said when asked how the QB works out of a slump. "You see jump shooters in basketball do the same thing . . . He's always been great with that, and I'm not even answering your question [in] that I don't feel like he's in a slump. If you don't complete a ball, come back and fire away again. He's always had short memory with any balls that aren't completed."

In his conference call with New York-area reporters yesterday, Reid had to deal with another potentially ticklish McNabb-related topic: the moment late in last Jan. 11th's 23-11 Eagles playoff upset of the Giants when the quarterback was run out of bounds on the Giants' sideline and picked up the phone to the New York coaches upstairs.

"Must've had someone he wanted to talk to," Reid said. "We talked about it. He called me after the game."

McNabb said yesterday there was no dial tone or voice on the other end. Reportedly, the Giants posted a photo of the scene in their locker room during the offseason.

"No, I don't have any regrets for doing it," he said. "But in this game, do you really need any psychological motivation? I don't think so . . . you dream about playing and you love competition, no matter who you play. And I think we have played each other for years . . . If you need any little thing that happens during a game last year or years before, then really you are not truly focused on week-in and week-out of trying to be the best at what you do."

Winston Justice didn't seem surprised to be the guy reporters gathered around yesterday. Justice, the Eagles' most consistent offensive lineman this season, is scheduled to start against the Giants on Sunday for the first time since Sept. 30, 2007, the night the Giants set an NFL record with a dozen sacks, six of them by Osi Umenyiora, who often lined up against Justice, at left tackle. Justice was subbing for Tra Thomas that night. Now he plays right tackle, where he played at USC; though New York does move Umenyiora around a little, he is unlikely to be face-to-face with Justice very often.

"I look forward to this game like any other game, a game we have to win," Justice said. "I'm not looking at it as a revenge thing, or anything like that . . . it's a game, I'm trying to get better."

Andy Reid said Justice is "confident and playing some good football . . . I think we're all comfortable with him as the right tackle" against one of the league's most formidable defensive lines.

Wide receiver DeSean Jackson did not practice yesterday but still is expected to play Sunday, Andy Reid said . . . Defensive end Victor Abiamiri (knee) and wide receiver Kevin Curtis (knee) are out; Reid said Curtis is still being evaluated in Utah, where he underwent arthroscopic surgery last week . . . New rookie running back P.J. Hill, signed off the Saints' practice squad, is listed at 5-10, 218. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry during his career at Wisconsin . . . Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw traveled to Charlotte yesterday to have his foot and ankle examined by a specialist.