With Dunlap questionable, Eagles may be shuffling on O-line Sunday

Winston Justice said playing right tackle is like riding a bicycle.

Since he last played there, though, the Eagles have replaced a mountain bike with a racing model. And with a knee that's still less than 100 percent, it's unclear whether Justice can even get back on the bike.

Questions about Justice's ability to return to tackle were prompted by King Dunlap's recent spate of back spasms. Dunlap started at left tackle last week for the injured Jason Peters and was slated to fill that spot again Sunday at Washington. But he injured his back on the last play of Wednesday's practice and has been out since then.

Dunlap was listed as "questionable" Friday on the official injury report, but coach Andy Reid said the 6-foot-9 tackle could start Sunday without the benefit of two important practice days. Still, backs are tricky, and if he can't go, the Eagles will have to shuffle their already-inconsistent offensive line once more.

Todd Herremans would move from right to left tackle, and Justice would take his place. It's certainly not a development the desperate-for-a-win, 1-4 Eagles need heading into an NFC East showdown against the 3-1 Redskins.

"You've just got to rally around who's out there and trust in them and just pray that they do their best and know their assignments," Eagles quarterback Michael Vick said.

Justice, who started 29 games at right tackle the previous two seasons, was active for the first time last week in a reserve role. Though he declined to talk about his left knee - Justice underwent arthroscopic surgery in February - it is clear he is still not completely healthy.

"It seems like every week he's getting a little bit better and feeling more comfortable," Reid said. "So he deserves the opportunity to play if that presents itself."

Justice still walks with a pronounced limp and has yet to play using offensive line coach Howard's Mudd's new blocking techniques.

When Justice arrived at training camp, he immediately was placed on the physically unable to perform list, but both he and the team anticipated that he would be back for the start of the season.

"It's a blur right now," Justice said of those early camp expectations. He spent all of the preseason on the PUP list, and since returning to practice last month has spent most of his time on the scout team - not always working with Mudd.

"Me and him - we've done some stuff after practice one-on-one," Justice said. "We've been doing that for the past month."

Justice has only played tackle using the vertical step, a blocking method in which offensive linemen take a step back to fend off a pass rusher. Mudd has his linemen step forward and almost instigate contact.

"It's always a little bit uncomfortable at first to try something new, but I think I feel comfortable," Justice said, adding: "just like riding a bike."

If Dunlap is sidelined, Herremans will be forced to play his third position on the line since the start of camp. Seventy-one of his 81 career regular-season starts have been at left guard. He was moved to right tackle, however, just before the start of the season when it was clear Justice wouldn't be ready and a handful of options weren't up to the task of protecting Vick's blind side.

Herremans has solidified right tackle, but he has more experience than Justice at left tackle - five career starts to one.

"We don't have too many other options right now," Herremans said.

If Justice or Herremans were to get injured, Evan Mathis would be the emergency tackle, Reid said. Moving Mathis to either tackle spot likely would be followed by center Jason Kelce's replacing him at left guard and Jamaal Jackson's coming off the bench to fill in at center.

That's a lot of bike swapping.

Extra points. As expected, defensive end Trent Cole (calf) and Peters were listed as out for the second consecutive game. Defensive end Juqua Parker (ankle) and defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (triceps) are probable. . . . Steve Smith's playing time has decreased since a pass in the Giants game deflected off his hands for an interception. The wide receiver was on the field for only three snaps Sunday against the Bills. He said his left knee, on which he had microfracture surgery last December, has not been holding him back. "I feel like my explosion is getting there," Smith said. "It's damn near there. It's just a matter of getting more plays in the offense." . . . Reid was asked about Mathis' and Kelce's asking fans to take down a sign that read "Andy, the time's . . . to go" outside the NovaCare Complex on Monday. "I really didn't get into that a whole lot," Reid said. Mathis and Kelce are "grown men [and] they did what they did."