Eagles Notes: Eagles' Jason Babin defends criticism of fans for 'vile' chants

Jason Babin questioned the loyalty of some Eagles fans on Twitter this week, but he said Thursday that it was in response to "vile" chants about Andy Reid and others at Lincoln Financial Field during Sunday's 30-17 loss to the Falcons.

"During the game there was a good section of fans chanting some of the most vile things I've ever heard - not just at a football game, but in life in general," Babin said. "Talking about attacking Coach, talking about people's wives and kids and chanting them. And I just thought there is no place for that in the NFL.

"And I'm going to be protective of Coach Reid and Coach [Jim Washburn] and my teammates. It was upsetting that a few bad apples were chanting that stuff, but what are you going to do?"

On Tuesday, Babin, one of the more outspoken players in the locker room, posted the following on Twitter:

"LOYALTY: loy·al·ty: noun, plural loy·al·ties: The state or quality of being loyal; faithfulness to commitments or obligations. . . . There are 17 teams with the same record or worse than us. Thanks for being loyal fans. We'll get it right."

The Eagles are 3-4 and head to New Orleans for Monday night's game against the Saints. Fan frustration continues to grow with each loss. Apathy is also starting to set in; the Linc was more than half empty at the start of the fourth quarter with the Eagles trailing, 27-10.

The only audible chants heard from the press box were "Fire Andy!"

Babin said he could not repeat the ones he heard. "And I've got a pretty high threshold for adult jokes," he said.

Wide receiver DeSean Jackson was asked about Eagles fans during an appearance on ESPN radio's Mike and Mike Tuesday.

"Philadelphia fans, they are definitely the type of people where if you're doing good they love you, but once you're doing bad it's like the world is going to end," he said. "To be out there and hear our home [crowd] booing us, it's a crazy feeling at times."

Andy Reid said that guard Danny Watkins, who has a chronic ankle condition, would struggle to play Monday.

With Watkins questionable, Dennis Kelly could get his second straight start at right guard. Reid said the rookie did a "respectable job" Sunday. With Watkins' inconsistencies this season, Reid was asked whether he would retain his starting job when he returns.

"We'll see," Reid said. "I want to see how he feels once he gets in there, [and] we'll take it from there."

Kelly, a fifth-round draft pick, was asked whether he had been given any indication from coaches that the job was there for the taking.

"Some players have talked about it, just saying, 'If you're in there, you're in there for a reason,' " Kelly said.

Watkins' injury came out of nowhere. Reid said last week that he knew about it as far back as the draft. He said the 2011 first-round draft pick reinjured the ankle two weeks ago against the Lions and again in practice last week.

"He's got a bit of a component of a high-ankle [sprain], and it's got a bit of a component of a low-ankle," Reid said. He added: "This will pass here. It's not where it's going to be career-ending or anything."

Reid said there was a chance defensive tackle Mike Patterson, who returned to practice for the first time last week after undergoing January brain surgery, could play against the Saints. The Eagles have until Nov. 13 to decide whether to activate Patterson or place him on season-ending injured reserve. . . . Defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins didn't practice because of a hyperextended knee. He said he expected to play. . . . Wide receiver Mardy Gilyard (hamstring) is out. Reid said Damaris Johnson would return punts against the Saints.