Eagles midseason report card

Daily News Eagles beat writer Les Bowen offers his grades on the team at the halfway mark:

QUARTERBACK: D

There's no question Donovan McNabb started the season with not nearly enough mobility or confidence in his repaired ACL. The situation has improved, but not as much as you'd like. McNabb badly needed to disarm his critics Sunday night at home against the Cowboys. Instead, he handed his critics a loaded Glock, with those two horrible first-half turnovers that helped suck the life out of the team. Ever since McNabb started struggling in 2005, his judgement has been an issue; it seems somehow related to his health and his confidence. He'll be playing for his future here over the next several weeks, whether that's ultimately fair or not.

RUNNING BACK: B+

This is the one spot where you can't pin much blame. Or any, really. The only problem here is the one we're all sick of discussing, lack of opportunity in key situations. And lack of blocking, which isn't the backs' fault. The Eagles are going to end up wasting the prime of one of the most potent wepons they've ever had, Brian Westbrook.

OFFENSIVE LINE: C-

Extremely disappointing, considering the 2006 stretch drive. Does the playcalling factor in? Certainly. Was it easier to avoid sacks when the QB (Jeff Garcia) got the ball out quicker? Yep. But is there really any good reason for All-Pro guard Shawn Andrews to blow his assignment on a key third-and-1against Dallas? No. In fact, this is one of those areas where the breakdowns are hardest to explain, where some players (re: center Jamaal Jackson) seem to have gone backward.

RECEIVERS: C-

If you put one big-time difference-maker in here, you'd have a great group. It's too bad Reggie Brown seems to not be that guy, after all. Maybe he will be someday for Kevin Kolb. Maybe now that L.J. Smith is healthy, the coaching staff will remember he exists. Disappointing progress from Jason Avant and Hank Baskett.

SPECIAL TEAMS: D-

Bad teams have bad special teams, because the talent level on special teams reflects the depth of the roster. David Akers is still around; he keeps this from being an "F."

DEFENSIVE LINE: C