Brian Dawkins

SHAWN SPRINGS wants to make one thing clear. If he does sign on with the Eagles as a free agent, it will not be to fill the void left by the recent departure of respected safety Brian Dawkins. It's not a role he relishes. It is not a role he wants to be put in. And frankly, it's not a role he feels he could accomplish. "First off, the guy you are talking about, Brian Dawkins, he's a guy who I know Philly fans really appreciate," said Springs, the veteran cornerback who visited the Eagles yesterday, "but he's a guy around the league that's well-respected.

AS A YOUNG Eagles fan, I was taught to bleed green, realizing that football may be my true religion. To this day, my passion has only intensified. But "faith" is about to be tested. I'm stunned by how the team could let the greatest safety in franchise history just walk away. Someone who was the heart and soul of the Eagles. After all that will be said, in the end, the face of our team and an all-out good guy will never again burst out of the tunnel. While fans get some generic excuse, there can be no logical rationale behind letting Brian Dawkins put on another NFL jersey.

What we're talking about after Eagles' win over the Broncos: -- The return: Brian Dawkins did his "Weapon X" routine exiting the Broncos' tunnel, rolling forward, rolling backward with a pike, shoving a cameraman out of the way (the cameraman was inside the players' high-five alley) and delighting a stadium full of people wearing his old Eagles No. 20 jersey. -- The return, Part 2: Running back Brian Westbrook, having missed seven of the last eight games with two concussions, looked tentative in his limited action.

UP NEXT Who: Eagles (5-4-1) at Baltimore (6-4) When: Sunday, 1 p.m. Where: M&T Bank Stadium TV: Fox Radio: WYSP (94.1-FM), WIP (610-AM) Last meeting: Eagles won, 15-10, on Oct. 31, 2004. Series history: Eagles lead, 1-0-1. The teams have never met at M&T Bank Stadium. EAGLES INJURY REPORT DeSean Jackson, nose contusion. Brian Dawkins, lower leg contusion. Victor Abiamiri, strained glute. POSTGAME VOICES -- "Everbody has a little piece of the pie. We all have to do our job better.

AFTER EXPRESSING such grave doubts about the Eagles' makeup last week, I can't very well pick them to beat the Cowboys this week, though I agree with everyone who has noted that Dallas has benefited from playing the Rams, Dolphins and Vikings, who have a combined record of 2-21. I don't want to be "hoist by my own petard," whatever that means. I think a petard is what T.O. wanted to wear in practice without the shorts, but Andy Reid wouldn't let him. I agree that there really isn't any great talent gulf between the Birds and Cowboys.

Donovan McNabb said in his most recent blog on yardbarker.com that his "shoulder is fine" and that he's been working out in Phoenix with teammate Brian Dawkins in preparation for the start of training camp. The Eagles quarterback and some of his teammates, including all rookies, are scheduled to report to Lehigh University on Monday. The first workout will take place a week from today, with the remaining veterans reporting July 24. McNabb, after providing an encouraging address on the state of Philadelphia sports, said he would be joined by some of his receivers this week.

As if he needed motivation, Brian Dawkins could be really fired up when he returns to Lincoln Financial Field next week. His struggling Denver Broncos are still in the AFC wild-card hunt, but they blew a golden opportunity yesterday by falling to the Oakland Raiders at home, 20-19. The Broncos (8-6) are running out of season to lock up a playoff spot and will take on an Eagles team that's on a five-game winning streak next Sunday afternoon (4:15, Channel 3). JaMarcus Russell threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Chaz Schilens with 35 seconds left in the scrum-filled win over the Broncos.

Donovan McNabb and Chad Lewis were added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster yesterday, giving the Eagles a total of seven players selected for the annual all-star game. The Eagles sent seven players, their largest group ever, after the 1979 season. That remains the club record. Cornerback Troy Vincent, selected in voting by players, coaches and fans, is not going to play in next Saturday's game in Honolulu. He aggravated a groin injury in the second quarter of Sunday's NFC championship game against St. Louis.

The Carolina Panthers made known their intention to run the ball before the first snap from scrimmage last night when they lined up in that venerable formation from the 1960s, the full-house backfield. And run they did. They proceeded to batter the Eagles defense with six straight running plays, each apparently taken from a 1968 Woody Hayes playbook, before Jake Delhomme, the Carolina quarterback, threw his first pass, a 7-yard lob to Steve Smith. For the game, the Panthers ran the ball 40 times and threw only 14 passes.