Jamaal Jackson

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Mike McGlynn needed someone to snap to. But how many centers have a ready-made quarterback on call? So in the off-season, the Eagles offensive linemen picked the person closest to him to take snap after snap after snap. "I put my wife four yards back in the shotgun, and I made her catch them," McGlynn said Monday. "She looks at me and she just shakes her head: 'Really, do I have to do this?' " And McGlynn's husbandly response to his wife, Megan, was?

Who: Eagles at Bengals   When: Tonight, 8 o'clock   Where: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati   TV: FOX29   Radio: WYSP (94.1-FM) and WIP (610-AM)   5 THINGS TO WATCH 1. Red zone: Nobody would have made a big deal out of the Eagles' settling for a pair of field goals on the first-team offense's two complete drives of the preseason opener last week if this hadn't been a recurring theme of the past few seasons.

Donovan McNabb was asked whether Eagles defensive backs coach Brian Stewart, the former Cowboys defensive coordinator, had been of any help this week, as the Birds prepare to host his former team Sunday night. "No, not at all, not at all," the quarterback said, smiling extra wide, in case the questioner did not get that he was being facetious. "Who's Brian Stewart?" center Jamaal Jackson asked, in a similar vein. Ha, ha. Yuk-yuk. NFL teams play against former teammates and coaches all the time; usually, it doesn't have much to do with the outcome.

All right guys, here's the question: What's the biggest matchup in this game? Jacques, you've seen every game the Cowboys have played. What scares them about the Eagles? And Brookie, same to you, from the Eagles' perspective. The biggest matchup is Andy Reid's staff and scheme vs. Wade Phillips' staff and scheme. Reid might not have a ring, but he's won a lot of big games, including 10 in the playoffs and one lopsided one for a trip to the playoffs last year at the Linc. Phillips is 0-for-life in the playoff department and the gorilla on his back is three times the size of the one attached to Reid's.

Rutgers offensive tackle Anthony Davis worked out for the Eagles on Monday, and, according to his Twitter account, he "killed it. " The Eagles have worked out and will work out dozens of draft prospects in preparation for the April 22-24 draft, but not many of them are expected to be top?20 picks, and not many hail from just up the New Jersey Turnpike. "Just got done workin out for the Eagles," Davis wrote. "Killed it. " The 6-foot-5, 323-pound Davis is considered one of the top tackles in this year's draft.

Pitt running back LeSean McCoy, a former star at Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, will make a pre-draft visit to the Eagles, a league source said yesterday. The Eagles, in need of a running back to complement Brian Westbrook, could use one of their two first-round picks on one of the top college runners in this year's draft, which takes place April 25 and 26 in New York. McCoy is one of four running backs Eagles general manager Tom Heckert touted as a potential first-round pick at the NFL owners' meetings last week in Southern California.

With Eagles center Hank Fraley out for the season with a torn rotator cuff, Jamaal Jackson will get his first chance to play and start in an NFL game. Coach Andy Reid announced yesterday that Jackson will start at center against Dallas in Monday night's key NFC East game at Lincoln Financial field. The Eagles signed Jackson this week from their practice squad. Jackson was originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Delaware State in 2003, and spent most of that season on the practice squad.

Things to look for when the Eagles visit the Dolphins on Sunday.   Red zone The Eagles are dead last in the NFL with eight turnovers in the red zone, which certainly hasn't helped their overall red-zone efficiency ranking. In all, the Eagles have converted just 47 percent of their red-zone possessions into touchdowns, which ranks them 21st in the league. The Dolphins won't make improving that percentage any easier. Miami has allowed touchdowns on only 37 percent of opponents' trips inside its own 20.   Real McCoy LeSean McCoy's rushing numbers have tailed off over the last few weeks - mostly not his fault - but he still has a couple of franchise records within his sights.

Things to look for when the Eagles play host to the Cardinals on Sunday.   True Stew A number of the Eagles' free-agent signings have turned out to be less than advertised, but none come close to matching the bust that Stewart Bradley has been in Arizona. The Cardinals signed the former Eagles linebacker to a five-year, $30 million contract, which at this point sounds ridiculous. Bradley has started only one game and can get on the field only on special teams.