Panthers

Up-Down Drill   Nick Foles In a season full of disappointment, the latest has been back-to-back uninspiring performances from the rookie quarterback. Any evaluation on Foles' future has to come with the caveat of playing behind a rotten line. But he has not looked like the answer to the Eagles' quarterback problem.   Bryce Brown Given the opportunity to log more carries, Brown was amazing and, well, not amazing. The running back set a franchise record for rushing yards in a game by a rookie, but he also fumbled twice.

IT'S REALLY unlikely that the Eagles are going to lose out, going winless in October, November and December, but until I see them beat somebody, I'm not picking them. This Panthers defense is better than the one Nick Foles couldn't muster a touchdown against last week at Washington. Of course, at home Foles might have an easier time communicating, his offensive line might be a little better, but I figure the loss of LeSean McCoy more than makes up for any advantage there. Todd Bowles said this week that Cam Newton is a bigger, stronger version of Robert Griffin III. Given what RG3 did to Bowles' defense last week, Eagles fans have to hope the defensive coordinator was just blowing smoke.

The suspense of Monday night's game between the Eagles and the Panthers will pale in comparison to the suspense on the day after the season concludes, when the fates of Eagles coach Andy Reid and Carolina coach Ron Rivera might be determined. A game between a 3-7 team and a 2-8 team is unlikely to possess postseason implications. Reid and Rivera's jobs could have an expiration date of Dec. 31 - if not sooner - after underachieving seasons for both franchises. "I don't go there - that's not how this thing works," Reid said of his job security.

Here is Paul Domowitch's report card from the Eagles' loss against the Panthers.  Click here  to enter your grades. We will publish the results in Wednesday's Daily News. RUSHING OFFENSE: No LeSean McCoy? No problem. Rookie Bryce Brown had an outstanding first half, rushing for 129 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown run. Brown had four double-digit runs in the first half and gained 26 yards on a pair of direct-snap run. He rushed for 150-plus yards and two touchdowns, but also had two costly fumbles.

When the Panthers run The Panthers averaged an NFL-best 5.4 yards a carry in 2011 but they have plummeted to only 4.0 yards this season. Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, who combined for 1,597 rushing yards last year, have been unspectacular this season. Stewart is averaging just 3.6 yards; Williams is at 3.4. The loss of Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil, who suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 5, has hurt. His replacement, Geoff Hangartner, has not done well opening holes.

Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy were officially listed as out for Monday night's game, but only one may not ever play again for the Eagles. Vick and McCoy, as expected, were not far enough in their return from concussions to be eligible to play against the Carolina Panthers. Rookies Nick Foles and Bryce Brown will start in their places at quarterback and running back. Vick, who suffered his concussion a week before McCoy, on Nov. 11, was further along and in Phase 3 (more strenuous exercise)

Panthers wide receiver  Steve Smith  labeled Monday night's lowdown between 2-8 Carolina and the 3-7 Eagles the "Battle of the Bads. " What once looked like a meeting between new-school and old-school multifaceted quarterbacks has fizzled into a game of survival for the coaches of both teams. Andy Reid  and  Ron Rivera  both appear to be on their way out, but a victory might at least hold off the charge for one week (or not). Rivera was once a defensive assistant under Reid, as was Panthers defensive coordinator  Sean McDermott , whom Reid fired two seasons ago. Michael Vick  is out for a second straight week for the Eagles with a concussion, so there won't be a Vick- Cam Newton  matchup.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The season is starting to become a blur for the Carolina Panthers as one heartbreaking loss bleeds into another. But it's hard to imagine one tougher to swallow than Sunday's 27-21 overtime defeat to the rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers in which the Panthers surrendered an 11-point lead with six minutes left in regulation. "It's kind of been the story of our season," quarterback Cam Newton said. No doubt. Of Carolina's last six losses, the Panthers (2-8) have led in the fourth quarter in five of them.

The Pittsburgh Steelers escaped with a victory. The health of their franchise quarterback is another matter entirely. The Steelers edged the woeful Kansas City Chiefs, 16-13, in overtime on Monday night in Pittsburgh but lost Ben Roethlisberger for most of the second half - and perhaps a lot longer - with a right shoulder injury. Roethlisberger left the game early in the third quarter after getting slammed to the turf by Kansas City linebackers Tamba Hali and Justin Houston and did not return.