Sean Considine

Even before he replaced Michael Lewis in the Eagles' starting lineup five games ago, second-year safety Sean Considine had been seeing extensive action. A fourth-round draft choice out of Iowa, the 25-year-old Considine has contributed 50 tackles and two pass breakups. He is third on the Eagles with 18 special-teams tackles. Considine talked about the transition from his rookie year and the team's outlook going into the final five games of the season. Question: You played in just six games as a rookie because of injury or being inactive.

At the end of another sweltering training-camp practice, Sean Considine walked to the edge of the field toward an air-conditioned training facility. With his white T-shirt sweat-soaked, the second-year Eagles safety stopped in the end zone and started up another lesson. He spent 10 minutes under the scorching sun talking to secondary coach Sean McDermott, asking about tackling techniques and foot placement and how the heck to bring down Brian Westbrook - something he has done quite well a few times in camp.

ADDED Stacy Andrews, OL. Signed a 6-year contract as an unrestricted free agent from Cincinnati. LOST Brian Dawkins, FS. Signed a 5-year contract with Denver. Lito Sheppard, CB. Traded to the New York Jets for two draft picks. Correll Buckhalter, RB. Signed a 4-year contract with Denver. Sean Considine, S. Signed a 2-year contract with Jacksonville.  

Days after deciding to let safety/return specialist J.R. Reed go - again - Andy Reid was asked whether he was OK with his depth at the safety position. "I am," the Eagles coach said. It will be interesting to see how Reid feels about that this week. Brian Dawkins left the game in the fourth quarter with what was later called a neck stinger. The Eagles' defensive leader, who only hours before had entertained the crowd with his introductory dance, was down for some time after laying out Todd Yoder during the Redskins' opening drive of the quarter.

UP NEXT Who: N.Y. Giants (7-1) at Eagles (5-3) When: Sunday, 8:15 p.m. Where: Lincoln Financial Field TV: NBC10 Radio: WYSP (94.1-FM), WIP (610-AM) Last meeting: Giants won, 16-13, on Dec. 9 at Lincoln Financial Field. David Akers hit the right upright on a game-tying field goal attempt with seconds remaining. Series history: Giants lead, 81-68-2. The teams have split six meetings at the Linc. EAGLES INJURY REPORT Lito Sheppard, groin. Did not return.

On the football field, two-time Pro Bowler Trent Cole has gained a reputation for chasing down quarterbacks. But when the Eagles defensive end takes off his uniform, his passion is for stalking a different type of prey. "It's a passion I have," Cole said of his desire for outdoor pursuits like hunting and fishing. Cole is such an avid hunter and fisherman that this July he'll be debuting his own outdoor reality show on the Pursuit Channel on DIRECTV. Cole is joining other outdoor enthusiasts, such as rocker/alpha male/meat eater Ted Nugent, on the Pursuit Channel, which offers shows like "Tooth, Fang & Claw TV," "Arrow Affliction" and "Average Joe's Huntin' Show.

For a team that played in the Super Bowl after the 2004 season, the Eagles will enter this postseason with a large number of starters who are as green as the team's uniforms - at least as far as playoff experience is concerned. When the Eagles (10-6) host the New York Giants (8-8) in today's wild-card game at Lincoln Financial Field, 10 of their 22 starters will be making their first postseason appearance. That is a high number for a team that has qualified for the playoffs in six of the last seven seasons.

The way this week went for the Eagles, you can get the impression the Dallas Cowboys put a torch to them on their way out of town following the 38-17 pounding they gave them at Lincoln Financial Field Sunday night. The lopsided nature of the loss heightened speculation the Eagles are being led by a coach, Andy Reid, whose attention is divided because of family problems. It prompted the quarterback, Donovan McNabb, to say there's plenty of blame to go around for the mess they're in, so don't single out him. His leadership then was again brought into question.

Moments after extricating his 6-foot-5, 265-pound frame from the stock car's cockpit, Sav Rocca walked sheepishly toward the board toting the speeds posted during yesterday's exhibition runs at Dover International Speedway. Rocca is no oversize would-be NASCAR driver, but rather a burly Australian-rules football star who hopes to turn coaches' heads when he joins fellow rookies and free agents for the opening of the Eagles' training camp tomorrow at Lehigh University. By topping the charts with a run at 119.72 m.p.h.

Terrell Owens was right where he always wants to be - at the center of attention. Then he disappeared. With the spotlight of a marquee Monday-night matchup squarely on him, the Dallas Cowboys' flashy, controversial wide receiver seized it in the first half of Dallas' 41-37 victory over the Eagles, blazing onto center stage with a display both breathtaking and history-making. The history came with his first touchdown, a 72-yard bolt that gave the Cowboys an early 7-3 lead.

Up-Down Drill   Michael Vick The first interception had an uh-oh, not-again feeling to it, but Vick was pretty darn near perfect the rest of the way. Sure, there were a few throws he wanted back. But for the second straight week the quarterback willed the Eagles to a comeback victory.   Joe Flacco South Jersey's own looked like a different quarterback than the one in the opener last Monday night. Maybe the short week had something to do with it. Maybe the Ravens were looking ahead to the Patriots.

The Eagles are deep at cornerback, need to upgrade at linebacker and should get younger on the defensive line. But what about at safety, where the directive is much less clear? For that answer look to Nate Allen. The Eagles, before they launch their plans at the position, must gauge their confidence in the third-year safety for next season. Do they believe in the Allen that aggressively made tackles all over the field at Buffalo and finished last season on the upswing?

On the afternoon before the Eagles selected Temple safety Jaiquawn Jarrett with the 54th pick in the draft, Quintin Mikell took advantage of the temporary lifting of the lockout to swing by the NovaCare Complex. There were things in his locker he wanted. Pictures. Footballs. Cleats. Memorabilia. Workout gear. As he was waiting for a security guard to collect his belongings, Mikell bumped into Howie Roseman, then Andy Reid. They exchanged pleasantries, nothing more. Mikell heard them loud and clear.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Late in the second quarter the Eagles had the lead, but had not played a great first half. Then, on their last opportunity of the half, Michael Vick changed the complexion of the game, leading a quick-hitting touchdown drive and effectively knocking out the toothless Jaguars. For Vick and the Eagles, it was the second consecutive week in which they took control of a game with a late first-half touchdown. Perhaps more importantly for Vick's long-term prospects, it was the second consecutive week that the new starter did so with patience and precision.

On the football field, two-time Pro Bowler Trent Cole has gained a reputation for chasing down quarterbacks. But when the Eagles defensive end takes off his uniform, his passion is for stalking a different type of prey. "It's a passion I have," Cole said of his desire for outdoor pursuits like hunting and fishing. Cole is such an avid hunter and fisherman that this July he'll be debuting his own outdoor reality show on the Pursuit Channel on DIRECTV. Cole is joining other outdoor enthusiasts, such as rocker/alpha male/meat eater Ted Nugent, on the Pursuit Channel, which offers shows like "Tooth, Fang & Claw TV," "Arrow Affliction" and "Average Joe's Huntin' Show.

As one of a handful of Eagles safeties to play alongside Brian Dawkins, J.R. Reed knows firsthand what Nate Allen is stepping into. He also, coincidentally enough, knows the new Eagles safety firsthand. Reed, a graduate assistant coach, helped tutor Allen last season at South Florida. The former Eagle also played under Sean McDermott when the defensive coordinator was the Eagles' secondary coach, which may have had a smidgen to do with the team's taking Allen in the second round Friday night.

ANDY REID gave the rest of the National Football League its first glimpse of his plans for Michael Vick last night. Judging by the results, it's safe to say none of the league's defensive coordinators went rushing to the medicine cabinet for a Xanax. Vick, who hadn't played in an NFL game in 32 months, was on the field for five snaps in the Eagles' 33-32 preseason win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Lined up as the quarterback in the Wildcat formation all five times, completing four of four passes for 19 yards and running once for 1 yard.

When veteran safety Brian Dawkins left the Eagles for the Denver Broncos, Quintin Demps didn't assume the team would award him the starting position as if it were his birthright. Demps, after all, was used mostly as a kick returner last season. And when the rookie played more late in the season as part of the team's dime package (six defensive backs), whatever gains he had made to that point were undone with a disastrous performance in the NFC championship game. And so, when Dawkins and fellow veteran safety Sean Considine left in February via free agency, the team did as Demps expected.

Rashad Baker has already played a major role in getting the Eagles to the playoffs, and he just signed with the team yesterday. Baker, a Camden native, came up with a game-clinching interception on the final day of the 2008 regular season, which made the Eagles' finale against the Dallas Cowboys meaningful. Baker, a product of Woodrow Wilson High School and the University of Tennessee, intercepted a Jeff Garcia pass to seal visiting Oakland's upset of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Donovan McNabb said goodbye late Monday night. No, he didn't say that word to the Eagles. The quarterback said so long to his old pals Brian Dawkins and Tra Thomas, both of whom have left the Eagles via free agency. "I?usually don't remark about teammates unless asked, but I felt it was necessary to share my thoughts on a couple Yardbarker.com blog. "I have been a part of the Philadelphia Eagles for 10 years and I have not played a game, attended a practice, sweated in training camp, built a playground, or participated in a Carnival, and more importantly dreamed of a championship parade, without Brian Dawkins and Tra Thomas being a part of it. "We all had a goal of bringing a championship to this city and while we didn't achieve that goal, we have had a lot of successes during our time together.