McNabb, Eagles, Face Test in Green Bay

Sep 7, 2007, 16:39 GMT

- Donovan McNabb will make his formal return to the field on Sunday afternoon, when the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback leads his team into battle against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

It was last Nov. 19th when McNabb, a five-time Pro Bowl honoree, tore his right ACL after being bumped out of bounds by defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch in an eventual loss to the Tennessee Titans.

McNabb missed the final six games of the regular season and two playoff contests, as backup Jeff Garcia (now with Tampa Bay) rallied Philadelphia from a 5-5 start to a 10-6 finish and NFC East title.

The Syracuse product returned to the field in the preseason, looking relatively sharp, but Sunday will be his first full-game test on the surgically repaired knee.

McNabb and the Eagles will be facing a Green Bay team looking to build upon a strong finish to the 2006 season. After opening the Mike McCarthy era 1-4 and entering the final quarter of the season at 4-8, the Packers won their final four games to finish .500 and just miss the postseason.

A win on Sunday would give the Pack its first five-game win streak since the franchise won six in a row in 2004, and would also put the team on the positive side of .500 for the first time since that 10-6 season.

Green Bay was just 3-5 at storied Lambeau last season, including blowout losses to the Bears (26-0), Patriots (35-0), and Jets (38-10).

SERIES HISTORY

Green Bay has a 22-13 advantage in its all-time regular season series with Philadelphia, but has lost its last four such matchups with the Eagles. In Week 4 of last season, the Packers came into Lincoln Financial Field and were dealt a 31-9 setback. The Packers' most recent victory over the Eagles came at home in 2000, a 6-3 triumph. Philadelphia's most recent trip to Lambeau Field came in 2003, when they escaped with a 17-14 victory.

The Eagles hold a 2-0 advantage in the postseason series with the Packers, winning a 2004 NFC Divisional Playoff (20-17 in overtime) and the 1960 NFL Championship (17-13).

Eagles head coach Andy Reid is 5-1 against the franchise for which he served as an assistant coach from 1992 through 1998. The Packers' McCarthy is 0-1 against both Reid and the Eagles as a head coach.

WHEN THE EAGLES HAVE THE BALL

McNabb was well on his way to a banner statistical year when he was injured last season, as he had passed for 2,647 yards and 18 touchdowns versus just six interceptions in 10 games. Though the supporting cast around the signal- caller has changed slightly in the interim, there is little reason to suspect that the 30-year-old won't be productive again. Running back Brian Westbrook (1217 rushing yards, 77 receptions, 11 TD) and wideout Reggie Brown (46 receptions, 8 TD) return as McNabb's most reliable targets, though the status of another roster staple, tight end L.J. Smith (50 receptions, 5 TD), is unknown for Sunday. If Smith (sports hernia) can't go, backups Matt Schobel (14 receptions, 2 TD) and promising rookie Brent Celek (Cincinnati) will have to pick up the slack. Former Ram Kevin Curtis (40 receptions, 4 TD with St. Louis) takes the place of the departed Donte' Stallworth (now with the Patriots) at the other receiver, and second-year man Jason Avant (7 receptions, 1 TD) appears ready to emerge as the No. 3 wideout.

The Green Bay defense played well down the stretch in 2006, holding its final four opponents to a combined 42 points (10.5 per game) in a quartet of wins. At the heart of that effort was defensive end Aaron Kampman (89 tackles, 16 sacks), who made the Pro Bowl after leading the NFC in sacks and will have his sights set on McNabb from start to finish. New faces in the front-four rotation include tackles Johnny Jolly (4 tackles), a second-year man, and rookie Justin Harrell (Tennessee). The linebacking corps of Nick Barnett (105 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INT) in the middle and A.J. Hawk (119 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 INT) and Brady Poppinga (60 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) on the outside returns in full, while strong safety Atari Bigby (2 tackles) is the only new starter in a secondary led by cornerbacks Al Harris (41 tackles, 3 INT) and Charles Woodson (59 tackles, 8 INT). The Packers had 23 interceptions last season, which ranked third in the league behind Baltimore (28) and Chicago (24).

WHEN THE PACKERS HAVE THE BALL

Set to make his 238th consecutive start, a streak that dates back to the 1992 season, is Packers quarterback and 37-year-old warrior Brett Favre (3885 passing yards in '06). With 414 career touchdowns, Favre is currently six behind Dan Marino on the NFL all-time list. The eight-time Pro Bowl selection threw just 18 TD passes last season, his fewest in a 16-game campaign, but trimmed his interception total from 29 in 2005 to just 18. Hoping to join his quarterback in the lineup this week is top Green Bay wideout Donald Driver (92 receptions, 8 TD), who missed time in the preseason with a sprained foot. If Driver is unable to go, second-year-man Greg Jennings (45 receptions, 3 TD) and rookie James Jones (San Jose State) will be the likely starters at wide receiver. Tight ends Donald Lee (10 receptions) and Bubba Franks (25 receptions) also return to assist Favre. The position to watch for the Pack on Sunday could be running back, where Vernand Morency (421 rushing yards, 2 TD) and rookie Brandon Jackson (Nebraska) are vying for time. Longtime backfield staple Ahman Green defected to Houston via free agency during the offseason.

Favre will be facing an Eagles defense that has undergone several key changes since he saw them last season. Gone are former starting linebackers Jeremiah Trotter (middle) and Dhani Jones (strong side), with second-year men Omar Gaither (62 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) and Chris Gocong set to start in their places. The third member of the linebacking group is also new, as ex-Bengal and Bill Takeo Spikes (76 tackles, 1 sack with Buffalo) takes over for the demoted Matt McCoy (66 tackles, 2 sacks) on the weak side. Up front, former Colt Montae Reagor (22 tackles, 1 sack with Indianapolis) and ex-Jet Kimo von Oelhoffen (28 tackles, 1 sack with the Jets) should be a major part of the tackle rotation. The pass rush will be led by Jevon Kearse (4 sacks), who missed the last 14 games of 2006 with a knee injury and is attempting a full return. In the secondary, free safety Brian Dawkins (93 tackles, 4 INT, 1 sack) and cornerbacks Sheldon Brown (52 tackles, 1 INT) and Lito Sheppard (30 tackles, 6 INT) are all experienced regulars.

FANTASY FOCUS

Apart from Brian Westbrook, always a must to start, the most notable offensive players in this game will be a more risky venture for fantasy managers. It is difficult to tell how McNabb will fare coming off the injury, and Favre has not been a great fantasy play for the past couple of years due to reduced TD totals. Two of the main pass-catchers, Driver and Eagles tight end Smith, are iffy due to injuries, and Green Bay's running back rotation does not appear set in stone. Proceed with caution is the message here.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

It might be a sacrilege to say that Lambeau Field has lost its mystique as it celebrates its 50th anniversary, though it is accurate to say that visitors no longer seem intimidated by its aura. The Packers put forth a high-quality effort at Lambeau just once in eight games last year, a 31-14 win over a weak Arizona team in Week 8. Every quality opponent that entered Green Bay last season came out with a win, and there is little reason to expect Philadelphia to fare any differently. Even with questions about the health of McNabb and Kearse lingering, the Eagles are still a stronger and more veteran team on both sides of the football, and should take control of this one in the second half.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Eagles 27, Packers 17

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