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Eagles Trying to Stay Airborne
Greg Lewis, above, and rookie Reggie Brown will be expected to take up the slack for the banished Terrell Owens.
(By Bradley C. Bower -- Associated Press)
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Brown said it took the players by surprise when Owens criticized the team's front office and McNabb during a televised interview last Thursday, a day after reportedly getting into a locker-room scuffle with former Eagles defensive end Hugh Douglas. Owens had publicly criticized McNabb earlier while engaged in a bitter contract dispute with the Eagles, but Brown said the relationship between McNabb and Owens seemed to be improving. Both showed up, as recently as Halloween, when players gathered to socialize and watch Monday night football games together, according to Brown.
"T.O. hung out with us off the football field," Brown said. "We would get together for Monday night football games and do things together. Donovan was there. T.O. was there. . . . Sometimes T.O. just does things [but] he was hanging with us off the football field, having fun."
There was little or no Owens-bashing in the Eagles' locker room Wednesday, but there was plenty of support expressed for McNabb and Reid, neither of whom was made available to reporters Wednesday. Brown called McNabb "a true professional" who's virtually impossible not to like. He called Reid "one of the nicest guys" and a coach who treats his players with respect. Brown, like Westbrook, said he wished that Owens had issued Tuesday's apology last week instead of the truncated version that the Eagles deemed insufficient. That led the team to leave Owens home for Sunday night's loss to the Washington Redskins.
Had Owens issued a more complete apology last week, Brown said, "he would have been in Washington playing against the Redskins, without a doubt."
Brown added: "I think it's a shame it got to this point. But it's over and done with, and it's time to move on. . . . When I listened to [Tuesday's] apology, I think it's sincere. But I really don't know if someone will give him a second chance, and you really can't blame them. It's really sad because he sounded like he was crying out for help . . . but he may have burned all his bridges and there may not be help available."
The Owens-less Eagles managed only 10 points against the Redskins and will take a 4-4 record into Monday night's game here against the Dallas Cowboys. They're in last place in the NFC East, a division they've won four straight years, but they vowed Wednesday not to give up on their season.
"You keep playing," Trotter said. "You keep fighting. We're in too deep. You can't quit."
Said Kearse: "We believe. We know for a fact that if we do what we're supposed to do and not let this continue to be a distraction, we're going to be all right."
