NFC notebook
Rookie Jackson is McNabb’s playmaker
TEMPE, Ariz. — Last offseason, quarterback Donovan McNabb lobbied hard for the Philadelphia Eagles to give him another playmaker on offense. Enter wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
The rookie has given Philadelphia a big-play threat it hasn’t had at the receiver position since Terrell Owens ran routes for the Eagles before being run out of town.
A second-round draft pick, Jackson led the Eagles with 62 catches for a club rookie-record 912 yards. The only NFL rookie to finish with more catches and yards was Denver’s Eddie Royal.
“You’re seeing a young receiver in DeSean Jackson making plays for us,” McNabb said. “That’s something that excites me.”
In the Eagles’ 26-14 wildcard win at Minnesota, Jackson caught a 34-yard pass that set up a field goal. He also set a team postseason record with 109 yards on punt returns. His 62-yard return in the first quarter (the second longest in the team’s postseason history) led to another field goal.
“I’m just trying to go out every day and do what I do, which is make plays,” Jackson said. “I’m happy to be on a team that gives me opportunities to do that.”
While Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin are the marquee receivers in the NFC Championship Game, Jackson and rapidly emerging Jason Avant are part of an unheralded corps of Eagles wideouts who have performed well in the playoffs and earned McNabb’s confidence.
“You try to give guys opportunities to make plays for you and that’s something I told myself early on in this offseason that I was going to do that and show that trust in all those guys,” McNabb said. “Those two particular guys have really been playing well for us. The same with [tight ends] L. J. Smith and Brent Celek and [wide receiver] Kevin Curtis coming off of injury. So guys have really stepped in, like Hank Baskett, Greg Lewis and Reggie Brown. They’ve made plays when given the opportunity and that’s all you can ask from guys on the outside.”
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Boldin practiced on a limited basis again Thursday, but coach Ken Whisenhunt was encouraged that Boldin’s hamstring is getting better. Boldin is expected to play Sunday. How effective he’ll be remains to be seen.
“He looked better today,” Whisenhunt said after practice. “The biggest thing with Anquan is just seeing how he can continue to do that from a day-to-day basis. But it looks to me like it’s improving, he’s feeling better. Hopefully that will be the case [today]. That will be another critical day for us to see.”
Also limited in practice were tight end Ben Patrick (knee) and defensive end Travis LaBoy (ankle). An interesting addition to Arizona’s injury report was punter Ben Graham, who was limited with a groin injury.
As for the Eagles, running back Brian Westbrook (knee) and right tackle Jon Runyan (knee) were held out of practice for the second straight day. Both will start, however. Avant (knee), running back Correll Buckhalter (knee) and safety Brian Dawkins (back) practiced fully after being limited Wednesday.
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Red T-shirts with the words “Prove It” on the front were placed in every Cardinals player’s locker this week. The idea came from Anthony Edwards, the team’s director of player development.
“It’s a great slogan, and, obviously, we have to prove a lot to a lot of people, and that’s fine with us,” Pro Bowl safety Adrian Wilson said. “It’s fine with 53 guys in this locker room. I think that’s the only people when we’ve played who have given us a chance. We just try to get motivation from that.”
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