Eagles playing for seeding

Times wires
Monday, December 27, 2010

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles, who have clinched the NFC East, are playing for a better playoff seeding when they host the Vikings tonight in a snow-delayed game.

If Philadelphia wins, it will be in the running for one of the top two seeds and a first-round bye. A loss would lock Philadelphia into the No. 3 seed, and it would host the sixth-seeded team on Jan. 8 or 9.

A snowstorm and concern for public safety pushed the game back two days. It's difficult to say which team benefited most from the postponement.

Despite additional recovery time, Vikings quarterback Brett Favre likely won't play. He did not pass the first part of post-concussion testing Monday and was listed as doubtful.

"He's still having trouble with the initial test, which leads you to believe it's going to be very, very difficult to do anything other than where he is right now," Minnesota coach Leslie Frazier said.

If Favre can't play, Joe Webb, 24, will get his first career start.

Running back Adrian Peterson told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he would play. The NFC's third-leading rusher was listed as questionable with a thigh bruise, but he said the extra rest "helps a lot."

Placid weather conditions could assist the Eagles. The forecast calls for clear skies, mild winds and a game-time temperature of 32 degrees, vastly different from Sunday's driving snowstorm that could have neutralized the Eagles' speed advantage.

Tebow to start: The Broncos will give rookie quarterback Tim Tebow a third straight start Sunday against the Chargers, which seems to give him the inside track to win the job next season. "We all want him to be really, really good right now, because that is for all of our benefit," interim coach Eric Studesville said. "He works as hard as any person I have ever been around in this game, and the limits, I do not know what they are right now." Said NFL Network commentator Deion Sanders: "Forget his delivery and his arm action and his accuracy; he gets the job done.''

Former dolphin dies: Former Dolphins offensive tackle Eric Laakso, a member of two Super Bowl teams, was found dead at his Pompano Beach home Saturday. Laakso, 54, had battled heart disease. Drafted by Miami out of Tulsa in 1978, he was part of Super Bowl teams in 1982 (lost to Redskins) and 1984 (lost to 49ers).

Cowboys: Jon Kitna will start at quarterback Sunday if his strained abdominal muscle heals, but it seems more likely that second-year backup Stephen McGee will make his first career start.

49ers: With coach Mike Singletary fired Sunday night, team president and CEO Jed York is turning to his uncle, former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr., for advice. DeBartolo will serve as a consultant in the process of finding a general manager, and York plans to talk to Patriots president Jonathan Kraft about what works so well for New England. A GM will be put in place before a coach is hired, and there's no timetable. Jim Tomsula, the promoted defensive line coach, will coach this week. Also fired were pass rush specialist coach Al Harris and inside linebackers coach Vantz Singletary, the former coach's nephew.

Seahawks: Charlie Whitehurst is expected to start at quarterback Sunday against the Rams, but coach Pete Carroll wasn't ready to rule out Matt Hasselbeck. The regular starter sustained a strain to his lower back/hip area against the Bucs. Hasselbeck had an MRI and tests Monday morning, and the results had Carroll somewhat optimistic.

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