Linebacker Jamar Chaney is preparing as if he will indeed start Sunday in the wild card matchup against the Green Bay Packers. He met with linebackers coach Bill Shuey this week during the Eagles' off days and knew the game plan before the team reconvened on Wednesday.

Stewart Bradley expressed optimism that he would return from his dislocated elbow this week, but missed Wednesday's practice and Thursday morning's walkthrough. Chaney said that he hasn't worked on learning any other position that the MIKE (middle) linebacker spot.

"I'm preparing like any other week," Chaney said. "I'm just making sure I take advantage of the opportunity, maximize these reps that I get in practice and be ready to go Sunday. There's a sense of urgency. We want to go out and play well as a team, but we also want to play well as a defense. We have to put the work in this week studying the film, doing the little things and make sure they happen on Sunday."

Chaney was held out of the regular season finale against the Cowboys. In his two starts, Chaney accumulated 24 tackles - including 16 in the Week 15 thriller against the Giants - a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble. Other than the Cowboys game, the only other game Chaney did not play in this season was the season opener ... against the Packers.

"You look at how they tried to attack our defense and you can take some things from it," Chaney said. "Some of the stuff they did in that game they don't do anymore."

The seventh-round pick out of Mississippi State feels "blessed" to be in the position that he is in and does not appear overwhelmed with the responsibility of making the calls against the league's fifth-best passing offense.

"It gets hard when you start wandering and get your eyes off the key that you're supposed to be reading. If you read your keys, then you'll be all right," Chaney said. "It's hard to matchup against all of those guys, but if we go out there and do our thing I think we'll be all right."

-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 1:35 p.m., January 6