Monday night was a big night for Todd Herremans. Not only did he get to play in his first game of the 2009 season, starting and playing the whole game at left guard, but the Eagles started off their NFC East schedule with a win.

So, after watching the film, how would he critique his performance?

"It looked about like I thought that I played," he said. "There's things I have to work on, things I did well. I don't really feel that I had too much rust that I had to knock off or anything like that. Obviously, first game back there's going to be some slip-ups here and there but I thought I did a pretty good job but I've got plenty of room to get better."

Herremans was praised by head coach Andy Reid for his performance, but the versatile fifth-year offensive lineman did commit two holding penalties in the fourth quarter.

"Stuff like that happens throughout the game all the time," he said. "Sometimes you get caught, sometimes you don't, sometimes they get backed up right on top of each other. Once they call you for one, they're going to focus in on you a little bit, so you better tighten up your game.

"My job is to not let Donovan get hit, and granted I should do it without the penalties but if I can keep him clean saving his safety and maybe take ten yards then, well there's no excuse for it, I should have blocked him."

After drawing the difficult assignment of blocking perennial pro-bowler Albert Haynesworth against the Redskins, it doesn't get easier for Herremans this week against a talented and deep Giants defensive line.

"You have to go out there and be ready to perform," he said. "They're great athletes and we like to pride ourselves on being athletes on our side as well. It's going to be good to get out there and compete.

"It's like one of those backyard rivalries. We get pumped up for every NFC East game. It's a tough division and they're such important games for the goals that we have, making the playoffs and making the run that we want to run. We've got to get up for it and prepare like we have to prepare and be ready to go."

One challenge for Herremans will be Osi Umenyiora, the Giants' defensive end who is often moved inside on passing downs.

"A lot of times teams will try to take a defensive end inside and they just don't quite have the strength that a (defensive) tackle would," Herremans said. "But physically, (Umenyiora) is just as strong as a (defensive) tackle is. And, what makes him so deadly is he's quick like an end. So, he's got a good combo."

-- Posted by Bo Wulf, 7:42 p.m., October 28