Head coach Andy Reid was on his weekly radio show on 610-WIP on Monday evening and he was asked whether he thought cornerback Asante Samuel and/or offensive tackle Winston Justice would be available for this Sunday's showdown against the Giants. Both Samuel and Justice missed Sunday night's win over Dallas due to knee injuries. Reid is optimistic about both players.

"I think we will. The guys that stepped in for them did a great job, but we have both of those two as starters," Reid said. "It'll be good to get them back in and playing."

Reid also said that no decision has been made regarding the roster spot that will open when defensive end Brandon Graham goes on injured reserve. Graham tore his ACL in the fourth quarter of Sunday night's win over Dallas.

"We're looking right now and we haven't made any decisions on that yet," Reid said. "We have (Daniel) Te'o(-Nesheim) who we drafted, whom we have confidence in there so we don't have to make a rash decision here."

Graham will have surgery, but Reid explained that there's no rush because doctors usually let the swelling in the knee subside before doing the operation.

Reid also shed some light on the peculiar return that Jorrick Calvin had in the fourth quarter of Sunday night's game. After fielding the offering from kicker David Buehler in the end zone, Calvin ran around the end zone in what looked like an apparent attempt to run time off the clock. However, the clock doesn't start until the returner crosses the goal line. It turned out the rookie returner didn't make a mistake.

"Their kicker is very good at kicking the ball out of the end zone. As a matter of fact, last year we had zero returns on this guy. So what their defenders do is they run down the field and stop about halfway," Reid said. "I said all right, that's fine. You (Calvin) catch the ball in the end zone. You just take off and run and you make those guys cover that kick. I want them taking full charge down the field."

The unnecessary roughness penalty Calvin incurred following the play when he bumped a Cowboys player, Reid said it was free safety Alan Ball, was not ordered by Reid.

"You can't do that. That's not smart," Reid said. "That's the part I was upset at."

-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 6:42 p.m., December 13