The Eagles are relatively healthy coming out of Sunday night's physical and emotional 19-17 win over the New York Giants. However, there will be two starters on defense who will not practice Wednesday in defensive tackle Derek Landri and linebacker Akeem Jordan.
Landri has swelling in his knee, but head coach Andy Reid said he "should be fine" for this Sunday's contest in Pittsburgh. Jordan, who missed the Giants game with a hamstring injury, "is close," per Reid, but "he's not quite there yet."
UPDATE: On the team's official injury report released Wednesday afternoon, Landri, Jordan and guard Danny Watkins did not participate in practice. Watkins was sidelined with a chest injury.
Eight players were full participants in practice: safety Colt Anderson (knee), offensive tackle Demetress Bell (thumb), linebacker Jamar Chaney (knee), wide receiver Riley Cooper (collarbone), long snapper Jon Dorenbos (ankle), offensive tackle King Dunlap (hamstring), wide receiver Damaris Johnson (foot) and running back LeSean McCoy (knee).
For the Steelers, their entire team fully participated in practice. Only four players were even listed on the injury report: offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert (groin), linebacker James Harrison (knee), running back Rashard Mendenhall (knee) and safety Troy Polamalu (calf).
Returning to the practice field is left tackle King Dunlap, who has missed the past two games with a hamstring injury. Reid did not commit to Dunlap being the starter if he's healthy enough to play this Sunday. Reid said that Demetress Bell "played well" against the Giants.
It also remains to be seen whether wide receiver Riley Cooper will make his season debut against the Steelers. Cooper was a full participant in all of last week's practices for the first time since fracturing his collarbone in late July. Wide receiver Mardy Gilyard has played well on special teams in Cooper's absence as he is tied for fourth on the team with five special teams tackles.
Special teams resulted in the release Tuesday of linebacker Brian Rolle and the re-signing of linebacker Adrian Moten on Tuesday. Reid simply said that Rolle "wasn't the right fit" and that he expects the former starter to catch on with another team. The Eagles have allowed an average of 30.5 yards per kickoff return this season, which ranks 29th in the NFL.
The 3-1 Eagles travel to Pittsburgh this Sunday to face the 1-2 Steelers. The Steelers will be buoyed by the rest from the bye week and the return of three key starters from injury in running back Rashard Mendenhall, linebacker James Harrison and safety Troy Polamalu. Reid is not concerned about catching the Steelers off the bye week.
"We've been in that situation before, so you go play. You don't worry. You've got to take care of what you can control and that's yourself and your team. That's what we do. That's where our focus is, on getting better," Reid said. "We know we're playing a good football team and we feel we're a good football team and we're going to prepare ourselves the right way this week."
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