As Kevin Kolb continues to get awards rained down upon him, he also must deal with the fact that he's likely to return to bench sooner rather than later.
Kolb was recognized as the NFC's Offensive Player of the Week for his 327-yard, two touchdown performance against the Chiefs which made him the first player in NFL history to throw for over 300 yards in his first two NFL starts. Kolb is also nominated for the FedEx Air player of the week, and he's been recognized by the Eagles' fans with his second consecutive Turkey Hill Game Ball.
But how much will all of that mean when Donovan McNabb returns from a fractured rib and Kolb is back on the sideline?
"I mean, I'm sure it will be somewhat difficult," Kolb said, but "my job was to come in for these two weeks and that will be my job in the future.
"There may be another situation that arises, but nobody knows. So I have to stay ready and make sure that I'm right. I'm glad that we were able to get a win (against the Chiefs), wish last week would have gone a little bit better, but we're on the right track and we'll see what the season has in store for us."
If anything, Kolb proved that he can be relied upon in the future. If McNabb were to miss any time in the future due to injury, Kolb has earned the faith of the fans and his teammates that he can lead the team effectively.
"It's just confidence that you can get it done at this level in a game-time situation in the regular season," Kolb said, when asked what he'll take from his two-game starting experience. "Although you believe it before, nobody truly knows. And that's why there's so much doubt in the air always with a young player.
"Hopefully I'll put the past behind me with the mistakes I made before. We can move on with what went on (against the Chiefs) and I just don't want to relax now. I want to just keep trying to get better in practice, if I'm not getting the game reps then just keep getting better in practice and keep pressing."
But Kolb isn't going back to No. 2 quarterback just yet. McNabb is still working to get all-the-way back from his rib injury, and Kolb said that he's learned it's important to prepare to start every week.
"I think I have to keep (the mindset) as the starter just because we don't know what (Eagles QB) Donovan (McNabb)'s injury has entailed," Kolb said after Sunday's game. "(McNabb)'s shown good progress so far, but if I don't prepare like that and I come back and I am the starter, then I'm all messed up. I just want to prepare the same way as I have these last two weeks and, like I said before, just keep trying to get better as a quarterback."
-- Posted by Bo Wulf, 7:03 p.m., September 30
