Eagles at Texans 1 p.m. Fox

Center Jason Kelce returns to the starting lineup after sitting out four games.

Eagles
Questionable
S Nate Allen (hamstring)
WR Brad Smith (groin)

Probable
CB Brandon Boykin  (hamstring) 
G Todd Herremans (biceps)
C Jason Kelce (hernia)
LB Mychal Kendricks (calf)
WR Jeff Maehl (foot)
RB Darren Sproles (knee)
CB Jaylen Watkins (wrist)
LB DeMeco Ryans (groin)
TE Brent Celek (back)

Texans
Out
LB Jeff Tarpinian (knee)

Questionable
LB Jadeveon Clowney (knee, illness)
LB Brian Cushing (knee)
CB Darryl Morris (ankle)

Probable

LB Brooks Reed (groin)
RB Arian Foster (knee)
WR Andre Johnson (ankle)
CB Johnathan Joseph (knee)
RB Alfred Blue (ankle)
LB John Simon (ankle)
DE Tim Jamison (groin)
LB Whitney Mercilus (shoulder)

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

Herremans with the bandaged arm.

Eagles at Texans 1 p.m. Fox

Eagles
Did not practice
S Nate Allen (hamstring)
CB Brandon Boykin  (hamstring)

Limited practice
WR Brad Smith (groin)

Full practice
G Todd Herremans (biceps)
C Jason Kelce (hernia)
LB Mychal Kendricks (calf)
WR Jeff Maehl (foot)
RB Darren Sproles (knee)
CB Jaylen Watkins (wrist)
LB DeMeco Ryans (groin)

Texans
Did not practice
LB Jadeveon Clowney (knee)
LB Brian Cushing (knee)
LB Brooks Reed (groin)
LB Jeff Tarpinian (knee)
RB Arian Foster (knee)
WR Andre Johnson (ankle)
CB Johnathan Joseph (knee)

Limited practice
RB Alfred Blue (ankle)
CB Darryl Morris (ankle)
LB John Simon (ankle)

Full practice
DE Tim Jamison (groin)
LB Whitney Mercilus (shoulder)
Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

LeSean McCoy, Todd Herremans (center) with Emerge owner Nia Stroud.

Referee Walt Anderson and his crew officiate the Eagles-Cardinals game this Sunday.

The Eagles have lost the last three times Anderson worked their games. They were beaten by Andy Reid and the Chiefs at the Linc and pummeled in Minnesota last year. In 2011 the Eagles were beaten at home by the Cardinals.

The home teams, by the way, are 5-2 this season when Anderson’s crew does their games.

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

Eagles at Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. Sunday

Eagles
Out
WR Brad Smith (groin)

Exclusive shot of Chip Kelly's work-in-progress goatee. Culture, he says, beats scheme.

Questionable
LB Mychal Kendrickls (calf)
C Jason Kelce (hernia)
RB Darren Sproles (knee)

Probable
RB Chris Polk (hamstring)
LB DeMeco Ryans (groin)
CB Jaylen Watkins (wrist)

Cardinals
Out
TE Troy Niklas (ankle)

Questionable
DE Calais Campbell (knee)

Probable
RB Andre Ellington (foot)
S Rashad Johnson (knee)
WR John Brown (ankle)
DE Frostee Rucker (calf)

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

Eagles at Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. Sunday

Eagles
Out (will not play)
WR Brad Smith (groin)

Limited practice
LB Mychal Kendrickls (calf)
C Jason Kelce (hernia)
G Evan Mathis (knee)
RB Darren Sproles (knee)

Full practice
RB Chris Polk (hamstring)
LB DeMeco Ryans (groin)
CB Jaylen Watkins (wrist)

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

Eagles at Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. Sunday

Eagles
Out (will not play)
WR Brad Smith (groin)

Limited practice
LB Mychal Kendrickls (calf)
C Jason Kelce (hernia)
G Evan Mathis (knee)
RB Darren Sproles (knee)

Full practice
RB Chris Polk (hamstring)
LB DeMeco Ryans (groin)
 
Cardinals
Did not practice
TE Troy Niklas (ankle)


Limited practice
RB Andre Ellington (foot)
S Rashad Johnson (knee)
WR John Brown (ankle)

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

Eagles Chris Polk getting ready for Cards.

The Eagles and Cardinals meet for the 115th time in the regular season this Sunday, the game to be played at University of Phoenix Stadium.

It's the first time the teams both are 5-1 or better entering the contest.

The Cardinals lead the series 55-54-5.

It's the second straight year the Eagles oppose the Cards the week after a bye.

Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, who coached the Temple Owls from 1983-88, thinks the home field gives his squad the advantage this year.

"Obviously they’re rested," Arians said of the Eagles. "You get a guy back that might not have played had you played them the week before. I think it’s always an advantage for the team coming off the bye in that regard. But then once you have to travel that usually equalizes evrerything out.

“The big difference is whether it’s home or away."

The Cardinals have won seven of their last eight home games. With a win this weekend they would be the first outfit to start 6-1 or better since the 1974 group rolled up seven straight victories to start the season.

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

They've added a few pounds, for sure.

Praying that Dick Stockton is nice to him.

But Andy Reid and the quarterback he drafted to rebuild the Eagles, Donovan McNabb, have some pretty good memories to share when they get together in Kansas City this weekend.

McNabb is the Fox TV analyst joining play-by-play veteran Dick Stockton this Sunday when Reid and the Chiefs entertain Jeff Fisher and the Rams. Fisher, of course, was an assistant with the Birds.

Remember when they were Don's teammates?

The Rams (2-4) are coming off an epic upset of the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks. The Chiefs (3-3) are trying to keep pace with the Broncos and the Chargers.

McNabb will weigh in on it all ... Big Red, Fisher and quarterbacks Alex Smith of the Chiefs and  Austin Davis of the Rams. And we're sure he'll have something to say about Nick Foles, Chip Kelly and the Eagles.

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was part of a photo poking fun at the Eagles' lack of a Super Bowl championship.

It infuriated some Eagles players including Brandon Graham who remembered - correctly - that DRC was 0-for-2 in Super Bowls. And in one of them DRC played a key role in the loss.

All-black uniforms.

DRC is No. 29 in the video. He, Ralph Brown (20) and Aaron Francisco (47) all are in the back right corner of the end zone when Santonio Holmes became MVP catching the winning TD pass in Super Bowl XLIII.

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

Panoramic shot from above of Boyz II Men halftime show Sunday.

The Eagles' website peeps had a little fun commissioning a cartoon video of Eli Manning cowering in the darkness of Lincoln Financial Field while taunted by Eagles players in their new all-black look.

It's amusing ... to a degree.


Week 6: #BlackSunday from Philadelphia Eagles on Vimeo.


Unfortunately this is the new NFL. And, as the New York Daily News pointed out, the anti-hazing, anti-bullying NFL.

Interestingly enough those are the actual voices of the corresponding Eagles' players dubbed into the video.

This just in, guys ... The Giants don't need any added incentive to protect Manning or get after you. It's a division game, right?

The Giants will see the video. Most of them won't be amused. Hopefully, for the sake of the offense it doesn't result in an enraged Giants player taking a shot at Nick Foles and shouting "BOO!"

Or pulling his, uh, shirt over his head.


Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

Running back-kickoff returner Chris Polk is out.

EAGLES
Out
C Jason Kelce (hernia)
WR Brad Smith (groin)
LB Mychal Kendricks (calf)
RB Chris Polk (ham)

Mychal Kendricks won't return until after bye.

Questionable
LB DeMeco Ryans (groin)

Probable
LB Connor Barwin (knee)
CB Brandon Boykin (ham)
TE Trey Burton (Achilles')
CB Nolan Carroll (ham)
WR Josh Huff (shoulder)
OT Matt Tobin (ankle)

GIANTS
Out
RB Rashad Jennings (knee)
LB Spencer Paysinger (ham)

DRC during Eagles days.

Limited practice
LB Jon Beason (foot, toe)
DE Robert Ayers (neck)

Probable
CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (ankle, ham)
P Steve Weatherford (ankle)


Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

Eagles
Out
C Jason Kelce (hernia)
WR Brad Smith (groin)

Did not practice

LB Mychal Kendricks (calf)
RB Chris Polk (hamstring)

Limited practice
LB DeMeco Ryans (groin)

That's Chip Kelly in the center.

 
Full practice
LB Connor Barwin (knee)
CB Brandon Boykin (hamstring)
TE Trey Burton (Achilles' tendon)
CB Nolan Carroll (hamstring)
WR Josh Huff (shoulder)
OT Matt Tobin (ankle) 

Giants
Did not practice
RB Rashad Jennings (knee)
LB Spencer Paysinger (hamstring)

Limited practice
LB Jon Beason (foot, toe)
CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (ankle, hamstring)
P Steve Weatherford (left ankle)

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

Eagles training complex.

Eagles
Out
C Jason Kelce (hernia)
WR Brad Smith (groin)

Did not practice
LB DeMeco Ryans (groin)
LB Mychal Kendricks (calf)
RB Chris Polk (hamstring)

Full practice
LB Connor Barwin (knee)
CB Brandon Boykin (hamstring)
TE Trey Burton (Achilles' tendon)
CB Nolan Carroll (hamstring)
WR Josh Huff (shoulder)
OT Matt Tobin (ankle)

Giants
Did not practice
RB Rashad Jennings (knee)
LB Spencer Paysinger (hamstring)

Limited practice
LB Jon Beason (foot, toe)
CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (ankle, hamstring)
P Steve Weatherford (left ankle)

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

Slowly but surely the Giants have climbed back into the NFC East race.

After an 0-2 start featuring some of the strangest faces ever made by Eli Manning, who was seriously doubting Ben McAdoo's new no-huddle offense, the Giants won three straight games.

The offensive line is much improved as is the ground game that had been missing since their last Super Bowl victory in the 2011 season.

Which is why the Eagles need middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans and his sore groin - at least the right side - more than ever.

Ryans sat out his second straight practice Wednesday with a groin strain. He exited the Eagles' last game in the third quarter. Head coach Chip Kelly is hopeful Ryans can play this weekend.

"But I don't know," Kelly said. "If there's one guy I wouldn't count out of anything it's DeMeco. It sounds like he's progressing. we're hopeful for that."

The Giants punched the Falcons right in the mouth with their between the tackles ground game last week.  Andre Williams (5-11, 230) was credited with 20 rushes for 65 yards. Several runs came late when the Giants were killing the clock and everyone from East Rutherford to Jersey City knew his number would be called. The Falcons had 11 guys in the box.

Always shows up for Eagles-Giants games.

Williams ran over 230-pound Falcons linebacker Paul Worrilow on a three-yard touchdown run giving the Giants the lead for good in their 27-20 victory at MetLife Stadium.

The Eagles almost certainly will be without inside linebacker Mychal Kendricks for the fourth straight week. Kendricks is able to run but not participate in drills per Kelly.

Casey Matthews is coming off his best game. Emmanuel Acho has played solidly.

If premier tackler Ryans, the quarterback of the defense, cannot hold up physically the Eagles will need a little luck to beat the Giants. Luck and a couple of return touchdowns.

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

The right calf of Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks is healthy enough for him to practice.

You can see Kendricks (No. 95) run in this video taken Tuesday.



But DeMeco Ryans was unable to work due to a right groin issue.

And running back Chris Polk (hamstring) wasn't at practice.

Eagles defensive coordinator Billy Davis said Kendricks was day-to-day and that he hopes to have him Sunday night for the NFC East showdown with the New York Giants.

The Eagles are 3-point favorites.

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

Panoramic of Lincoln Financial Field from press box.

Eagles rookie third-round draft pick Josh Huff expressed frustration over not being active last week.

Someone heard him.

Huff makes his NFL debut today.

The Eagles scratched wide receiver Jeff Maehl, center Jason Kelce (hernia), linebacker Mychal Kendricks (calf), offensive lineman Dennis Kelly, cornerback Jaylen Watkins, quarterback Matt Barkley and defensive end Taylor Hart. Hart and Watkins are the only Eagles rookie draft picks who haven't played.

Huff drew the ire of Eagles head coach Chip Kelly for telling the media he thought he should have been active for the 49ers game. Huff maintained he could help stretch defenses with his speed, block for Shady McCoy and basically do everything the Eagles needed to do to win.

Kelly responded by saying that Huff, who sustained a shoulder injury during the preseason, wasn't "physically or mentally" ready to go against SFO.

The Rams activated game-breaking wide receiver Tavon Austin, who had been nursing a sore knee. Additionally E.J. Gaines started in place of injured cornerback Trumaine Johnson, who was scratched.

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter   

Eagles-Rams injury report
1 p.m. Sunday, Fox TV

Jason Kelce.

EAGLES
Out (will not play)

LB Mychal Kendricks (calf)
C Jason Kelce

Questionable
CB Brandon Boykin (hamstring)

Probable 
TE Trey Burton (Achilles' tendon)
CB Nolan Carroll (ankle)
TE James Casey (knee)
WR Josh Huff (shoulder)
WR Jeremy Maclin (hamstring)
WR Brad Smith (groin)
OT Matt Tobin (ankle)
S Earl Wolff (knee)

RAMS
Out
CB Trumaine Johnson (knee)
C Barrett Jones (back)
CB Brandon McGee (foot)

Questionable
WR Tavon Austin (knee)

Probable
QB Shaun Hill (thigh)

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter

Eagles-Rams injury report
(1 p.m. Sunday, Fox TV)

EAGLES
Out (will not play)
C Jason Kelce

Did not practice
LB Mychal Kendricks (calf)

Jeremy Maclin.

Full practice
CB Brandon Boykin (hamstring)
TE Trey Burton (Achilles' tendon)
CB Nolan Carroll (ankle)
TE James Casey (knee)
WR Josh Huff (shoulder)
WR Jeremy Maclin (hamstring)
WR Brad Smith (groin)
OT Matt Tobin (ankle)
S Earl Wolff (knee)

Rams
Did not practice
CB Trumaine Johnson (knee)
C Barrett Jones (back)
CB Brandon McGee (foot)

Limited practice
WR Tavon Austin (knee)

Full practice
QB Shaun Hill (thigh)

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter