Pro Bowl cornerback Lito Sheppard could miss the Eagles' game at Denver after injuring his knee in practice. Sheppard was hurt when he collided with wide receiver Greg Lewis on Thursday and didn't practice Friday. He's listed as questionable for the game Sunday against the Broncos. If Sheppard can't go, nickel back Rod Hood would start in his place.

With kicker David Akers close to returning from a hamstring injury, the Eagles have shuffled their kicking game. The Eagles on Tuesday claimed kicker Jose Cortez off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys and released kicker Todd France. It took less than 24 hours for Cortez to find work after he was waived by the Cowboys on Monday. He missed a 29-yard field goal in Sunday's 13-10 loss to Seattle, and is 12-of-16 on the season. The release of France is surprising since he has kicked well in three games since replacing Akers, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury. France has made 6-of-7 field goals, with his only miss being a block. Eagles coach Andy Reid has indicated that Akers may return for this weekend's game against Denver. "If he's not back this week, he'll be back the next week," Reid told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "We will see how he does by Wednesday."

The struggling Philadelphia Eagles need every available body to slow the NFL's most explosive player and will get one key defender back for the matchup Sunday against the San Diego Chargers and running back LaDainian Tomlinson. Defensive tackle Darwin Walker, who missed the last three games with a deep thigh bruise, was able to practice all week without any setbacks, and coordinator Jim Johnson confirmed Saturday that the sixth-year veteran will start in the marquee interconference game. "It will be great for our [tackle] rotation and he will play quite a bit," Johnson said. "He's one of our [most] physical tackles and we need him, no doubt about it." Walker, 28, is very active inside and an accomplished two-way defender who can stuff the run and also compress the pocket. Over the past three seasons, the former University of Tennessee star averaged 44 tackles and six sacks. In the first two games this season, Walker had posted eight tackles and 2? sacks.

Brian Westbrook wants more carries and more money. Already frustrated by his contract situation, the Pro Bowl running back isn't happy with his role in the Philadelphia Eagles' offense. Westbrook has just 55 carries in the first five games, an average of only 11 rushes per game. Asked on Wednesday if he could be the best running back in the NFL, Westbrook replied: ``If I was used properly.'' The Eagles are last in the league with averages of 64.2 yards rushing and 17.6 attempts per game. They're first in passing with an average of 307.2 yards. ``It's not that we can't run the ball. We don't run it,'' Westbrook said. ``We should be able to run the ball with the quality offensive line we have. I go into every game wanting to run the ball. When the plays come into the huddle, I go from there. I don't go to Coach (Andy) Reid and say we should run the ball. I think Coach Reid is a very good coach. He sees the flow of the game. If he feels we need to run the ball, he'll do it.''

Brian Westbrook still doesn't have a long-term contract to replace that 1-year, $1.43 million restricted free-agent tender he's playing under. So now, Donovan McNabb is dropping the subtlety. In an ESPN feature yesterday about Westbrook, McNabb said if it was up to him, he would pay Westbrook what he wants. "I've said he's the ultimate weapon," McNabb said after yesterday's game. "What I've said, I feel he should be rewarded for the things he does for this offense... I feel that he deserves whatever he's asking for. We demand a lot of him."

Drew Bledsoe and Keyshawn Johnson engaged in a heated sideline exchange during the third quarter of the Dallas Cowboys' 33-10 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Both players said afterward there were no hard feelings. ``We're not mad at each other at all,'' Johnson said. ``It's not a Drew vs. Keyshawn, Keyshawn don't like Drew ... it's none of that.'' The verbal spat began after Johnson fumbled when Eagles cornerback Lito Sheppard rammed his helmet squarely on the ball. Sheldon Brown recovered the fumble and returned it 80 yards for the Eagles' only touchdown. Bledsoe confronted Johnson for losing the football, which instantly annoyed the outspoken 10-year veteran. Johnson stormed toward his quarterback and barked at him for several seconds before receivers coach Todd Haley pushed Johnson away. ``At that point in the game I felt like we were absolutely manhandling them,'' said Bledsoe, who threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns. ``When we turned the ball over I wasn't happy about that.''

The Philadelphia Eagles have decided to postpone surgery on Donovan McNabb?s sports hernia, hoping their star quarterback can make it through the season. "Donovan's done a nice job, it looks like he feels a little better each day here," coach Andy Reid said yesterday. "I thought he had a good day [Thursday] and he moved around pretty good today." Reid plans on keeping an eye on McNabb this Sunday against the Chiefs. "Basically, I'll take it off the visual, off what I see out there," Reid said. "And then I'm sure somewhere during the game, I'll check on him."

Terrell Owens' 2004 NFC Championship ring sold for $48,200 in an online auction on Thursday. If the winner pays up, it would be the highest price ever paid for a conference ring, according to ring expert Scott Welkowsky, owner of Out of This World Memorabilia in Mission Viejo, Calif. In fact, Welkowsky says he has sold thousands of championship rings in his 23 years of business and the most a buyer has paid for a ring was $35,000 for a Super Bowl XXIX ring given to a San Francisco 49ers starter. In February, former Patriots backup cornerback Leonard Myers sold his Super Bowl XXXVI ring for $32,600. "You can tell that the person buying this doesn't normally buy rings," said Welkowsky, who recently sold former Philadelphia Eagles owner Leonard Tose's 1980 NFC Championship ring for $6,500. "It's for a good cause and it's certainly a nice piece, but the diamond and gold value in this ring is worth no more than $3,000."