Eagles At The Half: Kolb And Stewart Out With Concussions

By Joseph Santoliquito

Kevin Kolb and Stewart Bradley did not return for the second half in the Eagles' season opener against the Green Bay Packers, both out with concussions. Kolb suffered a concussion. originally reported as an injury to the jaw, midway into the second quarter when he rolled out and was tackled by Packers' linebacker Clay Matthews on a third-and-14 from the Eagles' 18. Stewart looked as if he took a punch on the jaw from both of the Klitschko brothers, when he wobbled then fell down with less than seven minutes to play in the second quarter, which came on a first-and-20 at the Eagles' 47. 

For more bad news, the Eagles may have taken an even bigger blow when starting fullback Leonard Weaver went down with what was diagnosed as a sprained left knee. Weaver took a handoff early in the second quarter, on a first-and-10 at the Eagles' 39, with 11:53 left in the first half. The fullback was stood up awkwardly at the line of scrimmage by three Packers, and the pile up looked like it put a lot of stress on Weaver's left leg.

By the reaction of the Eagles players, the injury appeared much more serious than what was announced--and it still could be. DeSean Jackson took his helmet off and shook his head in dismay, visibly shaken by what he saw. The same  reaction was repeated by many of the Eagles' players gathered around the fallen Weaver, who was helped off the field and eventually taken by a cart to the Eagles' locker room.

Weaver was given a rousing ovation as he waved to the crowd when he left the field. Speculation is that the injury could be much worse than originally indicated. But again, that was speculative, nothing substantiated. Some reports had Weaver breaking his left leg and out for the season.

Late in the second quarter, the Eagles reported that Jamaal Jackson, making his first start since suffering a torn ACL in his left knee against Denver on December 27, 2009, was also lost for the game with a right elbow injury.

One other pertinent note of the first half--Eagles' backup center Mike McGlynn, replacing Jackson, had more receptions than DeSean Jackson.