Do Birds stand fighting chance?

When asked if not having Asante Samuel hurt the Eagles in last Sunday’s 31-26 loss, fellow cornerback Dmitri Patterson said, “I don’t know, I’ll have to go back and watch the tape.”

While some blamed the Bears’ slippery turf, the realist knows that Samuel is the straw that stirs the Eagles’ secondary. The team’s top playmaker was limited at practice yesterday, as he continues to recover from a knee injury. Will he play?

“I’m working everyday to see how it goes,” he said.

Without Samuel, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler threw four passing touchdowns and the Eagles failed to record a takeaway for the first time this season. Now, they get the unenviable task of facing Andre Johnson. The 6-foot-3-inch, 223-pound Texans receiver is physically dominating, as evidenced by his beat down of Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan.

“He’s big and physical,” safety Nate Allen said. “You know, he gets corners off of him. And he gets open.”