[BangTheBook]

GAME: Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) at Atlanta Falcons (11-5).

TIME: Monday, 9 p.m. EDT.

The Philadelphia Eagles have a big game coming up. And a big talk that could make all the difference.

It's very possible Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb will be back on speaking terms in time for the Eagles' season opener against the Atlanta Falcons in a rematch of the NFC championship game.

Owens said in a televised interview Tuesday he plans to meet with McNabb sometime before this Monday night matchup to get things ironed out. The two haven't spoken to one another all preseason.

"You guys will see. It's not going to be a yearlong thing," Owens said. "Leading up to this Monday night game, things will get worked out."

The friction between the superstars began when Owens took a shot at McNabb in April, saying he "wasn't the guy who got tired in the Super Bowl." McNabb responded harshly, insisting he didn't get sick and wasn't tired in the fourth quarter of the Eagles' 24-21 loss to New England.

Following a heated dispute with coach Andy Reid last month, Owens was banished from training camp for one week, and he again went after McNabb by calling the Pro Bowl quarterback a hypocrite.

"It's not that I hate Donovan. I love Donovan. I don't hate him at all," Owens said Tuesday, speaking publicly for the first time since his exile from camp. "I was just disappointed in a few things. I have the right to do that."

In their lone preseason appearance together two weeks ago against Cincinnati, McNabb hooked up with Owens five times for 131 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage.

Continuing to perform in such fashion might be made easier if the two were actually speaking to one another. If the disruptions caused by Owens and his contract demands aren't too much of a distraction, the Eagles again could be the class of the NFC.

"The sky is the limit for us," McNabb said.

However, the Eagles have lost a number of key pieces from the team that beat the Falcons 27-10 to advance to the Super Bowl.

Todd Pinkston suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason and Freddie Mitchell was let go, leaving second-year wideout Greg Lewis to start alongside Owens while rookie Reggie Brown becomes the No. 3 receiver.

More important than the losses at wide receiver are the ones along the defensive line.

Pro Bowl defensive tackle Corey Simon could not resolve a contract dispute and was released, eventually signing with Indianapolis. Veteran Hugh Douglas was one of the surprise final roster cuts, leaving the Eagles without a player many considered their emotional leader.

"After seeing these things so many times, you understand the business side of it," safety Brian Dawkins said. "You might not like the way it goes all the time or you may not agree with the way that it is handled, but there is a business side of things."

The Eagles also did not re-sign defensive end Derrick Burgess, who had two of Philadelphia's four sacks of Michael Vick in last year's NFC title game, and are uncertain when projected starter Jerome McDougle will be available as he recovers from a gunshot wound.

Philadelphia, though, still has one of the league's most feared pass rushers in Jevon Kearse and Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter to go with possibly the NFL's best defensive backfield. Dawkins, Michael Lewis and Lito Sheppard were all Pro Bowlers, and many thought cornerback Sheldon Brown could have been.

"There's no better way to put the distractions behind you then to let everyone know where you stand and get that first game out of the way," Kearse said. "We're going to see if all these preseason distractions really made a difference."

It was a significantly calmer preseason for the Falcons, though the pressure is on Vick.

While his 902 yards on the ground helped Atlanta lead the NFL in rushing, his passing ability came under scrutiny and his lack of good receivers became obvious.

"You have to keep this in mind, he's only 25 and it is his second year in the system," Falcons coach Jim Mora Jr. said. "He's a youngster in this league and he hasn't even started to scratch the surface. The ceiling is so high for this guy, it's hard to even see it."

Vick's season came to a disappointing end with the loss in frigid Philadelphia as he was held to 26 yards rushing and 136 passing.

"This is as excited as I would be for any other team, yet this is a different game of different magnitude," Vick said. "Philadelphia is a great team. They have beaten us the last two years, and it's just great to have a chance to play them on Monday night."

It appears Vick's best threat through the air may still be tight end Alge Crumpler, unless second-year wideout Michael Jenkins or rookie Roddy White can develop quickly.

However, having Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett out of the backfield should open things up. Dunn provides the speed and Duckett the power, having combined with Vick to rush for 2,519 yards and 20 TDs last season.

"We're going to take more chances in the passing game," Dunn said. "We want to make teams put seven in the box and back those safeties up. It's coming."

If Vick and the offense can improve the way the Falcons did on defense last season - they led the NFL with 48 sacks - Atlanta should again challenge Philadelphia for NFC supremacy.

2004 STANDINGS: Eagles - 1st place, NFC East. Falcons - 1st place, NFC South.

2004 EAGLES LEADERS: Offense - McNabb, 3,875 passing yards and 31 passing TDs; Brian Westbrook, 812 rushing yards; Dorsey Levens, 4 rushing TDs; Owens, 77 receptions, 1,200 receiving yards and 14 receiving TDs. Defense - Kearse, 7½ sacks; Sheppard, 5 interceptions.

2004 FALCONS LEADERS: Offense - Vick, 2,313 passing yards and 14 passing TDs; Dunn, 1,106 rushing yards and 9 rushing TDs; Crumpler, 48 receptions, 774 receiving yards and 6 receiving TDs. Defense - Patrick Kerney, 13 sacks; Aaron Beasley, 4 interceptions.

2004 EAGLES TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense -102.4 yards per game (24th in NFL); Passing Offense - 248.7 ypg (7th); Total Offense - 351.1 ypg (9th). Rushing Defense - 118.9 ypg (16th); Passing Defense - 200.8 ypg (12th); Total Defense - 319.7 ypg (10th).

2004 FALCONS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense - 167 ypg (1st); Passing Offense - 150.8 ypg (30th); Total Offense - 317.8 ypg (20th). Rushing Defense - 105.1 ypg (T-8th); Passing Defense - 220.4 ypg (22nd); Total Defense - 325.4 ypg (14th).

LAST MEETING: Jan. 23; Eagles, 27-10. At Philadelphia, McNabb threw two touchdown passes to Chad Lewis as the Eagles reached the Super Bowl for the first time in 24 years. The Falcons were held to 202 total yards.

STREAKS AND NOTES: Eagles - Philadelphia has won all four meetings with Atlanta, including two playoff games, since Andy Reid became coach in 1999. ... In 2004, McNabb was the first QB in history to throw for at least 30 TDs and fewer than 10 interceptions (8). ... WR Owens' 52 TD receptions over the last four seasons leads the league. Atlanta - DE Kerney was third in the NFC with 13 sacks last season, reaching double figures for the third time in four years. ... RB Dunn averaged 6.0 yards per carry in the preseason. ... The Falcons scored an average of 38.7 points in their final three home games last season, including a 47-17 playoff win over St. Louis.

2004 ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Eagles - 6-2 on the road; Falcons - 7-1 at home.

INJURIES: Eagles - QUESTIONABLE: CB Dexter Wynn (ankle). PROBABLE: S Sean Considine (shoulder); P Dirk Johnson (hernia); RB Josh Parry (shoulder); DT Sam Rayburn (elbow). Falcons - No injuries.


AP NEWS