Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) -
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid said Monday that he thought quarterback Donovan McNabb had suffered an ankle sprain, and that's why he continued playing in Sunday's 38-14 win over the
Arizona Cardinals. X-rays taken after the game showed that McNabb suffered a non-displaced fracture of the fibula, and the All-Pro quarterback is expected to miss at least the remainder of the regular season.
Reid said that McNabb downplayed the injury, and ruled out the possibility of an X-ray at halftime. However, Reid said that the injury was not worsened by McNabb choosing to play on, and that the broken bone was the only injury in the ankle. It is not yet known if McNabb will undergo surgery, or have a cast placed on the ankle.
Koy Detmer is expected to take over for McNabb, and Reid said the team remains confident with the backup under center.
Arizona recovered a fumble after linebacker LeVar Woods and safety Adrian Wilson combined to sack McNabb, who hurt his ankle on the third play from scrimmage. McNabb played through pain nearly the rest of the game before yielding to Detmer for Philadelphia's final offensive possession in the fourth quarter.
McNabb tied a career-high with four touchdown passes despite fracturing his ankle. He completed 20-of-25 passes for 255 yards, as the Eagles moved to 7-3 with Sunday's win and lead the NFC East by one game over the New York Giants.
McNabb, who turns 26 later this month, has accounted for nearly 72 percent of Philadelphia's total offense this year. He has rushed for 460 yards and six touchdowns while completing 211-of-361 passes for 2,289 yards, with 17 TDs and six interceptions.
Earlier this year, McNabb signed a new 12-year contract worth about $115 million, which made him the highest-paid player in NFL history. McNabb also got a $20.5 million signing bonus. The new contract makes McNabb an Eagle through the 2013 season.
Now it will likely be Detmer's turn to take over as the starting signal caller. The 29-year-old Detmer started five games for the Eagles in 1998, but has thrown just two passes this season. The Eagles also have A.J. Feely on their roster, but Reid said they would consider looking in the free agent market for another quarterback.
