Good thing The Heron’s Nest did not take the mortgage money to Delaware and plunk our Eagles’ pick down on one of those fancy NFL parlays.

OK, so I was off just a bit. You might remember I picked the Carolina Panthers to run down the Birds, 23-16.

Not exactly. The Eagles won a laugher, 38-10.

Of course today that is not the big story. I’m talking about the aftermath of the Eagles’ opening day win, not my prognosticating ability.

The big story today – as it likely will be all week – is once again the health of Donovan McNabb. The Eagles starting quarterback left yesterday’s rout after banging into the end zone for a TD, then promptly taking a knee in the ribs, which for some reason did not draw a penalty.
So much for the NFL’s big push to protect the quarterback.

McNabb headed to the sidelines, then to the locker room, clearly in pain.

He returned to the sideline, but again had the look of a guy who hurt every time he took a breath. Cracked ribs will do that to you.

After the game, Coach Andy Reid announced McNabb had suffered a fractured rib and listed his status as day-to-day. McNabb will be re-examined today. Reid would not say whether McNabb would be available for next Sunday’s home opener against the Saints.

Reports varied from McNabb being out two to four weeks, to the QB definitely missing next week.

All of which sets up a very interesting situation for the Birds. And which gives me the chance to at least go one-for-two in Eagles predictions this weekend.

In my print column today, I offered some more thoughts about the Eagles’
decision to sign convicted dog-ring operator Michael Vick.

I believe it will be a disaster. Not because of my feelings for Vick, but rather because of McNabb, and the way he usually reacts to anything that threatens his status. I don’t much care for Vick, and I abhor what he did, but he deserves another chance to play in the NFL. I just wish he wasn’t doing it there. And I wish that even more this morning. Here’s why.

Let’s just say McNabb is out for next week and Kevin Kolb continues to struggle. Not exactly a reach the way he looked Sunday in Carolina. That would bring up the specter of Vick playing in Week 3 when he becomes eligible after serving his two-week suspension.

I think McNabb would get up off his death bed to prevent that from happening. Meaning he could wind up playing before he really should, and risking further aggravating that bad rib. It’s the kind of thing that could linger, even bother McNabb the rest of the season.

The McNabb furor overshadowed a dynamite performance on both sides of the ball by the Eagles in Carolina.

But I’m left with this question: Are they that good, or is Carolina that bad?

I think I can answer one part of that question. They likely will not face a lousier quarterback this year than Jake Delhomme. The guy is suffering from Brad Lidge syndrome after giving up that homer to Albert Pujols in the playoffs a few years back. He was shellshocked for a year.
Delhomme tossed five interceptions last year in the playoffs. He picked up right where he left off yesterday, tossing four interceptions before being mercifully pulled from the game.

The game could not have started off worse for the Birds. Carolina took the opening kickoff and exhausted half the first quarter as they marched down the field and scored. It was 7-0 before Donovan McNabb and crew could even get on the field with just 7 minutes left in the quarter.

But that was the high point of the day for the Panthers, who then watched as the Eagles dropped 31 unanswered points on them.

Almost every question about the Birds through what was a very mediocre preseason seemed to be answered with an exclamation point.

Sean McDonough, once he got that opening drive out of his system, was every bit the successor to Jim Johnson, thoroughly befuddling Delhomme.
The defense suddenly turned into a turnover machine. A sack and Delhomme fumble turned into a TD. DeSean Jackson returned a punt for another.
Delhomme continued to thow to green jerseys.

On offense, the center of all that preseason talk, that offensive line, looked more than able to hold its own.

Then McNabb clutched his ribcage. Now that’s all anyone remembers.

And it’s likely all anyone will talk about all week. We’ll hear from Coach Reid at noon. My guess is he’s not about to rule McNabb either in or out for Sunday’s game.

One thing’s for sure. The Saints will pose a stiffer test than those stiffs from Carolina, especially on offense. Drew Brees dropped 45 points on the Lions yesterday.

But right now it will be all Donovan all the time. With a huge shadow waiting in the wings.

His name is Michael Vick.