Donovan McNabb tries to fly high in place Eagles and boo birds dwell

For two weeks, Donovan McNabb has been rehabbing a sprained right ankle and a bruised right thumb. And he might not admit it, but he may have been nursing a bruised ego as well. McNabb has again found himself the target of fickle fans over the Eagles' inconsistent play this season, and there has been speculation about whether this will be his last season in Philadelphia. After missing the last two games due to injuries, McNabb is ready to return, and he faces a must-win situation Sunday against the Giants in Philadelphia. Win, and the Eagles (5-7) keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Lose, and McNabb will continue to hear how the Eagles are better off without him, even though A.J. Feeley went 0-2 in his place. Of course, McNabb heard this last season with Jeff Garcia. "Well, this isn't the only year that they have kind of done it this way," McNabb said of the criticism yesterday. "But you know what? I never get caught up in the 'He said, she said' or how they feel. I can't really control anything else besides that and that has kind of always been my mind-set." Another part of McNabb's thinking will be to keep track of Osi Umenyiora, Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck and the rest of the Giants' pass rushers. The last time McNabb saw them, he was sacked a league-record-tying 12 times in a 16-3 loss at Giants Stadium on Sept. 30. Umenyiora collected six by himself as he repeatedly torched backup left tackle Winston Justice, who was filling in for the injured William Thomas. While McNabb spent the entire evening scrambling for his life - he was 15-of-31 for 138 yards - the normally elusive quarterback appeared to still be struggling with mobility after shredding his right anterior cruciate ligament last year. McNabb, 31, said he believes he has not rushed his return from surgery. However, before injuring his ankle and thumb against Miami, McNabb had thrown for more than one touchdown in a game only twice this season - against Detroit and Washington - when he tossed four touchdowns in each of those games. At least this time against the Giants, McNabb is expected to have his top weapon, Brian Westbrook. Despite not practicing yesterday due to a knee injury, Westbrook is expected to play Sunday. He was a last-minute scratch from the 16-3 loss to the Giants due to an abdominal strain. Of course, McNabb will have to get him the ball on those short dump-off passes that he loves so much despite a throbbing throwing thumb. "I haven't been able to pick up any cabs lately so I guess you could say yes," McNabb said when asked if the thumb still bothers him. One thing McNabb says isn't troubling him is whether or not Philadelphia fans want him back for another year or traded to a place such as his hometown of Chicago, which has been rumored as a potential landing spot. "It doesn't weigh on me," McNabb said of the speculation. "Again it is something that is out of my control. I expect to be with the Eagles throughout my whole career. I can't have that floating through my mind right now."