Eagles' offense facing test

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Though preseason games should not be taken as gospel, there are insights Eagles coach Andy Reid can glean tonight in Pittsburgh when the Eagles and Steelers open their exhibition schedules. Some key questions are: How does a rejuvenated quarterback Donovan McNabb and an improved offense stack up against the No. 1 defense in the NFL from a year ago? Is Max Jean-Gilles ready to assume the right-guard spot during Shawn Andrews' absence? How ready are the club's new returners - Lorenzo Booker and DeSean Jackson? "I look forward to the opportunity to play in a game against somebody else here, besides beating on ourselves," Reid said yesterday after a morning walk-through. "The Steelers, obviously, are a good football team - well-coached, with a lot of talent," he said. "It will be good to get in there and see what looks good and see what we need to continue to work on." Reid's staff seemed pleased with the additions on offense, including the wrinkles added to the passing game. Is this an early barometer for potential success, given that the Steelers' defense once again led the NFL in total defense, yielding an average of 266.4 yards? "I don't think you'll see the best in either team from what's going to happen down the road," Reid said. "However, there are a couple of things with this team that you get," he said, referring to the Steelers. "You get a very solid defense" with "a great defensive coordinator" in Dick LeBeau, and a head coach in Mike Tomlin who was "a great defensive coordinator." In addition, the Eagles will have an opportunity to face a 3-4 defense, "which we don't really practice against," Reid said. "That's not what our team does here, so it's a little bit twofold there." The first and second units will each play a quarter and a half. The third unit will play the fourth quarter. Reid expects every player to get reps. "I mentioned yesterday that we've cut, obviously, the number of plays down from what we have installed in training camp here just so the guys can get out there and function, in particular the young guys," Reid said. "They can get out there and function, and they're not worried about what the play is," he said. Everyone wants to see how Jean-Gilles, 24, who has been playing in place of Andrews in camp, fares against a top defensive line in pass coverage. Jean-Gilles is a third-year player from Georgia. "That's the thing he's worked hardest on," Reid said. "I think he's done a good job with it, but, again, we'll get to see him against different people here. We'll see how he does." Jean-Gilles said he wouldn't be nervous and felt he had earned the starting spot. "It's going to be pretty interesting," he said. "I'm going to have a lot of fun out there, coming out and starting" with the No. 1 unit. "I'm going to try and showcase my talent and let the coaches know I'm ready. . . . I'm going to show them what I got." Booker, who didn't return kicks as a Miami Dolphin, will do that tonight while the rookie Jackson handles punts. Reid said he would pay close attention to his special teams, where "bubble" players can earn or lose a spot. "That's a big part of it," Reid said. "I said this early in camp, that there are going to be certain guys that make this football team because of special teams. If everything is equal, or close to, and you're excelling on special teams, then you're going to be the guy that makes this club. "We've got to improve in that area from last year. We think we've addressed it, and now we've got to execute it." Doctor visit. Rich Moran, Andrews' agent, said everything looked positive after the guard's visit to a doctor yesterday. Andrews said this week that he was suffering from depression. Moran also said that all future comments regarding Andrews would come from the Eagles. No one from the team was available for comment