PHILADELPHIA -- Guard Matt Tobin cleared the NFL concussion protocol Thursday morning. That got him back on the practice field but not, for the moment, back into the starting lineup.
Tobin, who was concussed late in the Eagles’ game in Green Bay Sunday, worked with the second-team offensive line. Andrew Gardner continued to line up as the first-team right guard.
“Gardner was in there,” Tobin said. “I think he’s been doing good throughout the week. We’ll see. I had a good practice. I’ve just got to keep going hard.”
Tobin said he didn’t remember getting knocked out. He came off the field and reported the injury to the training staff. That put him into the NFL’s concussion protocol, which Tobin worked through this week.
“I had to do the IMPACT test,” Tobin said. “It had to be similar to my baseline. I passed that. I had to run and lift and not feel lightheaded. I had to have no headaches. And I had to see two different doctors. I saw them both this morning.”
Tobin has started seven games this season. He replaced Evan Mathis at left guard for five weeks. With Mathis returning to the lineup, Tobin moved over to right guard to replace Todd Herremans. He said he would understand if Gardner gets the start this week.
“I wouldn’t say I’d be disappointed,” Tobin said. “Gardner’s been in there working hard. I’ve been in that position, working hard and trying to get on the field. I want to play, obviously, but I haven’t trained. We always say, 'We play as we train,' so I haven’t trained a lot. We’ll see what happens.”
Tobin got beat for a sack early in the Green Bay game by defensive lineman Letroy Guion. He didn’t think that was related to his being on the second team, but felt he needed to play better.
“Obviously I’ve got a lot of things to get better at,” Tobin said. “That’s what training does. I’ve got to keep working on it and get better.”
The Eagles are hoping to get their running game going this week against Tennessee, a team ranked 31st in the NFL against the run.
“We look at the running game like, if it doesn’t work, it’s our fault,” Tobin said. “That’s pretty much the way that goes. If we don’t run the ball, it’s the offensive line’s fault.”