TO badly injured; All of Philadelphia prepares for seppuku.

[WilliamPitt]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1950067

PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles star receiver Terrell Owens will miss the rest of the regular season and possibly the playoffs and Super Bowl because of a sprained right ankle, a devastating blow to the best team in the NFC.

Owens will have surgery Wednesday and stands only an outside shot at being able to play in the NFL's championship game on Feb. 6 -- if Philadelphia makes it that far -- head trainer Rick Burkholder said.

"I was looking forward to the playoffs, really trying to get this team to the Super Bowl," Owens said in a conference call. "I think without me, still, they achieve that goal."

Owens, whose touchdown celebrations and big plays made him an instant fan favorite, called some of his teammates with the news and told them he was sticking around for the playoff run.

"I'm behind them. I'm going to be their biggest cheerleader," Owens said.

Owens, who has 77 catches for 1,120 yards and a team-record 14 touchdowns, also has a fracture a few inches below his knee. But Burkholder still didn't rule out the chance that Owens would be able to run in five weeks -- the weekend of the NFC title game.

"There's a lot of hurdles that have to be taken on before he can ever get to that point," Burkholder said.

"The scenario I painted is the best-case scenario, but it is realistic," he said.

(snip)

Without Owens, the Eagles will be left with basically the same lackluster receiving corps that has disappeared when needed in the title games. Freddie Mitchell or Greg Lewis could join Pinkston as the other starting wideout. Those three have a combined 60 catches for 1,073 yards.

Reid said the Eagles will activate wide receiver Billy McMullen.

"Freddie's going to get his chances to make plays," Owens said. "There shouldn't be any more excuses as to why he's not getting the ball. Now he gets his chance."

In two playoff games last year, the Eagles had one touchdown catch from a wide receiver.

None of the wide receivers caught a pass in the second half of the Eagles' 12-7 win over the Cowboys.

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