After two-TD game, TE Lewis out for Super Bowl

"It's unfortunate that it happened," McNabb said. "We're going to go out and try to win it for Chad."

A return by Owens would easily offset the injury to Lewis. Owens caught 77 passes for 1,200 yards and 14 TDs in his first year with the Eagles.

Owens' spectacular season came to a halt when he tore two ankle ligaments and broke his right leg in a game against Dallas on Dec. 19. A surgeon inserted two screws in Owens' ankle and a plate on the outside of the ankle three days later.

Owens was told after surgery that he had only an outside chance of returning for the Super Bowl, but has rehabbed vigorously and has told teammates he's going to play.

McNabb downplayed the notion that Owens might come back only to be used as a decoy against the Patriots.

"For him, that's disrespectful to say you're going to be used to run dummy routes," McNabb said. "We brought T.O. here for a reason. If T.O. is out there, he's going to catch some balls."

Owens was back on the sideline leading cheers against the Falcons. But making cuts and taking hits won't be as easy as waving a towel and flapping his arms.

"Somewhere in the next few days here, he's going to try to run on that thing, jog on it, see what he can do and progress from there," Reid said. "He's coming in every day for treatment. He's been working in the pool, running in the pool, but it's a matter of him getting out and trying it on land here without the water."