Anderson eager to resume sack attack

Defensive end Mark Anderson is tied with Tommie Harris for the team lead with 4 sacks this season, but Anderson will be looking to bounce back this afternoon from what he considers a horrible performance against the Vikings last week.

Anderson, the Bears' sack leader with 12 last season as a rookie, was rendered insignificant by Minnesota's 6-foot-8, 335-pound left tackle Bryant McKinnie.

But the Bears' fifth-round draft choice in 2006 doesn't blame the 80-pound weight disadvantage for his 4-tackle performance and lack of pressure on quarterback Tarvaris Jackson.

"It was a bad game, the worst ever, in my life," Anderson said. "That's it. That was the worst game I've ever played right there."

Like most of his defensive teammates, Anderson didn't get much positive feedback from coaches regarding his performance against Minnesota, but he didn't need anyone else to point out his poor performance.

"I came to that conclusion on my own," Anderson said. "They told me I could have done better."

Anderson is likely to face a similar challenge to McKinnie in today's critical matchup in Philadelphia.

Eagles left tackle William "Tra" Thomas is 6-7, 335 pounds, and together with Philly right tackle Jon Runyan they form one of the NFL's better OT tandems.

Thomas played last week but missed Week 4 with a sprained knee that limited his practice time this week and has him listed as "questionable" on the injury report.

With Thomas out of the lineup three weeks ago, Eagles backup left tackle Winston Justice was abused for 6 sacks by Giants right end Osi Umenyiora. The prospect of facing the backup would have most pass rushers salivating, but Anderson claims he wants to go against the Eagles' best.

"I need Tra," Anderson said. "I need to see the big dude, big Tra."

The Eagles are 30th in the league when it comes to preventing sacks. Even though the 12 times that quarterback Donovan McNabb was flattened by the Giants skews the Eagles' average, they have allowed 3 sacks in three of their other four games.

So there should be opportunities for Anderson, regardless of who starts at left tackle for Philadelphia.