Eagles bench Matthews, replace him with Rolle

You asked for it. You got it.

Brian Rolle is in and Casey Matthews is out.

Rolle said after the Eagles morning walkthrough Wednesday that hes been promoted to starting weak-side linebacker in place of Matthews, who struggled the first three games of the season.

Matthews and Rolle are both rookiesMatthews a fourth-rounder from Oregon and Rolle a sixth-rounder from Ohio State.

But Rolle outplayed Matthews throughout the preseason and excelled when he got on the field in nickel situations the past couple weeks.

I just showed that Im willing to go out there and step up and make plays when they need to be made, Rolle said. Every time I was in there, you heard my name, so the coaches must have seen that light and thought I needed to be on the field more.

Rolle will be the third weak-side linebacker the Eagles have used in three weeks. Moise Fokou started the first two games before moving to strong-side linebacker. Matthews started the first two games at middle before moving to weak-side. Jamar Chaney started the first two games at strong before moving to middle.

With Rolle, Chaney and Fokou starting Sunday against the 49ers, this will be the 45th different linebacker combination the Eagles have used in 13 years under head coach Andy Reid.

Im going to get in, have fun, work hard and take over that spot, Rolle said. Im ready for it. I feel like I was ready out of college. Coming into this league, nobody gave me a chance and now I get the nod to be a starter. Im just looking forward to having fun and making plays.

Rolle is clearly the more instinctive of the two rookie linebackers. What he lacks in sizehe stands 5-foot-8, 230 poundshe makes up for in football savvy.

The Eagles gave Matthews every opportunity to hang onto a starting job, but he never looked comfortable, and although he played better against the run Sunday against the Giants, he also gave up a 40-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Jacobs when he bit on a simple play fake.

Later in the game, with Rolle playing in nickel, the Giants tried a similar play to fullback Henry Hynoski, and Rolle ran down the field and swatted the ball away.

Its all film study and just knowing the game of football, Rolle said. The way we practice, plays like that, where you get a play action your way, I just know you have to stay on the back.

For Casey, it was a new move for him at outside backer, so he wasnt used to that. When it happened to me, it was second nature to take the back. Just knowing the game of football and knowing where you need to be.

You might get the idea by now that Rolle is confident.

Supremely confident.

On Wednesday, he even spoke about how much hes looking forward to covering 6-foot-3, 250-pound Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis, whose 20 TDs are most by any NFL tight end since the start of 2009.

Hopefully, I do get matched up against Vernon Davis, he said. Everybody has a weakness. You can be fast, but being fast isnt everything. Its all about technique in this league.

The way it stands now, the Eagles will start two seventh-round picksChaney and Fokouand a sixth-round pick at linebacker Sunday against the 49ers.

Hes a good athlete, hes fastone of the fastest linebackers to come out of the draft last yearso hell help us a lot in that aspect, Chaney said. Hes a competitor, he comes from Ohio State, so I think hes going to come in and make an impact.

For the record, Rolle will be the 27th different linebacker the Eagles have started since Reid became head coach in 1999.

After the first game, the coaches all said, Great job, Rolle said. Even Duce Staley told me continue doing what youre doing.

When Im on the field, I want my name called every time. During the preseason and the first three games, I feel like Ive done just that, and this week the coaches see that I need to be on the field.

Rolle joins the Eagles defense at a crucial point. The defense has allowed eight passing touchdowns in the last two games, and the Eagles have given up 35 and 29 points the last two weeks.

This is only the third time since 1994 the Eagles have allowed 29 points or more in consecutive games.

We got to get our heads back in it, Rolle said. We tell each other every day that nobodys going to give us anything. Weve got to get guys heads back to where they need to be and continue to keep our personality and not think were something more than what we are, because obviously the last couple weeks, we havent played up to our potential.

People are going to look at last week and think that were falling apart. Its three games into the season. Were still working hard, staying overtime, getting it together.

People looking outside in might think theres something majorly wrong, but its all small things that can be worked out.

E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com