Did You Notice in Last Night’s Eagles-Pats Game?
That Donovan McNabb wasn’t on the sidelines per team policy (no injured players on road games), but the injured Brian Dawkins was on the sideline jawing at Matt McCoy when the team was in Minnesota a few weeks ago?
How Tom Brady repeatedly barked out “96″ when calling his protection at the line? He was presumably referring to middle linebacker Omar Gaither, who made a couple of outstanding plays in coverage that Jeremiah Trotter could only dream about making.
The great blitz pickup Brian Westbrook made that allowed A.J. Feeley to complete his touchdown pass to Reggie Brown in the third quarter?
That the defense refused to use press coverage on Wes Welker as he again and again caught short passes before Joselio Hanson could reach him? Granted, it may be harder to press the slot receiver, but the alternative sure wasn’t working.
That after playing against the Dolphins, rookie DE Victor Abiamiri was again deactivated? Or that the Patriots receiving crew is so deep that first-round pick Chad Jackson was deactivated?
How badly Sheldon Brown blew his end-zone coverage on Jabar Gaffney, who not only scored an easy touchdown, but also flapped his arms, bird-like, in derision at the team that cut him before last season?
The stupid offside penalty that perhaps the fattest member of the Eagles, backup center Nick Cole, made on a Patriots punt that gave them an automatic first down?
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5 Responses to “Did You Notice in Last Night’s Eagles-Pats Game?”
November 26th, 2007 at 11:22 pm
What”s your point?
November 27th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Sean - this is the LBing crew you derided not 2 weeks ago. Suddenly, one of them is important enough for Brady and the Pats O to constantly know where he is.
Also, you are right, Gaither made some very nice plays, plays Trot couldn’t make anymore. And Gaither looked very nice in coverage. This LB core is starting to come together in the later part of the season, maybe not surprising, since none of them had started in their respective spot for the Eagles before this season.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Tom - I think his point is “did you notice?” like the headline says. I don’t think it was a commentary as an interesting observations column.
Also, Dawkins was a game-time decision the day he was on the sidelines, unlike McNabb, who was ruled out the day before. Hard to say he’s a game time decision if he doesn’t travel with the team the Saturday before the game.
November 28th, 2007 at 8:50 am
I wasn’t suggesting that Gaither is suddenly a great LB; I was just saying that you could see Brady calling “96″ on several occasions. It could have been a protection code for all we know–I just noticed it and thought it was interesting.
I think based on the fact that they didn’t have a sack until this week and had only caused a couple of turnovers that it’s fair to say that the linebacker play this season hasn’t been stellar. They definitely played better Sunday night, and I think it will be interesting to see what happens with Spikes after the season. Will they try Bradley at MLB and move Gaither back to weakside and let Spikes go? I can’t imagine they picked Bradley with the idea that he will still be a backup next season, but if Spikes plays well down the stretch, that will make that decision more difficult.
November 29th, 2007 at 9:58 am
As for McNabb staying home, I was just looking at Mark Eckel’s column the other day in the Trenton Times (http://www.nj.com/columns/times/eckel/index.ssf?/base/columns-0/119614033533700.xml&coll=5), and he makes the following point:
“The fact that Reid did not allow him to travel to New England for Sunday’s game is mind boggling.
Yes, he was ruled out. And it’s a team rule that players listed as “out” don’t travel. But it was the team who listed him as out.
He could have remained “doubtful,” went to the game and been there to support his team and maybe, just maybe, lend a pair of veteran eyes to Feeley.”
I’m not quite sure why Reid may be hesitant to have McNabb on the sidelines and yet allow Dawkins to–still seems a bit fishy to me.
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