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Eagles Notes
Earlier this week, Eagles coach Andy Reid described Darwin Walker's status for Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys as a coin flip.
It now appears that the toss will go against Walker, which means the defensive tackle will be forced to sit out his third consecutive game with a deep thigh bruise. Walker did not practice yesterday and is listed as doubtful on the team's injury report.
Another week of rest followed by next week's bye could be the right prescription for Walker.
If Walker isn't available, the Eagles will have to activate one of the two defensive tackles on their practice squad. Rookie Keyonta Marshall is the most likely candidate, because recent practice-squad addition Jason Jefferson has had only two days to learn defensive coordinator Jim Johnson's scheme.
"It's very exciting," Marshall, a seventh-round pick out of Division II Grand Valley State, said yesterday. "You go through childhood and always dream of playing in the NFL, especially the regular season. The preseason was great, but the regular season you can say, 'I'm in here now and it's a tremendous opportunity to show what I can do on the football field.' "
If Marshall is activated, he still likely won't get a lot of playing time. Johnson figures to go primarily with a three-man rotation of Mike Patterson, Hollis Thomas and Sam Rayburn at defensive tackle. On the other hand, he will be just one injury away from getting on the field a lot more.
"I'm doing a little bit of extra film study," Marshall said. "I go with Hollis, since we have similar playing styles. I try to look up to him and pick his brain, week in and week out, and especially this week."
To make room on the 53-man roster for Marshall, the Eagles likely will waive wide receiver Darnerien McCants again.
McCants was waived last week to make room for kicker Todd France and re-signed after defensive tackle Paul Grasmanis went down with a season-ending injury against Kansas City. If McCants is not claimed, he could be re-signed when Walker returns. Marshall likely would go back to the practice squad.
Passing fancy
Bill Parcells is known as a coach who likes to run a ball-control offense with a physical running game, but he made an interesting point this week.
"I always thought I was flexible when it came to what you were going to do stylistically in this league," the Cowboys coach said. "I know I've made quite a few changes philosophically over the years. In fact, I was reading that Philadelphia is on pace to throw the most passes in the history of the league. The record that they would break was one of my teams'."
It's true. Drew Bledsoe threw an NFL-record 691 passes for Parcells and the New England Patriots in 1994. The Pats finished 10-6 that season and went to the playoffs. Bledsoe, of course, is in his first season as the Cowboys' quarterback.
"I know everyone thinks I'm a running coach, but there were times when we threw," Parcells said.
Extra points
Eagles safety Brian Dawkins, linebacker Jeremiah Trotter (bruised quadriceps) and defensive end Trent Cole (strained hamstring) returned to practice yesterday. Dawkins and Cole still are listed as questionable and Trotter is listed as probable... . Offensive coordinator Brad Childress, when asked whether the game plan changed when the Eagles fell behind by a big margin in the first half against the Chiefs: "I don't think there was ever a sense that we needed to do anything crazy like... start running the football."
http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/sports/football/nfl/philadelphia_eagles/12838081.htm
Earlier this week, Eagles coach Andy Reid described Darwin Walker's status for Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys as a coin flip.
It now appears that the toss will go against Walker, which means the defensive tackle will be forced to sit out his third consecutive game with a deep thigh bruise. Walker did not practice yesterday and is listed as doubtful on the team's injury report.
Another week of rest followed by next week's bye could be the right prescription for Walker.
If Walker isn't available, the Eagles will have to activate one of the two defensive tackles on their practice squad. Rookie Keyonta Marshall is the most likely candidate, because recent practice-squad addition Jason Jefferson has had only two days to learn defensive coordinator Jim Johnson's scheme.
"It's very exciting," Marshall, a seventh-round pick out of Division II Grand Valley State, said yesterday. "You go through childhood and always dream of playing in the NFL, especially the regular season. The preseason was great, but the regular season you can say, 'I'm in here now and it's a tremendous opportunity to show what I can do on the football field.' "
If Marshall is activated, he still likely won't get a lot of playing time. Johnson figures to go primarily with a three-man rotation of Mike Patterson, Hollis Thomas and Sam Rayburn at defensive tackle. On the other hand, he will be just one injury away from getting on the field a lot more.
"I'm doing a little bit of extra film study," Marshall said. "I go with Hollis, since we have similar playing styles. I try to look up to him and pick his brain, week in and week out, and especially this week."
To make room on the 53-man roster for Marshall, the Eagles likely will waive wide receiver Darnerien McCants again.
McCants was waived last week to make room for kicker Todd France and re-signed after defensive tackle Paul Grasmanis went down with a season-ending injury against Kansas City. If McCants is not claimed, he could be re-signed when Walker returns. Marshall likely would go back to the practice squad.
Passing fancy
Bill Parcells is known as a coach who likes to run a ball-control offense with a physical running game, but he made an interesting point this week.
"I always thought I was flexible when it came to what you were going to do stylistically in this league," the Cowboys coach said. "I know I've made quite a few changes philosophically over the years. In fact, I was reading that Philadelphia is on pace to throw the most passes in the history of the league. The record that they would break was one of my teams'."
It's true. Drew Bledsoe threw an NFL-record 691 passes for Parcells and the New England Patriots in 1994. The Pats finished 10-6 that season and went to the playoffs. Bledsoe, of course, is in his first season as the Cowboys' quarterback.
"I know everyone thinks I'm a running coach, but there were times when we threw," Parcells said.
Extra points
Eagles safety Brian Dawkins, linebacker Jeremiah Trotter (bruised quadriceps) and defensive end Trent Cole (strained hamstring) returned to practice yesterday. Dawkins and Cole still are listed as questionable and Trotter is listed as probable... . Offensive coordinator Brad Childress, when asked whether the game plan changed when the Eagles fell behind by a big margin in the first half against the Chiefs: "I don't think there was ever a sense that we needed to do anything crazy like... start running the football."
http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/sports/football/nfl/philadelphia_eagles/12838081.htm
