Cutdown day looms on Saturday. NFL teams have to reduce their roster to 53 by then, and in the mean time there are the sideways glances and the anxious phone calls home, guys knowing they’re on the bubble or merely practice fodder, trying not to think about The Turk and the dreaded words, “…and bring your playbook.”
Down but not out: LaMichael James hasn’t found much running room in the NFL after scooting for over 5000 yards and 53 touchdowns as a Webfoot. (KVAL-TV photo)
Yesterday NFL teams released a hundred guys, but only one Duck. Chip Kelly and the Eagles cut defensive lineman Isaac Remington, Last week Remington got a glimmer of hope when the team tried him out for a couple of days on the offensive line. Hoping to stick he went along with the change but they let him go anyway.
LaMichael James carried the ball 9 times for just 15 yards in the 49ers 34-14 home victory over Minnesota. Lavell Hawkins returned a kickoff 105 yards for Jim Harbaugh’s squad, a gold nugget that could mean James will get fewer opportunities on special teams. His pro career hasn’t yet gained a lot of traction as he starts his second year, especially after a crucial fumble in the team’s Super Bowl loss this February.
The leading rusher in Oregon history managed just 125 yards in limited duty as a rookie, with no touchdowns. In April’s draft Harbaugh added South Carolina star Marcus Lattimore, 5-11, 221 pounds, the kind of big, powerful back that the coach covets as part of his Smashmouth philosophy. Lattimore, however, is still recovering from a devastating injury he suffered last October with the Gamecocks, tearing three ligaments in his right knee. The 49’ers have him on the non-football injury list to start the season, making him a long-term project. But even with Lattimore delayed, James competes with Frank Gore, Jewel Hampton, Kendall Hunter, D.J. Harper and Anthony Dixon in a crowded backfield. The Turk or a return to the practice squad remains a possibility for James with just one more exhibition tilt on the schedule, Thursday night at San Diego.
New York Giants linebacker Spencer Paysinger continued his strong preseason with 7 tackles in the team’s 24-21 loss to the Jets Sunday night at MetLife Stadium. Paysinger added a quarterback hit as he continues to be among the most active and effective members of the G-Men linebacker corps.
His former defensive sidekick Casey Matthews racked up four tackles and a sack for the Eagles Saturday night as Chip Kelly’s new team clawed Jacksonville 31-24. Patrick Chung added 3 stops, but Maehl, Murphy and Dixon did not play. With the regular season fast approaching Kelly went with veterans–only starter Michael Vick and backup Nick Foles played at quarterback, Vick 15-23, 184 yds, 1 td, 1 int; Foles a crisp 10-11, 112 yards off the bench. Vick also contributed 7 carries for 53 yards. Former Duck recruiting target Bryce Brown volunteered 11 carries for 92 yards and a td.
The 2-1 Eagles were in shotgun, no huddle throughout the game. Interestingly, the Jaguars featured the same look for much of the contest also, the two squads running 143 plays between them.
Elsewhere, T.J. Ward dog-pounded his way to 3 tackles and a quarterback hit for the Browns. Pittsburgh tight end David Paulson grabbed two catches for 10 yards. Kellen Clemens tossed a 1-yard touchdown pass in the final two minutes to get the Rams within one at Denver, but threw incomplete on a two-point conversion to win, 2-5 passing for 18 yards in his brief stint. Josh Kaddu broke free for a sack for Miami, but no sign of Dion Jordan or Michael Clay.
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