Watching the Olympics on NBC and the incessant overanalysis of the women’s gymnastics events in particular, I decided to go to some stream-of-consciousness reporting on Eagles training camp…
Maybe it’s time to let the viewer (or reader) decide what he or she is actually witnessing…
The window of opportunity has opened up at WR for rookie Marvin McNutt with the collarbone fracture injury to Riley Cooper…
For many players in the Philadelphia Eagles’ system, the big break takes two or three years from the time they first arrive. For McNutt, it’s taken all of seven days. Riley Cooper, the team’s incumbent fourth receiver and a player they’ve been looking to develop into a red-zone threat because of his size (6-3, 222), suffered a broken collarbone on Saturday and will miss the rest of training camp as a result. This, of course, opens the door for McNutt, the second largest receiver in camp at 6-2, 216.
Couple that with coach Andy Reid’s announcement that he plans to ride Cooper’s injury out with that the Eagles already have, and it means the spotlight is already on the youngster fresh out of Iowa. “He’s a big, physical kid, you saw that,” Reid said of McNutt’s Saturday performance. “You saw him attack the football and he made some big plays. You saw him on a quick screen make some people miss and make a big play there.”
“… He’s not going to look like DeSean [Jackson] coming off [the line]. So he’s a bigger body, but he’s very physical to the ball. When you put the pads on, that’s his game where you can have the physical of it in there.”
McNutt calls his speed deceptive because of his long strides (Mike Quick, perhaps?). And he doesn’t seem to be lacking confidence, which is another encouraging factor. “I feel like I can play in any offense,” he said. “But definitely this offense. The style of coaching, I love it. Coach Reid, I just want to show him that I want to be a part of it every day.”
Watching Cooper go down still was more disheartening than anything else. “It’s never good when you see a fellow teammate, a friend, a brother go down like that,” McNutt said, “especially one that had the same style of play. You always want to have competition, and you never want to see competition go away like that.”
FIGHT CLUB —– The first two rules of Fight Club were definitely violated Sunday, when defensive tackle Derek Landri mixed it up with offensive tackle Demetress Bell during the first live session, and Twitter nearly exploded as a result. “Sometimes your emotions get you,” Landri said. “You want to be the best player you can be, and things happen. You have to try to catch yourself before it gets too far.”
Center Jason Kelce and defensive coordinator Juan Castillo quickly intervened to keep the total skirmish time to only around 10 seconds.
WEIRD SCIENCE DEPARTMENT— Defensive end Jason Babin, who injured his calf muscle on Saturday, had swallowed a non-digestible capsule that emits a radio signal providing crucial internal body temperature data to a scanning device that can be held near a player’s abdomen. Because it hadn’t passed through his system by Sunday morning, the team had to postpone his scheduled MRI.
Actually, this is not even new technology. The team has been using this system to monitor players in the heat for around 10 years. But—count Babin out for around a week, barring something unexpected showing up on the MRI when he finally does get it.
ATTENDANCE: 5,644.
INJURY UPDATE: DE Jason Babin (calf strain) is expected to be out around a week. WR Riley Cooper (broken collarbone) will have surgery Monday and will miss six to eight weeks.
HIT OF THE DAY: CB Cliff Harris, at 5-11, 180, on FB Emil Igwenagu, at 6-2, 245… Harris didn’t make the tackle but produced a good-enough collision to knock Igwenagu back two steps, enabling some of the other defenders to catch up and drag him to the ground. Harris gets “A” for effort and courage…
PLAY OF THE DAY: Actually another quality hit by someone who needs to make a bunch more — S Jaiquawn Jarrett, who pummeled FB Stanley Havili…
DRC STEALS SHOW: CB Dominique Rodgers continues to be all the rage, breaking up and intercepting passes with stunning regularity. He even intercepted a Nick Foles pass during a slot pass drill, which is next to impossible….
MATCHUP SPOTLIGHT: WR Damaris Johnson against everyone in the secondary. Johnson in space is a scary entity. It’s just about impossible to get a good hit on him, and nobody can catch him from behind…so far, that is.
AFTERNOON PRACTICE:
2:35 P.M. – 5:15 P.M.
Pre-Practice:
Reuben Frank @RoobCSN
Defensive tackle Antonio Dixon, who left practice yesterday with heat-related issues, is back in full bads for this afternoon’s practice.
Tim McManus @Tim_McManus
Team just warming up but Phillip Thomas is coming gingerly off field grabbing back of right leg.
11 on 11’s NOT LIVE (“Blitz Drill”)
1. Les Bowen @LesBowen
Vick sidesteps blitz, hits Avant over middle. Then quickie to Havili. Funky blitz alignment w Jenkins standing up.
2. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
And we have our first fight … Landri got into it with Kelce and Bell. Fans liked the fisticuffs. Vick, Castillo break it up
3. Jeff McLane@Jeff_McLane
First O vs First D … Allen and Mychals blitz, Vick picks it up and hits Havilli over middle for big gainer.
4. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Cox playing LDE right now…..Herremans levels Cox with block on short pass to McCoy. Welcome to the NFL, rookie.
5. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Boykin and Kendricks blitz off corners. Kafka picks it ups and finds Lewis who goes nearly all the way after a sweet spin move.
6. Les Bowen @LesBowen
2s vs 2s, Dion takes screen to the house
7. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Nice, one-handed grab by Jamel Hamler on short Foles throw.
8. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
T Thomas Welch jumps off offsides and ends team portion for now.
9. Nick Fierro @NickFierro
It appears Reid ended live session prematurely after being disgusted with multiple false starts.
WR vs DB Drills:
1. Reuben Frank @RoobCSN
Nice INT by DRC, stepping in front of Foles in 1-on-1’s.
2. Reuben Frank @RoobCSN
Chad Hall with a nice catch. He catches everything.
3. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Damaris Johnson makes nice grab v Trevard Lindley.
4. Reuben Frank @RoobCSN
There’s a diving DeSean catch of a 42-yard Vick bomb. 10 over DRC
5. Reuben Frank @RoobCSN
And next snap, Maclin crazy catch 44 yards from Vick, Boykin in coverage.
6. Reuben Frank @RoobCSN
Shady vs. Jarrett … no contest. Shady beats him off the line and Trent Edwards finds him.
7. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
McNutt makes nice 30 yardover the shoulder grab w Harris c
overing. Decent Edwards throw.
8. Tim McManus @Tim_McManus
Big scrum breaks out after Watkins fight with Ryan Rau.
TEAM LIVE: (3rd & Short)
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2 Offense vs. 1 Defense
1. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Dion Lewis run. Not much there. Cox in the mix.
2. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Lewis runs up the middle. Again not much there. Ryans there to meet him.
3. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Lewis run again. Jenkins and Rolle combine for stop.
4. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Kafka throw to McNutt not on target.
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1 Offense vs. 2 Defense
1. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Thornton drops McCoy at line.
First off vs second dee Shady takes a pitch for 17 more. Jarrett goes for helmet shot and misses. Yeesh.
3. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Vick short pass to Maclin off target and Harris nearly picks it off.
4. Vick complete short to DeSean Jackson
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3 Offense vs. 3 Defense
1. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Nice, tough up the middle run and breaking tackles by Bryce Brown
2. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Dion Lewis is strung out by Allen and Kendricks cleans him up for a tackle for loss.
3. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Washburn all over Fletcher Cox today.
4. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Lewis team tackled in backfield. Playing the role of Eldra Buckley so far.
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1 Offense vs. 2 Defense
1. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
McCoy jukes Marsh but doesn’t get much.
2. Reuben Frank @RoobCSN
Another good rush by Brandon Graham. Flushes vick to his left, forces bad pass too high for Havili.
3. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
DeSean on end around – doesn’t get much with Boykin chasing him down!
DL/OL 1 on 1’s:
1. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
DL/OL 1 on 1s. Cox tries a bullrush on Watkins. Howard Mudd instructs Watkins to “hop, hop.”
2. Les Bowen @LesBowen
1 on 1 line drills , this late in practice, offense seems to have huge advantage. D linemen are really worn down
3. Reuben Frank @RoobCSN
Over at 1-on-1 linemen drills … Demetress Bell is pretty impressive over here for a second straight day.
4. Reuben Frank @RoobCSN
That big ol’ Ollie Ogbu gets some push in 1-on-1’s.
TEAM LIVE #2:
1. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
DRC picks off short throw from Kafka to DJohnson.
2. Reuben Frank @RoobCSN
We’re live again … Vick lob to Shady for 21 yds. Shady looks fast.
3. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Vick looking real sharp today. Hits Maclin on crossing pattern, lobs perfect screen to McCoy and then takes boot leg for score.
4. Reuben Frank @RoobCSN
Vick bootleg for TD 20 yds gets the crowd roaring.
5. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Big collision between Cliff Harris and Emil Igwenagu. Emil wins that one.
6. Reuben Frank @RoobCSN
3rd O is moving the ball on 3rd dee. Nice catch & run by the FB igwenagu
7. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Bryce Brown clearly ahead of Chris Polk for third RB spot right now. Unless #Eagles want to work Brown more now.
8. Les Bowen @LesBowen
Bryce Brown breaks so many tackles
9. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Chase Ford drops Foles pass that hits him in the #s.
10. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Chris Polk finally gets carry. Doesn’t to look to have Brown’s pop.
11. Nick Fierro @NickFierro
Nice run by Dion Lewis on draw from shotgun.
12. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Hello, Jaiquawn Jarrett. Finally makes play. Strips McCoy after he gains 10 yards.
13. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
DeSean shakes off Brandon Hughes tackle attempt.
14. Blogging the bEast @Jimmy_Beast
Jai Jar with 2 big hits on Shady today. Forced fumble.
15. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Jarrett brings it again on run play.
16. Les Bowen @LesBowen
Hey that was one of those hits we’ve been waiting for from Jarrett. Popped Havili
17. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Vick picks up blitz and hits Chad Hall over middle.
18. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Jamar Chaney having strong practice at 2d team WIL.
19. Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Screen pass to McCoy. Kendricks smells it and stops the RB.
20. Nick Fierro @NickFierro
Great work by second and third team D to keep first team O out of end zone.
21. Les Bowen @LesBowen
Whoever Jeremy Stewart is, he’s looked nifty out of the backfield today.
See ya Monday night with more…
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