How Cowboys simulated DeSean
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How Cowboys simulated DeSean
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
Rounding up some links and news:
* The names Jesse Holley and Manuel Johnson probably do not sound familiar to you. They are Dallas Cowboys receivers, who spent last season on the team's practice squad. Per the Cowboys' Web site, both were counted on to simulate DeSean Jackson for Dallas on the scout team last season. The Cowboys limited Jackson to eight catches for 90 yards in three meetings.
"They gave us a tremendous picture on how tough it would be to cover their receivers," Phillips said. "They're not DeSean Jackson but they work hard and they gave us that kind of picture. And it really helped us. They're the right kind of guys and they're talented, so I think they're coming along well."
Per the article, the receivers got game balls after the Week 17 win over the Birds.
* Great news for all Eagles fans over the age of 25. The Birds will bring back the kelly green jerseys and honor the 50-year anniversary of the 1960 championship team during their home opener against the Packers. It would be impossible to find anyone who thinks this is a bad idea. The Birds wore some version of the kelly green jerseys until the 1996 season when they switched to the current look.
You still see the old jerseys around the city and at the Linc, whether it's Chuck Bednarik, Randall Cunningham, Eric Allen, Harold Carmichael or whoever. But now, you can expect to see quite a few DeSean Jackson, Kevin Kolb, Brent Celek and Trent Cole kelly green jerseys.
* Too early for power rankings? ESPN.com doesn't think so. They've got the Eagles at No. 13:
The Eagles picked a tough time for Kevin Kolb to take over as quarterback. Their schedule features 11 top-level QBs, including two games against Donovan McNabb.
That puts them seventh in the NFC, behind the Saints, Vikings, Cowboys, Packers, Falcons and Cardinals. The Giants are 17th, and the Redskins 23rd.
* Speaking of the Redskins, Donovan McNabb was in attendance at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. And apparently, he was a little star-struck at seeing Justin Bieber.
From washingtonpost.com:
Justin Bieber, the tiny tween idol with a big bow tie, was striding out of the dining room of the Hilton Washington Saturday night when a much larger man stopped him and asked to shake his hand.
"My daughter loves you," said Donovan McNabb.
Bieber, 16, with a swagger way beyond his years, turned and took the new Redskins quarterback's outstretched hand. "You might want to shake it before I go to the bathroom," the singer said. McNabb waited for Bieber to emerge from the men's room and asked for photo with him. "This is going to help me at home," he said.
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Was it really the coverage on DeSean? I am thinking the pressure on Donovan had more to do with it.
I think so as well. Donovan McNabb looked scared in both of the cowboys game and was holding the ball way too long. He also over shot DeSean Jackson which could have been a touchdown. Accuaracy was donovan's biggest problem and thank god Kevin Kolb can fix that.— briandawkins20- Nice that Donovan can ask Bieber for a picture since he never posed with his fans.— schmoo
- Right, so some stiff receivers can effectively simulate DeSean. Also, I too love the kelly green jerseys and am glad they're coming back though it is obviosuly for marketing purposes.— davekrieg
- Donny asks for photos of Bieber, and Bieber asked donny for a photo of Kolb. SUPER BOWL BABY!!!!!— jsixer9
- doubt it jsixer9...— EaglesBleedMoney
Comment removed.
briandawkins20 not only does Kolb have the accuracy to hit a moving car's sideview mirror at 70mph from 30 yards away but he also will let that ball fly. Kolb will not hold onto the ball, like McNabb did, Kolb will put that ball in the WR's hand even if he has to throw it in triple coverage. It took 11 years but we have finally upgraded the QB position and are now poised to win multiple Super Bowls.- bd20, the biggest problem was the quality of receivers #5 had to work with. Besides TO and DJax, who was there?— palmyra21
- Those guys might be able to simulate straight-line speed but they aren't actually realistically simulating Jackson's talent, ability, quickness, instincts, etc. or they'd be playing, not on the practice squad.— JimG
- Donovan Had quality receivers for 2 years. DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Kevin Curtis and Jason Avant. McNabb should have easily won a superbowl with those guys if he would put the ball in their hands instead of on the ground or throwing it to the opposing team. McNabb had playmakers and just could not get the job done. I would be very shocked if he does not get injured this year behind that redskins offensive line.— briandawkins20
- i think dallas' front 7 had way more 2 do with shutting down djax than 2 practice squad wr's...that and andy & marty not makin any offensive adjustments— the tru 1
- Both Eagles lines were beaten badly in those Cowboys games last season. That was mainly why they lost. If you want to live in a fantasy world and say that it was mostly McNabb, be my guest.— p-diddy
- @TheKolbIntereceptionMachineShow, KYS— tripschaos
- What is an intereception exactly?— CoLange
- Comment removed.
for some reason I really dont see Kolb waiting around to get a picture with justin beiber. just another difference between a real leader and Mcpuke
Some folks (lonewolf 10 for instance) on here need lives in the worst way. They are still complaining about a QB who is not even on the team. Those same nitwits gush about a guy with a grand total of two starts! Unreal.- I agree with the sentiment that it wasn't all D-Mac's fault the Birds lost in the biggest games and never won it all. He really only had quality receivers a few times. Given the receivers from '09 I thought he put up good numbers. Was this his most productive year statistically in terms of passing yards? Not sure. Either way, I can recall many a day when I turned the t.v. off in complete disgust prior to D-Mac's arrival --- Many ... A... Day and I DO MEAN COMPLETE DISGUST. McNabb was a Godsend when he came and he helped to turn the Birds around. I don't understand why people can't simply appreciate what he did while he was here and move on. We'll know in a few short months whether or not KK will do the job that is needed. Honestly, I wouldn't hold out high hopes for this year as QBs tend to need some seasoning anyway. Maybe next year or the one thereafter, but not this year. Don't get your hopes up, honestly. Trash talking aside, there are very few QBs who come out of the gate slinging their way to a title game a really good season and they tend to have strong running games to help take the pressure off - See Atlanta, Baltimore, and last year's Jets for examples. Everybody posting here knows that the Birds aren't going to run the ball very often so KK will be on his own. We'll see how he does and how he holds up when the boo Birds come out.— jokyjoky
- INTERECEPTION: A usually habitual practice of receiving new information, then internalizing it before spewing out one's reaction, colored by one's preconceptions which are typically driven by emotional bias rather than logic. INTERECEPTION is the chief reason it's unwise to discuss politics when you're drinking, and a practice that fills up most of the space on sports blog threads. Thanks for the question, CoLange!— rad205
- I would not be surprised if kolb gets injured behind the eagles offensive line..he is slow and can't run.— only 9
- insightful analysis as usual. mcnabb did some things wrong. an interception was not really one of them. who cares if Kolb can't run? if that was the issue, Vick would be starting.— birdfannnj
- I cannot wait for Kolb to fall on his face. Who are you going to blame now when the eagles start to lose? I cannot wait for 5 to light you guys up!— VAEagleNoMore
- lonewolf - you keep saying that like it's a good thing! "letting it fly into triple coverage" is a stupid, stupid thing for a quarterback to do. I really really hope you have no idea what you're talking about or it's going to be a long, sad season.— reb
- @TheKolbIntereceotionmachineshow, first off it's "Interception" moron. Secondly, yes he will throw more interceptions but he will also have higher completion percentage and throw more touchdowns because he is more willing to take risks in coverage and give the receiver a chance to make a big play unlike the previous QB.— Murrayag11
- Donovan's gone, thank God. Move on.
- Comment removed.
- palmyra21, You guys kill me with that double standard. On the one hand, McNabbettes cite McNabb's oh-so-great numbers in yards, TD's, championship games appearances, etc and, yet, on the other, you say he seldon (if ever) had worthwhile receivers. Well who was he throwing to when he compiled all of those yards, TD's, championship appearances, etc, himself? Blame everyone except McNabb. That's the modus operandi.— essell
BD20, two whole years? And Maclin for only one BTW. Wow and to think Pman, Favre, Warner and others had players like that year in and year out and still only got it done once in 10 years or more. That McNabb sure had some nerve, didn't he...? Please. Really.— tpizza- essell, I think you are making their point. That McNabb WAS able to accomplish what he did in Philly without the stellar supporting cast that other QBs enjoyed was, IMO, his greatest achievement. That being said, since the guy is gone I don't know why it is even a topic of discussion anymore. For better or worse KK is the QB now so we will see what we have in a few months.— tpizza
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