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Eagles' Maclin doesn't like Cooper's joke

Riley Cooper apologizes for referring to Jeremy Maclin's contract pursuit but says he didn't think it would be taken seriously.

Jeremy Maclin did not find Riley Cooper's joke about his contract funny.
Jeremy Maclin did not find Riley Cooper's joke about his contract funny.Read moreAssociated Press

HARD TO SAY what Chaucer or Shakespeare would make of Riley Cooper.

Both of those fellows are credited with observing, centuries ago, that sometimes when we make a joke, we're speaking the truth - or at least saying something we believe, while trying to take the sting out of our words by cloaking them in humor. (Neither Chaucer nor Shakespeare is believed to have been familiar with the term "passive-aggressive.")

On Monday, Cooper was talking to reporters about the wide-receiving rotation. He said that leading receiver Jeremy Maclin didn't have to rotate, because he was trying to get a long-term contract. Cooper said that once Maclin gets his deal done, "he'll probably be subbing in just as much."

Most reporters listening figured it was an awkward attempt at a joke.

Maclin said yesterday he figured the same thing, but "that was not a very smart thing for Coop to say."

Cooper, asked to clarify yesterday, said: "Yeah, I was joking . . . I was just talking about the subbing we normally do . . . I was obviously kidding, but y'all took it to heart. I guess I shouldn't have said it. I apologize."

Cooper said receivers are supposed to rotate out roughly every four or five snaps, but it's more or less up to them to do so.

"I'm supposed to sub every four or five plays, and that's what I do," Cooper said. "Maclin, I guess, he's a lot better player than me, so he doesn't have to sub. I guess I shouldn't have said that yesterday . . . The only reason I regret saying it is because y'all have made it such a big deal."

Cooper said he hadn't spoken to Maclin about his quotes.

The Eagles credit Maclin with 727 offensive snaps, Cooper with 688, a 5 percent difference. Cooper's load has lightened recently; rookies Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff have seen their snaps increase as they get more comfortable in the offense. Still, aside from Maclin, only left tackle Jason Peters (804) has played more offensive snaps for the Eagles this season than Cooper.

The contract issue might be a delicate one right now for Maclin, playing under a 1-year, $5.25 million deal. Agent Ben Dogra was dismissed "for cause" from Creative Artists Agency last week. Maclin told the Daily News yesterday that he hadn't decided what to do about representation in light of that move, but the NFLPA confirmed that he notified it on Nov. 20 that Dogra does not represent him any longer. Maclin is eligible to designate a new agent today. He could decide to stick with the powerful CAA group, which, of course, has plenty of other agents.

Davis dislikes being an x-man

The Eagles' defense has given up a league-high 49 pass plays of 20-plus yards, a league-high 14 pass plays of 40-plus yards. You can add five more 20-plus-yard runs to that, though the Birds haven't allowed a 40-plus-yard run, as they prepare to travel to Dallas, where they will face the NFL's leading rusher, DeMarco Murray.

Defensive coordinator Bill Davis frequently talks about limiting such "x-plays."

"It's not working out so well right now," Davis conceded yesterday, in the wake of the Eagles' allowing eight 20-plus-yard plays in defeating the Tennessee Titans last Sunday.

Does Davis have to just work around this, figure it's part of his squad's 2014 identity? After all, they also get turnovers and sacks, and they are 8-3.

"I'm not conceding that. We're going to stop the x-plays," Davis said. "Somehow, someway, we're going to find a way to get those x-plays off us, because it matters . . . we continue to talk about it, stress it, we haven't got it done yet, but that's the focus we have to keep."

Still, Bill, 11 games now . . . it isn't as if you're going to change a lot about your scheme or personnel, at this point.

"It's tough to change who you are at this point in the season. You've got to stick with what you have success with, and try to correct and get better at the things you're struggling with," Davis said.

Acho update

Linebacker Emmanuel Acho said his groin injury improved dramatically overnight from Monday to yesterday, but if the Eagles-Cowboys game had been played yesterday, he would not have been able to go. Acho was again a partial practice participant, and he said he thinks he'll be a game-time decision tomorrow.

Bill Davis said first-round rookie linebacker Marcus Smith, who might have to play more if Acho can't, "did his job" in the 14 snaps he played against Tennessee. Davis said Smith is "growing slowly every week . . . He'll make some mistakes and he'll make some big plays. We're OK with that."

Belting DeMarco

LeSean McCoy has spoken of an imaginary league rushing championship belt, as in boxing. Yesterday, he conceded that DeMarco Murray is "kind of winning the belt right now," with a league-best 1,354 yards on 268 carries, 5.1 yards per carry. Defending champ McCoy is fourth with 859 yards on 217 carries (4.0). "I'll have to send him the belt" after the season, if Murray takes the title, McCoy said.

Birdseed

Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said Mark Sanchez can make all the throws Nick Foles can make, even though the Birds have been less successful at throwing long since Sanchez took over at quarterback when Foles was injured Nov. 2. Shurmur cautioned reporters that they're still dealing with a small sample size . . . Sanchez's infamous "butt fumble" game with the Jets was two Thanksgivings ago . . . Andrew Gardner again seems slated to start at right guard in place of Matt Tobin. Tobin, more comfortable at left guard, is healthy, but Gardner played well at right guard against Tennessee . . . Jeremy Maclin said the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry is "bigger than me, it's bigger than this team" . . . The website makenflplayoffs.com says the Birds have a 73.6 percent chance of making it right now and can pretty much sew up a berth by winning three of their last five . . . The Eagles' defense is second in the NFL in fumble recoveries, with 11.

Blog: ph.ly/Eagletarian