Dunlap expects to play LG Sunday
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Dunlap expects to play LG Sunday
Jonathan Tamari
King Dunlap, who has played tackle his entire career, expects to be the Eagles starting left guard Sunday against the Cardinals.
Dunlap, who at six-foot-nine is taller than a typical guard, said he expects to play in place of Evan Mathis, who has turf toe and was seen walking with a significant limp today.
"As far as I know I will be (starting)," Dunlap said. "I'm guarding it up this week."
"It'll be a new experience for me," he added. He took some scout team snaps at guard in practice last season, but never in a game.
What's the biggest challenge, Dunlap was asked: "Staying lower," he said. "Because you've normally got shorter wider guys, a lot more power guys inside, so making sure I'm getting myself down lower in my stance and when I'm moving my feet."
Dunlap's presence inside will present a potential obstacle to Mike Vick, who will have to throw around the big man on the interior.
"He said (he'll) find the lanes," Dunlap said.
He'll match up against the Cardinals' Calais Campbell, a six-foot-eight defensive lineman.
"We'll be looking eye to eye. It'll be real big up the middle this week," Dunlap said.
On other spots on defense:
-- Safety Jaiquawn Jarrett was with the first team during the morning walk through in place of Nate Allen (concussion). Jarrett got his first action at safety Monday night after Allen got hurt and could get his first career start Sunday if Allen is not ready to play.
-- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie remains the starting nickelback, despite evident struggles against the Bears.
"It's just a lot of communication errors, I can say that," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "Certain formations come out and then you don't get the call out in time and then when the plays come it's too late to get it out, so you know we've just got to work on that and talk a little, that's all."
As far as facing his former team, Rodgers-Cromartie said: "They know what they had, I was there."
But he said he is still adjusting to playing in the slot.
"Anytime as a player you go into the game and you're always thinking, you tend to push slower. It's nothing athletic wise or scheme-wise, it's just a lot of thinking, that's it," he said, admitting to be "a little confused" in some calls.
Joselio Hanson, the team's nickel for several years now, remains the dime back. He said he believes he could contribute at nickel.
"There's a couple plays out there I feel like I could have made," Hanson said. "The nickel position, I feel like a couple of those plays I've seen a number of times."
Friends from home, he said, have told him he could be making plays, but he said he's not complaining.
"I'm not the boss here, I'm just a worker. They tell me to go in, I'll go in," he said.
Hanson avoided directly criticizing coaches or any teammates directly, but asked about the team's problems said, "I just know we can't have mental mistakes on third down."
-- Defensive end Brandon Graham said he played better than he expected Monday. Coaches helped limit his fatigue by rotating him: four plays on, four plays off.
Rodgers-Cromartie will likely have a nice game against his former team. This will prove to be a "tease" as he will most likely "revert to form" in subsequent weeks. Yet another waste of talent. Sheesh.— FishFryFrank
Comment removed.- Oh Great...a back up who can't play is going into replace a guy who can't play and has done nothing credible and has a big mouth...Bettr get Kafka and the brain child VY ready as Michael will get killed....thanks Andy....Great talent selection....— nuggett
- Who cares, it is not like the defense will show in Q4.— Earl J
- Noe of this should be a big surprise to anyone. You have a new scheme, new coaches, new players and no off season. It was absolutely critical that they pick up some wins early and they didn't. I highly doubt that they'll turn a corner and the mistakes will disappear from that point on. I've never seen that happen before. They'll play great and then they'll make some mistakes. If they get lucky, the mistakes don't hurt them. That hasn't been the case this season. Regardless of how much progress they make, they aren't winning a Super Bowl this year. It would help if this group had a playoff game this year. Realistically, they'll only start to have a shot at being really good next year. At the earliest. And that's only if they work hard every day until then. The worst thing they could do is get rid of Reid and a bunch of players. The new coach would buy time by coming up with a new scheme which would not suit the players we have. Then we'd be looking at 3 years until we could even see if the new coach was any better. No thanks. We did that for a decade and it's was unbearable. I'd stop watching if they start that again.— MikeP
- Holding...65 Offense..that penalty is declined, 4th down.— outta work
- Why would King play at guard instead of Justice or Jackson?— armchairGM
- Why wouldn't you move Herremans back and play Justice @ RT?? The one game Justice played he played well...I just can't see a 6'9" stork playing G.....but then again we have an OL coach as our D coordinator..— repski
- Comment removed.
- great Queen Dunlap is playing. The only thing he is useful for his blocking FG's and being a pylon. lovely— Back up the Bus for Gload and Bowker
- There's a reason OGs aren't 6'9"...6'2" DTs get under them and drive them backwards. This is one reason 6'7" Stacey Andrews flopped as a OG despite being a decent OT in Cincy. Also, 6'0" QBs can't see over 6'9" OGs lol. Oh NM...Andy is smarter than everyone else and can make a 6'9" OG work, just like he can make an OL coach a DC, right?
The King gets bullrushed 250lb speed rushers...look for him to spend as much time in the backfield as Shady and MV.— Only in Philly... 
Why is Hanson not playing Nickel already? I've seen enough of DRC and his BS attitude to last a life time. Bench him.- This will be fun to watch--our PEE WEE miget size QB will probably be bouncing his throws off of the King's hemet. GO EAGLES, a 8--8 record is within reach. HA HA HA eagle fans that pay the outlandish ticket prices to the games.— jwatson
- This really makes me nuts....just move Herremans back to his original spot for a few games. Put King/Justice where they are comfortable!! Quit putting guys in bad positions! UUGGGHH!— repski
- Who cares? Season over!— 4thand10
