Allen: Hammy Issue No Big Deal
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Allen: Hammy Issue No Big Deal
Eagles safety Nate Allen said Monday the hamstring injury he suffered Sunday night during Flight Night was of little consequence.
"I wouldn't even call it a 'tweak,'" Allen said. "It was more like a spasm. It's nothing, not even close to what I had i[earlier] in training camp. I'm going to give it a couple of days."
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Wideout Riley Cooper hasn't been around reporters much since breaking his collarbone in the early going at Lehigh. Sunday, Eagles coach Andy Reid said it would be a struggle for Cooper to be ready for the opener, but Cooper said he has his full range of motion back, but "bone has to heal." He also said he still has to strengthen the muscles around the area of the break.
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Quarterback Mike Kafka, who has been cleared to start taking snaps, said he is taking everything 'one day at a time." This answer was given to questions about his injury, his roster spot, playing against the Jets Thursday, and his all-time favorite '70s sitcom. I might have made that last one up. But whatever happened to Bonnie Franklin?
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To the casual observer, it might look like the Eagles are once again shuffling their linebacking corps because they never quite seem confident they have everything they need in their most troubled unit, over the past decade or so.
Shockingly, that is not how Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo sees it.
"They're athletic. They can run. They're tough. They're hungry. I think what [DeMeco Ryans] has added is, Meco has that experience ... Now, all of a sudden, the kids see how they're supposed to watch tape, how they're supposed to act on the field. Meco's a no-nonsense type guy, and a guy who's been in the league and done it ... You take that, mixed with athletic kids, athletic guys, now you have a good group," Castillo said Monday.
Castillo said veteran Akeem Jordan, elevated to the starting weakside spot Sunday ahead of Brian Rolle, has "had one of the better training camps since I've been around." He said coaches initially were milidly pleased to see Jordan making plays and leading the second defensive unit. Then they saw him making more and more plays, and started to think about moving him up.
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Marty Mornhinweg was not nearly as interested as reporters were in parsing the quarterback situation behind Michael Vick. Since Kafka has been cleared to take snaps again, that might mean Kafka gets into Thursday's last preseason tilt against the Jets. But Mornhinweg professed not to have given much thought yet to who is No. 2 and who is No. 3, after the decision to cut the fourth quarterback is made.Of course, now that three QBs are fully active on gameday, this decision is much less of a big deal than it once was.
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Mornhinweg said "consistency" was the key to King Dunlap winning the left tackle job over Demetress Bell.
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Linebacker Casey Matthews (high ankle sprain) believes he can be ready for the opener.
Juan may like his linebackers but with so much money and hopes tied into this team, I don't have any confidence in Juan setting up a defensive scheme to take on the NFL's best. Let alone making whatever critical halftime adjustments that need to be made. This is the one move, elevating this good football guy to such a critical position, that will be an achilles heal for the Eagles. Sorry, I know, beating a dead horse, but check in during late December and let's talk........
s— DelawareRiverRat- They're not shuffling. They're just trying to find the best guy for the WIL position.— soulman386
Holla at me when Juan learns how to run an effective defense..His likes and dislikes are of no interest...He should know by now that his defense is built for the blitz...Why have all that speed and sit in a zone? my bad, that's way too close to thinking...— ewsavage- Holla-ing at you! 11th ranked defense in NFL IS effective. This defense is not built for the blitz. This defense is built to pressure the QB with the front 4, the LB's in run support and coverage with the DB's in coverage. Speed to get to the ball and cover RB's TE's and WR running short to mid range routes. You really don't know a thing about the Eagles D but yet you and others like you post silliness. Yep Jim Johnson must be turning in his grave but all those SB rings are preventing him. Please don't think, it's not your strength.
- Lol, agreed TN, geniuses like ewsavage are amusing. He actually thinks he understands the game — DogBiscuitthedope
- Lol, my dog knows more about football than you
— DogBiscuitthedope - Another question? How can you have a linebacker who himself couldn't shed blocks more-less crack a starting lineup coaching them? Opps, there I go thinking again....— ewsavage
- You call that thinking? Sounds more like someone with zero football knowledge outside of Xbox trying to come across as some sort of a football expert — DogBiscuitthedope
- The NFL is not the place for a coach to learn on the job. If Juan Castillo has more growing pains this year, maybe he should look at being a college coach because constantly tinkering with your defense doesn't work out well at this level. Consistency is needed.
— quentin1978 - Castillo didn't just like -- he loved! -- Matthews last year. The Birds are in trouble.— iceman
- Castillo should work politics -- ALL TALK NO ACTION!— AllDawk_AllTheTime
- There seems to be an awful lot of professing going on.— dasher
- of course Juan likes his linebackers. the problem is Juanderful wouldn't know the difference between a good one and what he has if he was tackled by Ray Lewis in the lobby of 1 Novacare Way. is "tough and hungry" the new "high motor?"— coloradoeagle
- "Castillo professed to have no information about safety Nate Allen's hamstring problem suffered at Flight Night". I believe it. Why would the trainers tell him? He's just the DC in name only! Reid just lets Juan coach the LBers. That's why most of the LBs have regressed, can't tackle (except for Kendricks), can't cover (except for Kendricks), and constantly overrun plays (except for Kendricks)! PS: I think Kendricks has been told to ignor Juan's advice on how to play!— cooperhawk
