Unexpectedly Eagles All-Pro safety Brian Dawkins stood up last night at the team's defensive meeting and recounted what had happened in New Orleans to end their season a year ago.
Brian took the team back through the plays that ended their season. He went back over the running plays which they couldn't stop. He talked about the way their defense was mauled as the Saints ran seconds off the clock.
Dawk also let it be known that the entire season was unsafisfactory because the Eagles defense was developing a bad reputation. He expressed his disgust in how the Eagles defensive team had been embarrassed in front of the nation. Dawk let the entire defense know that they must step up and carry their share of the weight.
I must say I was elated to hear this because I thought I was only one who saw how this defense had fallen off. Everybody wants to talk about what great leaders the Birds have on defense when the defense is the part of the team not pulling it's weight. Sports media persons continuously blast McNabb for lack of leadership skills and talk about the great leadership of Trotter and Dawkins. Then I look at the game and see a defense being assaulted in broad daylight in front of the country in the playoffs, but there's no questioning of the leadership on the defensive side of the ball. Personally I don't put a lot of credence into all that leadership talk. Words only go but so far.
I respect leading by example the way Dawkins did a year ago. He made big play after big play down the stretch to get the Eagles into the playoffs. Maybe if he were playing linebacker he could have stopped the run for the Birds a year ago. Doing interviews is not leadership. Making plays with the game on the line is leadership. Remember John Elway became a Hall-Of-Fame leader when Terrell Davis became a Bronco and started running for 2000 yards. Ray Lewis became a Hall-O-Fame leader after Ed Reed, Chris McCallister and the monster defensive line got in place.
Dawk told us today that he called Jevon Kearse during the season a year ago as a way of keeping him a part of things. Brian said he remembers when his foot took him out of action which made him feel a bit alone and not a part of the team. That memory made him call Kearse and let him know that he's still a big part of the Eagles defense. Dawkins feels the return of Kearse and the addition of Spikes will greatly improve the Birds defense.
Takeo Spikes says the passion of Dawkins lets him know that he's in the right place.
