On the Eagles first play from scrimmage, Kevin Kolb threw a quick screen to the team’s Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson. Jackson got in behind his blocking and was able to gain a couple of yards on the play, but when he was on his way down, he was nailed by rookie safety Eric Berry.
Berry was coming from his position at the deep safety spot and he was coming full speed. He hit Jackson in his head and neck. Jackson stayed down for a few moments then struggled to get to his feet.
He got to his feet and slowly walked off the field. The hit knocked out of the game for the next play and out of the game for the rest of the night. The smallish receiver walked to the locker room early in the first quarter.
The first report stated it was a back injury but was later changed to a neck injury. According to Reid aferwards, Jackson will be fine and that he took out of the game for precautionary reasons.
Later in the first half, with about 6 minutes remaining in the second quarter, Eagles Pro Bowl defensive end Trent Cole limped off the field and was carted into the locker room. He had tried to change direction after being given a few moves by a ball carrier and twisted his ankle.
For a minute, it looked like this third preseason game against the lowly Kansas City Chiefs looked like the most costly game the Birds have played in a long time. It was causing great concern throughout the Delaware Valley. First Jackson then Cole going down with injuries.
The Eagles aren’t the same football team without Jackson and the same could said about playing without Cole.
The little guy spreads the field and he’s the guy who nobody can cover one-on-one. I know they want to get the football in his hands, but I don’t think it’s wise to get the ball to him in crowded situations. He needs to room to operate or somebody else will get a good hit on him and sideline him.
I also want to see the Eagles move Jeremy Maclin to Jackson’s flanker position if he goes down. The flanker is the guy that they move around all the time and it’s the true number one wide receiver position in this offense.
Once Jackson is out and replaced by Jason Avant, it allows the safeties and entire secondary to move up and shrink the space that the receivers have to operate.
He’s the one receiver on the ball club that everybody is concerned about. Jackson can’t be covered by one player and he’s can take it the distance on a deep route or a short pass because he so fast and explosive in the open field.
Cole’s injury was an ankle and fortunately the x-rays were negative, but he never returned to the game and won’t likely practice this week or suit up for the game.
Cole was having another good game when he went down. He was pressuring Matt Cassell and making plays against the run as well. The combination of Brandon Graham and Cole may be one of the best defensive end tandems in the league before the season is over.
I see why everybody was so worked about Eric Berry. This guy is a head-hunter in the style of Wes Hopkins and Ronnie Lott. He’s the reason DeSean Jackson got up slow after the Eagles offense’s first play from scrimmage. He came up and put a serious hit on Jackson.
He gets a running start from the secondary and comes up with reckless abandon and puts some serious hits on the ball carrier. I saw him get a nice lick on Mike Bell on his first carry.
That’s why I would allow Jackson to return punts only sparingly. The offense is changed dramatically without him.
I don’t like Jackson running reverses either.
This E Berry will be a 10 year All-Pro like most scouts predicted him to be… what a stud he is
The Eagles WR Depth will be tested for It’s fair to say the D-jac/Maclin will get dinged up from time
to time so the Avants,Coopers,Washington or Baskett need to be ready..
One formation that just kills me is the bunch formation when all WR are close together and close to
the line of scrimmage,which to me, just brings far more defensive stunts,blitzes and more bodies closer to the backfield and confustion, Why not spread the field out more to utilize the Speed of the Eagles WR, plus it allows a better read on defensive alignments ,blocking assisngment by Kolb and OL since they can see them better as opposed to when the defenders are all bunched up.
Sounds like were limiting what exactly Jackson can do..” Get him the ball with no one around”..OK..Good luck with that..” dont like him running reverses”..Let’s just put him on the field when all danger is not present..You know?..At halftime..and during warm-ups..Thjat’ll work.
This E Berry is a real safety/….could the eagles have gottenthis guy?
Songs really? The Eagles could not have gotten that guy without sacrificing getting Graham and Allen. You know that. So let’s see what the rook DE and S will do before we go coveting other players who haven’t taken a regular season snap. Berry got 1 good preseason hit. Um, Fokou and Mays used to fit that description too. I’m not saying Berry won’t be good or it wouldn’t have been nice to get him, but we got a very good safety and a very good DL – what credible (not the Nate Allen can’t hit baseless BS) criticism has there been about Graham and Allen yet? Pretty much all positives.
Once again..Songs..reading the article and just spewing whatever negative spin he can put on it..Now that im actually paying attention to you..thats all you do..You suck dude.
Eric Berry is a beast. I wouldn’t put him in the Wes Hopkins category just yet G, but that hit D/Jax took sure reminded me of Wes. (which happens to be my favorite defensive player ever to put on a Eagle uniform) If you look closely at that hit I wouldnt be surprised if the REAL reason D/Jax didn’t return to the game was another concussion. Remember once you get your 1st full blown concussion you are very susceptible to recieving more ex: Steve Young, Brian Westbrook, Troy Aikman and Warner just to name a few. You heard it first from me.