Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly looks on as quarterbacks Tim Tebow (11) and Sam Bradford (7) pass during NFL football minicamp, Wednesday, June 17, 2015, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Eagles head coach Chip Kelly made the decision, so quarterback Sam Bradford had no choice, so he must sit and wait until August 22 to play against the Baltimore Ravens. We were expecting to get a heavy dose of Bradford and Mark Sanchez on Sunday, instead we will be getting a full plate of Matt Barkley and Tim Tebow.
“I think he can go,” Kelly said earlier today talking about Bradford . “I know he’s disappointed but it’s just my call … There’s a fine line in preseason games. His first 11-on-11 was two weeks ago and now to go up against another team, it was just my decision, and we’ve been back and forth about it, but I made the final call that we’re going to sit him this game and he’ll play against the Ravens.
“Sam understands. He’s disappointed, but I think he understands. There wasn’t a debate.”
Yes, there wasn’t a debate.” Bradford knows who is the captain of this ship. Although Kelly made the decision, it doesn’t seem to be a decision which Bradford had a problem with. He knows his time is coming and it will be here quickly.
I could understand if Bradford played on Sunday, but I also understand why Kelly isn’t playing him. He wasn’t going to play a long time anyway. He was only going to be out there for four to ten plays. Bradford probably quarterbacks sixty plays or more each practice, so Kelly figures adding another 180 reps will safeguard his quarterback from having anything strange happening.
“It’s coach’s decision,” Bradford said Alex Smith of PhiladelphiaEagles.com. “Obviously, I wanted to be out there and I was preparing to be out there, but this morning (Coach Kelly) sat down and explained it to me. It’s up to him, but I’ll be ready to roll and get out and play next week against the Ravens.”
“I think there’s a fine balance,” Bradford said to PhiladelphiaEagles.com. “I think the big thing is that if I did play this Saturday, it was only going to be six or eight plays. It wasn’t like I was going to play four quarters and I’m missing out on 75 reps in there. You’re disappointed not to be out there and playing, but I think there’s still plenty of time in the preseason for me to get the work in that I need to get done.”
“Obviously, I’d like to be out there Sunday and get it out of the way,” Bradford said to PhiladelphiaEagles.com. “The good thing is that we get to get out there and practice against (the Ravens), so hopefully that will take some of the uneasiness out of the way so that when we step on the field next week, we’ll be ready to go.”
Notice that Bradford mentions “uneasiness”. When he plays next Saturday against the Ravens, he’ll have played against the Ravens all week and have a clear idea of where everybody is lining up.
Not real happy they are sitting Bradford for the home preseason game.
They better not pull this same cautious rest Bradford scam for the 2nd home preseason game with the Ravens. I’m already pissed they chucked Foles, McCoy, Maclin and Cole this off season. If all the replacements feature players Bradford, Murray, & Kiko don’t play the 2nd home preseason game then I’m throwing yellow mustard packets at them.
Isn’t “he’s disappointed”, “he understands”, and “there wasn’t a debate” one of the things we’re worried about with Bradford?
I think Rams fan understands this Bradford very well. We’ll see.
Yeah, yeah, yeah…bitch and moan, gripes and groans….Dammm..sitting Bradford who would have only taken a few snaps anyway is sound call by Chip Kelly.
I think we all understand the groaners on here