The Eagles entered the game against the Green Bay Packers with an empty injury list. The entire team was healthy, but now with the first game of the season finished that is no longer the case.
Fullback Leonard Weaver took a hand off and headed up the middle. He was hit up high and down below. His weight was on his left foot when he was hit. It was ugly, but there’s no way he returns this season. It was an ACL tear, so that will do it for his season.
Center Jamaal Jackson hadn’t played all year. Those of you that read GCobb.com on a regular basis know that I told you I didn’t like the thought of him trying to play the entire game after being shut down all off season.
I said from my experience that veteran players usually hurt another body part when they’ve been out all of that time, then come back and try to play. When you play football, it stresses every joint and every body part.
If something isn’t at full strength, then it will give way. That’s what happened to his bicep muscle and it ripped. Jackson is out for the season because of that ripped bicep muscle.
Quarterback Kevin Kolb was run down by Packers linebacker Clay Matthews as he tried to scramble. Kolb was thrown to the ground and his head hit the turf. He suffered a concussion, yet went back into the game.
Middle linebacker Stewart Bradley was trying to make a tackle down field and he tried to hit the ball carrier but instead he hit the hip of teammate, Ernie Sims. Sims was grabbing his hip after the play, while Bradley lost his balance when he tried to get up.
He fell down like a punch drunk fighter. It’s happened millions of time in boxing. Concussions have been a national topic for more than a year but have the Eagles missed all the talk. This was the worst decision they could have made.
There’s no way in the world that Bradley should have been allowed to re-enter the game after falling like that. There are going to be replays of him trying to get to his feet yet falling to the turf on television for the next week.
The Eagles are going to be forced to admit making a major mistake by letting him re-enter the game. It was inexcusable.
I have sat and listened to Birds trainer Rick Burkholder talk about how a player can’t be properly examined on the sidelines, so they have to be taken out of the game to test them and see if they should be removed from the game.
The Birds couldn’t have been thinking when they allowed Bradley and Kolb to return to the game. Maybe it wasn’t as obvious with Kolb as it was with Bradley but you have to err on the side of caution when it comes to concussions.
You can believe that the Eagles medical staff is going to get called on the carpet for what were some awful decisions.
I have to ask why Weaver wasn’t carted off the field immediately. He was helped off the field.
Reids an idiot. He ‘s putting his players back in games to soon after serious injuries. and in a better situation to lose games. “TIMES YOURS”
The players are warriors, I want Reid to dang gone start coaching this dang team, play call like you have a clue who your playing week in and out. WAKE UP and PLAY BALL Andy.
Yeah G. The Kolb thing was understandable, but there’s no way in hell Bradley should have been let back on the field. When I saw him back on the field pursuing the ball carrier to the sideline I cringed almost as much as when I saw the replay of Weaver’s knee going the wrong way. He’s gonna need the Detroit game off, at least, after that knock. You were right about Jackson. That Weaver was just bad luck. 8-8 is looking more and more a certainty with those guys out. Terrible luck yesterday. Hope Vick can rally the team, McGlynn can step up, and we can find a suitable replacement for Weaver cuz……. Buckley’s not the answer.
I’ve said it b4 and I’ll say it again… Reid is a good coach 6 days a week and is the worst game day coach I’ve ever seen. His game-time decision making is pathetic with no ability to make timely adjustments to what the opposing defenses are doing. It’s as though Reid thinks his offense runs in a vacuum. Anemic and very predictable play calling, one dimensional offense, gimmick BS by changing QB’s and not letting the QB and O line get in sync and used to the game time cadence of the young QB, lousy O line with little to no help from a draft with many picks. No running game to help the aging McNabb or inexperienced Kolb with more than a passing threat. I believe this is the major reason why Vick is more effective as a QB in Reid’s offense, like with 5 early on. With Vick under center, Reid’s offense then has, uncharacteristically, a legitimate running threat which reduces the pressure on the QB. Reid’s lack of concern over his player’s health with this respect: it’s as though he practices, if the docs clear them to play, it’s pedal to the metal. There’s no middle ground or common sense in anything he does on game day. No common sense after the Bradley injury, I’ll give him a pass on Kolb’s. None with Jackson, what reporter or fan was surprised that Jackson was “back” so soon? Obviously, he wasn’t in football shape. I can’t remember specific examples but I remember Reid doing this b4 with recently injured players back in the game too soon and re-injuring the former injury or having a new injury because they weren’t in football shape. Remember the NYG game with double digit sacks where he hung Justice out to dry and 5 sacked a ridiculous amount of times just after returning from an injury? This is a perfect example of both the inability to adjust and putting a recently inured player in harm’s way, McNabb, without regard for common sense. I believe most coaches would’ve put more focus on the running game to try and take the pressure off of both 5 & Justice but, not Reid. It wasn’t the game plan. I don’t think Kolb is the problem just like I didn’t think McNabb’s dirt balls were the problem. The Eagles biggest problem is Reid and Lurie makes the time his, not ours cause’ he’s wasting my time.
I thought the same thing about Weaver. I thought he would have been carted off with the way his knee got his. I believe they didn’t cart him off because initially they called it a a sprained knee so I guess a sprain doesn’t warrant a cart. Who knows. And there’s no way you let Bradley come back into the came after wobbling like he did. I wonder if any of the coach seen it because he fell near the Packers sideline and it would have been hard for our sideline to see with all the players on the field. It was sort of delayed so they probably didn’t even know he went down. BUT, those that were in the owners boxes at the top of stadium had to see that and what about his teammates? I know f I saw one of my teammates wobbling out there like that, I would have told the coaches not to let him back in and to check him out. I mean it’s not like you have to cover for Bradley because his job is in jeopardy with Omar Gaither behind him. That first half was probably one of the worst that I’ve ever seen when it comes to the offense not playing well and freak injuries.
I agree with Scorp,
After Bradley was in La-La land, there’s no way he comes back in the game (he was hit by E Sims thigh by the way).. Should have been sent to Locker room for observation and then to hospital is initial exams warrant further testing.
J Jackson should not have been suited to play at all and it now appears he done for the season and possibly his career.. He was not close to football shape and have really little lateral moveing probably causing him to use his arms more,hence the torn bicep…
L Weaver injury will hurt the team th most for a couple of reasons,
They carry no other FB on the Roster (which is why you have to go 2 deep at each position)
He’s a reliable blocker who has to pick-up blitzes,help O/L with DE’s and to come out of the backfield as a receiver too besides running the ball once in a while.. They need to get someone in who can help and puick-up te offense and contribute.. but I am sure it takes a coupld of weeks to learn the EAgles sytem,blocking/passing schemes…