EAGLES NOTEBOOK: REDSKINS PLAYER SAYS EAGLES FANS STILL RUDE DESPITE OVATION

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Redskins tight end Chris Cooley says the ovation Donovan McNabb received was great but…Philly is Philly.

Unlike most of the coverage leading up to the Eagles-Redskins game on Sunday, not everyone cared about how the crowd reacted when a certain quarterback was introduced.

When Andy Reid was asked if he heard the ovation former Pro Bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb received when he was introduced before the game.

The coach was blunt.

“No, I didn’t,” Reid said.

Receiver DeSean Jackson was asked the same question after a less-than-pedestrian performance (3 catches, 19 yards).

The third-year player did not give much of an answer.

“Donovan’s a good player so today you saw he still has it in him,” Jackson said. “He’s in a different uniform now. I don’t wish him bad luck but wanted to do anything to get a win.”

Granted, this was a tough pill for the Eagles to swallow. McNabb, traded to Washington on Easter Sunday after a stellar 11-year career, came back and made some key plays and contributed to the Redskins 17-12 win at the Linc.

Given the circumstances, the answers were not a shock.

Most of the National media as well as most local observers praised the Eagles fans on hand for their warm reception.

The television cameras should have followed the Washington Redskins team buses on their way to Lincoln Financial Field early afternoon on Sunday.

At least one Redskin thought they should have. 

Redskins Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley said Philly is Philly and always will have fans that enhance their reputation as thugs.

He admitted the ovation McNabb received was nice but…

“I thought [the ovation] was unreal,” Cooley said. “I was so happy for him, for his family and really for the fans. I thought it was cool to honor him like that, really commendable.”

Cooley was reminded that national observers had worried McNabb might get booed, even though he led the team to five NFC finals and a Super Bowl berth after the 2004 season.

“People were questioning whether they would or wouldn’t,” Cooley said. “I think all the fans love him so much so there was no doubt that they were going to cheer him.”

McNabb aside, Cooley said Philly fans can still act like jerks.

“They still egged our buses on the way in,” Cooley said. “There were no less than a thousand middle fingers…but for them to treat him like that was pretty awesome.”

It was too warm for snowballs.
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Running back LeSean McCoy led the team with 12 receptions 110 yards, tying for the third-highest total in team history. Brian Westbrook (14 on 11/4/07 vs. Dallas) and Don Looney (14 on 12/1/40 at Washington) hold the team record. It was McCoy’s first 100-yard receiving game, and his 174 total yards from scrimmage were also a career high … The last Eagles running back with 100-plus receiving yards in a game was Westbrook (111 on 9/23/07 vs. Detroit).
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Safety Nate Allen came up with his third interception of the season, which is the highest total by an Eagles rookie since Brian Dawkins had three in 1996 … LB Ernie Sims recorded his first sack as an Eagle, extending Philadelphia’s streak to 23 consecutive games with at least one sack, which is the second-longest in the NFL (Pittsburgh – 28) … After holding Jacksonville to 52 net passing yards and Washington to 124, the defense has held its opponents to 125 yards or fewer in back-to-back games for the first time since 10/22/06 at Tampa Bay (85 yards) and 10/29/06 vs. Jacksonville (76 yards).
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Tight end Brent Celek caught his first touchdown of the season and the 11th of his career … P Sav Rocca booted five punts for an average of 49.6 yards, and landed two inside the 20-yard line. For his career, Rocca has 80 career punts downed inside the 20, passing Dirk Johnson (79) for the third-most in team history … FB Owen Schmitt had a career high 43 receiving yards … The Eagles have outscored opponents 51-29 in the second half of games this season (20-0 in the last two games).

4 Oct 10 - NFL - admin - No Comments