The other Zeke didn't show up either. We got the feed me, player hurdling, salvation army kettle jumping, bad ass that spoiled us so last year.
This suspension thing is put to bed for now. Hopefully his mind is right
I Guess it comes down to who shows up next week in DC. If the team we saw in week 7 comes to the game, then we are gold. Otherwise.....
Originally Posted by grean
Former Super Bowl winning coach Brian Billick framed things up earlier this week rather tidily on his weekly interview show (especially when directing his remarks per The Cowboys) :
The current collective bargaining agreement, in essence, has helped (or hurt, depending on how you look at it) in watering down the product we see today in the NFL. Restrictions on allotted time allowed during the season for week-to-week practices (ie: NO contact...NO padded practices especially affects teams whose offensive identity is that of a Running Team>>>>any team in particular come to mind per that statement?) Bottom line, as Billick put it, teams
"get to finally practice their running plays DURING THE COURSE of the game itself".
That said....a team (like Dallas, for example) going through the process of replacing two offensive linemen, is obviously going to have a few hiccups along the way. Cooper and Collins are not near as experienced / polished as Free and Leary....at least, not yet. Only time and reps will yield the desired results.....
Funny though how fans and media alike wanted to immediately pin the problems of the running game directly on Zeke. He came in distracted...uncommitted...out-of-shape...complacent. Take your pick of whatever over-hyped ramblings from the local and national talking heads you choose.
This is not to say that the legal issues Zeke and his attorneys have been contesting in the courts these past few months have not been a problem. A looming suspension...loss of 6 weeks pay and playing time...soiled reputation...etc, etc would have taken its toll (mentally, emotionally) on any of us were we in his shoes (all that at the age of 22 btw...)
Guess we'll know this time next week once that New York-based judge is back from vacay and makes his / her ruling. No doubt, a Dallas Cowboy team MINUS Zeke for a month-and-a-half does not bode well for keeping pace with the surging Iggles, does it?