Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

Speed Bump

Posted July 16th, 2023 | 1 Comment »

One of the sports axioms that has proven to be most true is that “speed kills”. No one was deadlier than DeSean Jackson, the fastest Eagle of them all. It appears he is now set to hang up his cleats.

Jackson was a second round pick in 2008 and earned a starting role right away. He proved to be a dynamic threat as both a receiver and punt returner. The Eagles finally had a weapon that other teams had to fear. There were two signature moments for DJax.

And this legendary moment.

That was one of the greatest moments in Eagles history.

I had mixed feelings on DeSean. I loved his speed and playmaking, but he frustrated me at times. He caught a deep ball in Dallas as a rookie and then let go of it before getting into the end zone. You score, then you celebrate. DeSean had done the same thing in a high school all-star game so this wasn’t an anomaly. That side of him just wasn’t something I loved.

There is no denying he is one of the greatest deep threats in league history. He only had one season where he didn’t have a play of 50 or more yards. He avereraged 22.5 yards per catch in 2010. That’s almost a quarter of the field on every catch. Insane. DeSean averaged 17.6 ypc for his career. That is an amazing figure for someone who played 15 seasons. Normally a guy will slow down as he gets older and the average will drop a bit. DeSean kept his speed. His issue was struggleing to stay healthy. He was like a sports car that was great at times, but spent too much time in the garage as it got older.

Tyreek Hill is the fastest player I’ve seen play. DeSean is number two. It’s amazing that Andy Reid got to coach both of them.

DeSean was released by Chip Kelly after the 2013 season. Shocking doesn’t feel like a strong enough word. The move was highly controversial and sent a signal to everyone that Kelly might not be right for the NFL. DeSean never had a real home after that. He was in Washington for three years and Tampa for two. He came back to Philly in 2019, but couldn’t stay healthy. DeSean then played for the Rams, Raiders and Ravens.

Here are the Eagles QBs that DeSean caught TDs from:

Donovan McNabb
Kevin Kolb
Michael Vick
Nick Foles
Carson Wentz
Jalen Hurts

Wow.

It really makes you appreciate how long he played. I was hoping Vince Young or Mike Kafka might have hit him for a TD, but no such luck.

DeSean caught 641 passes and had 58 TD catches in his career. You wonder what might have been if he had played with a top shelf QB for an extended period. Tyreek Hill has only played in the league for seven years, but has 598 catches and 63 TDs. He’s on his way to Canton. DeSean won’t be getting in, but he did have a great career. He certainly gave us some of the most memorable moments the Eagles have ever had.

*****

An unnamed NFC executive thinks Lane Johnson is overrated. Who might that be?

The executive thinks RPOs give Johnson an edge. He thinks Johnson “talks” too much. This sounds like someone with an agenda.

My guess, and I stress this is just a guess, is Jason Licht, the GM in Tampa.

His RT is Tristan Wirfs, one of the best in the league. Wirfs is overshadowed by Johnson. I’m sure Licht would love his guy to get more credit. That would also give him more credit for drafting Wirfs.

Licht once worked for the Eagles. He lost a power struggle with Howie Roseman. Back in 2010 Michael Silver wrote an absolute hatchet job piece on Howie, with comments from an unnamed source. Connecting the dots, it sure seemed like Licht was the source for that.

In the end, the comment doesn’t matter. It’s dumb. Lane Johnson is a special player and has a very real shot at making the Hall of Fame. That doesn’t mean everyone has to love him, but you can’t ignore his level of play.

*****

He never made sense for the Eagles, but that didn’t stop the speculation. DHop is a good fit for the Titans. I don’t know that he’s good enough to suddenly make them a contender, but they certainly are better.

*****

The NFL held its Supplemental Draft recently. There were two players eligible. The Eagles didn’t go for either.

When  you have one of the best rosters in the league, you’re not going to spend future picks on marginal talent, hoping they pan out. Rich people don’t buy lottery tickets.

*****

A few people asked why I left Dawk/Michael Lewis in 2004 out of my safeties piece. The 2004 defense was outstanding. Lewis led the team in tackles and was voted to the Pro Bowl. He only had one pick, but broke up 12 passes. Dawk was Dawk.

I’d already written about a couple of defenses with Dawk and just passed over 2004.

It’s also possible I haven’t forgiven him for this debacle.

That was one of the angriest moments of my life. Ugh.

It led to a great Lito Sheppard play, but I’m not sure that highlight was worth the year or two Lewis took off my life.

_

One Comment on “Speed Bump”

  1. 1 Eagles News: Philadelphia’s top 3 players to build around – Futbal News Hubb said at 7:15 AM on July 17th, 2023:

    […] Speed Bump – Iggles BlitzI had mixed feelings on DeSean. I loved his speed and playmaking, but he frustrated me at times. He caught a deep ball in Dallas as a rookie and then let go of it before getting into the end zone. You score, then you celebrate. DeSean had done the same thing in a high school all-star game so this wasn’t an anomaly. That side of him just wasn’t something I loved. There is no denying he is one of the greatest deep threats in league history. He only had one season where he didn’t have a play of 50 or more yards. He avereraged 22.5 yards per catch in 2010. That’s almost a quarter of the field on every catch. Insane. DeSean averaged 17.6 ypc for his career. That is an amazing figure for someone who played 15 seasons. Normally a guy will slow down as he gets older and the average will drop a bit. DeSean kept his speed. His issue was struggleing to stay healthy. He was like a sports car that was great at times, but spent too much time in the garage as it got older. […]