Jackson gives Eagles fans plenty to be excited about in 2008.
By Mike Gill
In the immortal words of Jack Buck, “I don’t believe what I just saw!”
I uttered those words not once, but twice, while watching the Eagles – Patriots game. The reason – the birds got a kick-off return and punt return in the same game. Two rookies, Quintin Demps and DeSean Jackson provided both special teams touchdowns and hope for an Eagles fan base that has soured in recent days following the injury to Kevin Curtis.
Last season, the Eagles brass (Andy Reid) entered the regular season arrogantly without a true punt returner. However, this season the team decided to address both the kick return and punt return game by adding both Demps and Jackson.
The key with these guys is they signal hope, they offer something in the return game that hasn’t been there since the Brian Mitchell days – a true return specialist, that is, well; special.
Demps said he was a special player when he was drafted, and in just his third preseason game he proved it. Jackson came into the draft with mixed emotions, he provides a lot of excitement, but a smallish stature that made him slip into the second round of the draft.
Regardless of your pre-conceptions or mis-conceptions of both guys, they have now added two things to the Eagles – explosivness in the return game and hope. Jackson looks like he can not only help out in the return game, but on the offensive side of the ball. Demps took control of the kick-off return job with a dazzeling 102-yard run and has also contributed on defense.
If you didn’t have a lot of optimism for the Eagles season once Curtis got hurt, both Demps and Jackson have certainly provided some for you. Think about it, if Jackson and Demps were here last season, this is probably a playoff team. They are here now Eagles fans, so be excited - we now have hope for the season and the future and they might be just the right pieces to send the birds back to the post-season in the 2008-2009 season.
Easy now! One game does not a season make. Yes it looks better but let’s not get carried away here. Can we at least wait until the season officially begins?
I think what he said was there is some hope in the return game, I am pumped after watching these guys run!
While it’s true that it’s only the pre-season, the hope is evident. Hope is all you have anyways….now one knows for sure what will happen in the NFL on a day-to-day basis. See Giants, New York with their recent predicament.
I think Eagles fans should have hope, its been awhile since they have had weapons to be excited about in the return game. These are 2 young guys who could be the difference in a game or 2.