tr1 Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 I don't write this stuff, fellas... http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/football/12598038.htm By RICH HOFMANN ALMOST UNDISCUSSED last year - and, yes, it is hard to believe that anything about Terrell Owens and the Eagles was not overdiscussed, but there you are - was the fact that teams began to find a way to control T.O. in the second half of the season. So how's he going to deal with that now? This is one of the season's great questions. Owens popped our eyes out at the beginning of last year, but not so much later on. He was merely excellent in the second half of the season, not astounding. Teams committed more people to defend against Owens. People decided, after weeks of watching him set fire to defenses single-handedly, that they would rather give somebody else the chance to beat them, thank you. Owens had nine touchdowns in the first seven games of the season, but only five TDs in the six full games he played after that, before the leg injury that sidelined him until the Super Bowl. Everything was down after those first seven games for Owens: receptions, yards, yards per catch. The Eagles' offense still flourished, but others began to crowd T.O.'s spotlight. Guys such as Todd Pinkston caught more of the long balls, not T.O. They caught more of the touchdown passes, too. In those first seven games, Owens had 64 percent of the Eagles' touchdown catches and the rest of the team had 36 percent. In the six games he played after that, the rest of the team had 67 percent of the TD catches and Owens had 33 percent. It was a mirror image, really. And how does T.O. think he looks in that mirror? By now, the videotape has been studied around the NFL for an entire offseason. It really does tell an interesting story. Because while the Eagles had a great passing attack in the first half of the season, when T.O. was dominating games all by himself, the Eagles also had a great passing attack in the second half of the season, when balance was much more evident. And, so, you wonder: How will Owens like balance? Maybe the timing of the question is bad here, seeing as how T.O. seems to be prepared to stop sawing off the limb from beneath quarterback Donovan McNabb and extend the olive branch instead. (At least that's what he told ESPN's Michael Irvin, his last media ally.) Maybe, after an offseason filled with acrimony, we really are about to experience peace in our times. Maybe Owens really is above all of this. But here is the thing about this guy: He lives for the spotlight. He craves the brightness like a sunflower. But if this thing plays out like it did last season - with teams ultimately fixating on Owens in their game plans, leaving the greater opportunities for others - how will T.O. react? Because that is what is coming, that fixation by defenses on T.O. Eagles coach Andy Reid acknowledges as much - about how it evolved that way last year, and how it figures to continue that way this year. "I think they will be very conscious of him and it's important that we do spread the ball around,' Reid said. "He is still going to have his share of big plays, but I think as we went on during the year, people understood that we were going to utilize him a lot and they tried to take measures to stop that. What it did was allow the other guys to catch a lot of balls." And more of the same this year? "Yeah, I think so," Reid said. "I would presume that is what they are going to do." The coach said the onus is on him and the coaching staff now, "for us to try to formation him properly" - which is to say, for them to design plays that get Owens open. It is all part of the chess game in the NFL, and they will be more successful in some weeks than others. This year, if opponents defend Owens in the same way they did in those last six full games he played in 2004, the Eagles will throw the ball well and win a lot of games. T.O's numbers, projected out over a full season, will be excellent - but he would be unlikely to lead the league in any category. And after the way he started last season, with a pace to shatter records, you do wonder. So, you ask again: Does T.O. do balance? You ask knowing that, in all likelihood, we are going to find out - with the answer telling you a lot about how the Eagles' 2005 season is going to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallen5862 Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 I think that issue will explode. TO will say that the team is trying to keep his catches down in order to justify not redoing his contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThornWithin Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 Do you even care about the Redskins tr1? You average an eagles article an hour. :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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