QuoteEagles Notes Sheppard will add punt return duties
Eagles Notes
Lito Sheppard's role will expand Sunday when the Eagles play the San Diego Chargers at Lincoln Financial Field.
In addition to his duties as the starting left cornerback, he will be returning punts.
"Yeah, I'm going to do some," Sheppard said after practice yesterday. "Not every one, but you'll see me back there a couple of times."
When Sheppard isn't returning punts, Reno Mahe will handle the job instead of Dexter Wynn, who had been the Eagles' primary punt returner in the first five games.
Brian Westbrook will not be returning punts.
Sheppard was one of the most exciting punt returners in the country during his three seasons at the University of Florida, averaging 11.4 yards on 49 career returns. He also returned two punts for touchdowns.
"Look for me, especially early in the game," he said.
Sheppard handled seven punts a year ago, returning two of them for a total of 42 yards while calling for fair catches on five others. He also returned four punts for 15 yards with one fair catch in 2003 after Westbrook went down with a triceps injury.
Given his druthers, Sheppard said he would expand his duties beyond playing cornerback and returning punts.
"To tell you the truth, I've been begging for them to give me a chance on offense," he said. "I feel I can do that. The more they can get the ball in my hands, I'm all for it."
Sheppard will not return every punt because there may be times when he has to run with a receiver on third down before the Chargers line up to punt.
That's when Mahe will get a chance to return punts. Mahe was the Eagles' primary punt returner for the first nine games last season, then lost that role to Wynn after suffering an ankle injury.
Wynn initially did well as the Eagles' punt returner, breaking off runs of 40 and 30 yards in his first two games last season, but he has struggled on returns and with fielding the ball this season.
Special-teams coach John Harbaugh said he still has confidence in the second-year pro.
"I think Dexter Wynn is a great punt returner and a developing punt returner," Harbaugh said. "We saw him in the preseason make a heck of a play, so those plays are in him. He is capable of being a really productive punt returner."
Wynn returned one for a touchdown in the preseason against Baltimore. But for now, at least, he has lost that job.
Lito...just stop getting burned by he-shes in Dallas, k?
Wynn came back quickly from an injury and hasn't been the same. I like the move of putting Lito back there. He loves touching the ball and it will give him extra motivation to GET to 4th down.
I agree that I like Lito on PRs....I don't, however, want him talking about going on offense until he can slow down Terry Glenn.... :(
Team Twenty-Suck approves of this move.
Quote from: PhillyGirl on October 21, 2005, 07:43:46 AM
I agree that I like Lito on PRs....I don't, however, want him talking about going on offense until he can slow down Terry Glenn.... :(
Why not? If he's going to give up touchdowns the least he could do is score a couple to make up for it. :D
Maybe if he plays some offense once in a while, he'll have some insight into how defenses, like, stop offenses and stuff.
like, that's crazy talk man...
lets hope we dont have a sehorn scenario in our near future
We dont' need more options to THROW the ball.
Quote from: PhillyGirl on October 21, 2005, 08:01:26 AM
We dont' need more options to THROW the ball.
Not if Donovan's not healthy enough to find/hit the receivers we have. Correct.
I don't mind this too much...better than #36 back there.
However...
1. Lito MUST hold the ball. He likes the fumbles.
2. Lito must go North-South. He likes to dance.
Reno is active again. So is Moats.
Will he have 4 RBs?
Quote from: ice grillin you on October 21, 2005, 07:58:05 AM
lets hope we dont have a sehorn scenario in our near future
That's exactly what I thought: Sehorn.
what scares me even more than a freak injury is the other team knowing that if they can take out the punt returner they also eliminate a starting corner...
that being said i support the move
Of course Lito wants to play offense, he's was Spurrier's "Champ Bailey" at UF.
As long as he doesn't fumble, I'm fine with him being the punt returner.
Lito has the worst hands I've ever seen. That's why his highschool coaches made him a CB and that's why I'll stab my dog if he ever plays on the offensive side of the ball.
Quote from: rjs246 on October 21, 2005, 09:01:43 AM
Lito has the worst hands I've ever seen. That's why his highschool coaches made him a CB and that's why I'll stab my dog if he ever plays on the offensive side of the ball.
c'mon, the worst hands you've EVER seen? i find that highly improbable. i can't believe that you haven't seen a parapeleic at some time in your life that has worse hands than Lito.
No. Never.
Na Brown.
Billy McMullen
Lito Sheppard
chuck cecil
Christopher Reeve
I like Lito's attitude. A pro bowler willing to get in there on special teams and help out. :yay
Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on October 21, 2005, 09:06:31 AM
Na Brown.
Na Brown has one more postseason TD as an eagle than TO.
:P
Yeah, but his momma named him "Na" so it doesn't count.
Quote from: rjs246 on October 21, 2005, 09:05:07 AM
No. Never.
didn't you beat a guy with his own arm? i would have to imagine he has worse hands then lito
I think you mean worse hand.
But no, the kid plays football with us, not to mention video games. Guaranteed his hand is better than both of Lito's.
wow, lito really is pathetic if he can't beat out ole-one-hand.
I knew they were gonna farging do this. Westbrook is our best PR PERIOD. Just fargin start him already my god.
You're crying, aren't you.
farg it, why we're at it put Trot out there.
I am fine with this move. Lito will be fine and def. better than hood, wynn or reno sure hands - no gain mahe.
Quote from: TO is GOD on October 21, 2005, 01:44:44 PM
I knew they were gonna farging do this. Westbrook is our best PR PERIOD. Just fargin start him already my god.
It's not worth it. The risk of him getting hurt vs marginal improvement in the PR games is not worth the risk.
His risk in getting hurt is the same as Lito's and Lito is very important as well. It's worth the risk for sure. If he's going to get hurt then he is. You can't prevent it because he can get hurt on any play. Touching the ball more won't make a difference. I'm tired of hearing that lame excuse. You act like he's Buckhalter where his knee is bound to blow out on any play. Westbrook isn't injured often. Put him back there he's fine, and he's a tough guy. He can take a few more shots per game.
Quote from: TO is GOD on October 21, 2005, 05:12:15 PM
His risk in getting hurt is the same as Lito's and Lito is very important as well. It's worth the risk for sure. If he's going to get hurt then he is. You can't prevent it because he can get hurt on any play. Touching the ball more won't make a difference. I'm tired of hearing that lame excuse. You act like he's Buckhalter where his knee is bound to blow out on any play. Westbrook isn't injured often. Put him back there he's fine, and he's a tough guy. He can take a few more shots per game.
You need to take your Ritalin before typing next time.
I never said he was a greater risk for injury, just saying it increases his risk.....the same as anyone. This team minus Westbrook is in a lot sadder shape than this team minus Lito.
I say put McNabb out there. Hits don't bother the hernia, right? :D
Hollis. :D
Quote from: Beermonkey on October 21, 2005, 05:26:38 PM
Quote from: TO is GOD on October 21, 2005, 05:12:15 PM
His risk in getting hurt is the same as Lito's and Lito is very important as well. It's worth the risk for sure. If he's going to get hurt then he is. You can't prevent it because he can get hurt on any play. Touching the ball more won't make a difference. I'm tired of hearing that lame excuse. You act like he's Buckhalter where his knee is bound to blow out on any play. Westbrook isn't injured often. Put him back there he's fine, and he's a tough guy. He can take a few more shots per game.
You need to take your Ritalin before typing next time.
I never said he was a greater risk for injury, just saying it increases his risk.....the same as anyone. This team minus Westbrook is in a lot sadder shape than this team minus Lito.
It doesn't increase his risk. You'd figure that more touches equals more chances of getting hurt, but it isn't like that. That's like saying the more plane rides you take every year the more of a chance you have of one crashing so you take less plane rides. It won't make a difference or increase his risk. You can't decrease a player's risk at getting hurt. shtein happens.
Quote from: TO is GOD on October 21, 2005, 06:23:37 PM
Quote from: Beermonkey on October 21, 2005, 05:26:38 PM
Quote from: TO is GOD on October 21, 2005, 05:12:15 PM
His risk in getting hurt is the same as Lito's and Lito is very important as well. It's worth the risk for sure. If he's going to get hurt then he is. You can't prevent it because he can get hurt on any play. Touching the ball more won't make a difference. I'm tired of hearing that lame excuse. You act like he's Buckhalter where his knee is bound to blow out on any play. Westbrook isn't injured often. Put him back there he's fine, and he's a tough guy. He can take a few more shots per game.
You need to take your Ritalin before typing next time.
I never said he was a greater risk for injury, just saying it increases his risk.....the same as anyone. This team minus Westbrook is in a lot sadder shape than this team minus Lito.
It doesn't increase his risk. You'd figure that more touches equals more chances of getting hurt, but it isn't like that. That's like saying the more plane rides you take every year the more of a chance you have of one crashing so you take less plane rides. It won't make a difference or increase his risk. You can't decrease a player's risk at getting hurt. shtein happens.
The risk part: That doesn't make any sense.
The more times Lito is on the field, the more times he is at risk to be injured. The plane analogy you made makes sense.
The way I look at it is, the more you try to avoid injury, the guy always seems to get hurt anyway. You can't be afraid to play your best player at that spot. If he gets hurt, then he gets hurt. You gotta move on. You can't hide players from the injury bug, it's going to bite you whether you want it or not. Will giving him less touches decrease his risk? It depends on how you look at it, but if you are afraid to be your best in this league then you never will be.
On top of that the Eagles don't seem to be afraid of getting McNabb killed out there. They throw it on every down. So why the inconsistency with Westbrook? Just get him back there for punts already. He's a top 3 PR in this league. He's a threat on every play.
Oh ok, I see what you're saying now. I agree with you in that respects. You can't go out there 'playing to not get hurt' - bc then you will.
But the chances of him getting injured (playing not to get injured or just playing) increase soley bc he'll be out on that field with increased reps which increases his chances to get hurt.
Let's hope he doesn't play not to get hurt and he won't.
Anyone who returns punts or kicks increases his chances of getting hurt just because the guy opposite him on special teams is looking to kill anyone with the ball. Thats the way special teamers play, but you can't worry about that when our return game has sucked like it has.
lito did nothing on punt returns.....and moats did even worse. :paranoid
I agree, our return games still sucks donkey dick. Bring back Bwest.
The blocking has been the problem all along... not the returners.
The last thing I want is Westbrook getting pummeled by gunners comling off "ole" blocks.
Quote from: EagleFeva on October 23, 2005, 04:50:59 PM
The blocking has been the problem all along... not the returners.
The last thing I want is Westbrook getting pummeled by gunners comling off "ole" blocks.
I agree, I hadn't really seen it until today, but the return guys had absolutly no blocking.
Westbrook is the guy that doesn't need blocking as much because he is so elusive. Put him back there already. At least for punts.
Moats is pretty elusive, too. He'd tell you himself...if he could remember his own name.
It has become so bad back there - I hate seeing Lito back there. Scares the crap out of me. I have resorted to the fact that the best game plan is let Reno fair catch on punt returns and pray every kickoff is fielded a yard+ deep in the end zone so who ever is back there can take a knee.