Juqua Thomas making a name for himself

[PhillyGirl]

Thomas is making name for himself
By: REUBEN FRANK (Sun, Aug/28/2005)

PHILADELPHIA - When Juqua Thomas got in Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch's face and forced him to throw incomplete a couple weeks ago, the stadium announcer at Heinz Field identified him as Dominic Furio, an Eagles offensive lineman who happens to share Thomas's jersey No. 75.

When Thomas sacked Ravens quarterback Anthony Wright in Baltimore last Saturday, the stadium announcer at M&T Park also identified him as Furio.

When Thomas sacked Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer Saturday night, the press box announcer at the Linc identified him as ... Thomas Juqua.

Close, but not quite.

"That's the way it's always been," Thomas said. "Nobody ever gets my name right. I'm used to it."

If he keeps making plays, maybe somebody will get it right.

Thomas has been a find for the Eagles, who were in dire straits at defensive end a few weeks ago with Jerome McDougle out while recovering from gunshot wounds, former college teammate Jamaal Green sidelined with a foot injury, and Ndukwe Kalu and Hugh Douglas both recovering from offseason surgery.

The Eagles signed Thomas on Aug. 8, and he has put together an outstanding three weeks. Other than Jevon Kearse - who he backed up for three years in Tennessee - Thomas has probably been the Eagles' best impressive defensive end this preseason.

"He can play," Kalu said. "I don't know how this guy was available. Tennessee must have hellified defensive ends to be able to let this guy go."

Thomas, who had four sacks backing up Kearse in 2003, doesn't know how the Titans let him go either, but he's not worried about it now.

He was a forgotten reserve last year on a 5-11 team with huge salary cap problems and the NFL's 30th-ranked defense.

Now he's in the rotation on a Super Bowl team.

"I've just forgotten everything that happened down there," Thomas said. "This is a fresh start for me. I just want to leave the past behind."

Thomas has done that by impressing the Eagles coaches with his speed-power combination. He's another undersized defensive end - he stands 6-foot-2, 255 pounds - but the Eagles like that. And so far at least he's been able to get good pass pressure every time he's been on the field. Granted most of the time it's been against backups.

He's also slipped into a busy role on special teams, where he runs down the field and tackles like a linebacker.

"I'm excited about being here, I feel like I can help this team," Thomas said. "I've been getting lots of opportunities to play and I feel like I've done a pretty good job. I still don't know anything. I've only been here a couple weeks and I'm obviously still learning."

Nobody knows when McDougle will be ready to play and Green has been on the shelf for three weeks now. Kalu appears to be all the way back after missing all of last year with a knee injury, but Douglas is still getting there.

So there's certainly room for Thomas, even if Furio is getting credit for most of his big plays.

"He's an explosive guy," defensive coordinator Jim Johnson said. "He has good quickness and athletic ability."

Thomas appears to be a lock to not just make the 53-man roster but to get on the field for 12 to 18 plays a game, at least at the start of the season.

Once the Eagles start getting people back? We'll see.

"He's got a great motor," Vice President of Player Personnel Tom Heckert said. "He's really shown up the last two games."

The irony here is that the Titans gave up on Thomas because he was unable to replace Kearse once Kearse signed with the Eagles. So they cut ties with him and now he's backing up Kearse here.

"He's a [heck] of a player," Kearse said. "I really don't know what happened down there, but I know he was a ballplayer. I guess he just got caught up in the numbers or whatever, but it doesn't matter anymore. He's here now and he's going to help us.

"He can rush the passer, he can help out on special teams - he does everything you want a defensive end to do.

"He's got that great speed off the edge. Honestly, I feel like we stole a player."

[Drunkmasterflex]

This guy has been very impressive, it seems he may have earned himself a spot in the rotation.

[Larry]

Definition of a hellified defensive end....

[Feva]

[MURP]

He has played very well so far.  The guy looks like he has been in this defense for years. 

[Sgt PSN]

The first thing I think of when I hear this dude's name is the group JAMIROQUAI who sang the song Canned Heat in Napolean Dynomite. 

[hunt]

is jamal green gonna be toast??

[PhillyGirl]

is jamal green gonna be toast??

He's been hurt all preseason...again.

[Diomedes]

is jamal green gonna be toast??

One can only hope.

[PhillyPhreak54]

I think Jamaal's time here is coming to an end indeed.

At the end of the 6-week stay on PUP for McDougle, I wonder if they'll keep 6 DE's?

Kearse
Kalu
McDougle
Douglas
Cole
J.Thomas

Walker
Patterson
H. Thomas
Rayburn
Marshall
Grasmanis

No room for 12-DL's...

[rjs246]

Gras is gone.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Most likely.

But even then..we have 11 DL. They're one over the normal limit. Of course he could buck the trend and go light on an OL. But I think he's considering carrying 4 HB's. Spads said Bruce Perry could make it.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Spads said Bruce Perry could make it.

This time of year, it's Spads' job to make us believe any/all of these guys can make it.

[Diomedes]

I'll be surprised if Perry makes the cut.

Which makes me think: do we have a contest for final 53 up and running?  Probably so, but I haven't seen it..

[rjs246]

Yeah, I'm not sure how its going to pan out but if Perry and Mahe make the team at the expense of a decent lineman (on either side of the ball) I'll be very confused. And rage filled.