3 down Trotter

[MURP]

Jeremiah Trotter was chatting at his locker the other day about his expanded role, which in case you haven't noticed, includes him playing as a nickel linebacker. That's something he didn't do last year, but when the Patriots forced the Eagles' defense into its nickel package in the Super Bowl and then ran the ball effectively as a smallish Ike Reese played the "Mike" position in the nickel, the Eagles knew they needed to make a change.

So Trotter, all 260 pounds of him, is a three-down linebacker. And he is loving it.

"I never leave the field now," he said. "When teams are in the nickel and try to run the ball, you need the 'Mike' linebacker in there. That's one of the things the Patriots did in the Super Bowl. They did it well. Running the ball, running screens, running traps in the middle.

"It helps to have the middle linebacker in there. A lot of teams are doing that now."

damn you, Patriots. 

[Father Demon]

Team Trotter thanks you for your continued support.

[Purple_Hayz]

I have nothing to contribute! 

[Tomahawk]

What if the team tries to pass? Trotter's coverage skills aren't all that great. That being said remember the interception he returned for a TD at the end of the second quarter in Dallas a few years ago? That was cool.

[TexasEagle]

The look on Campo's mug was classic.

[Diomedes]

Trotter's coverage skills aren't all that great.

If by "aren't all that great" you mean "suck," then I've got your back.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Most LB's excel at either coverage or stopping the run.  Trotter is the latter.

The thinking on having a guy like that in on nickel packages is that if the other team DOES run, you're not completely screwed.  Let's put it this way... Trotter's coverage skills > Simoneau's run-stuffing ability

[Phanatic]

The other LBs coverage skills are hopefully good enough to compensate.

Team Dhani's got the coverage thing kicking this season at any rate. 17 solo tackles and an Int.

[Eaglez]

I'd rather have Trotter in there all 3 downs anyways.

He has been awesome against the run and I think he can handle short yardage situations. Plus if JJ brings the blitz I'd rather have the woodchoppa coming up the middle to crack the QB's skull.

I'll take him as a liability against the pass when you have that secondary backing him up.

[rjs246]

Trotter in pass coverage makes me pee myself a little bit. And not in a good way.

[Geowhizzer]

Trotter in pass coverage makes me pee myself a little bit. And not in a good way.

Dang, RJS, you pee yourself over most everything.  Just get some Depends and get over it.   

[PhillyPhreak54]

rjs is like a puppy...he pees a lot.

Someone get GF to put some newspaper down in here.


Trot had 10 tackles last week...I think he'll have more this week.

[MURP]

11

[phattymatty]

11.5

[Eaglez]

$1, Bob.