- Andy Reid
Okay, well let's do that.
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He has been getting off blocks and he has been putting hits on people. Maybe he's been able to play with that kind of fire and intensity because he hasn't started and has been used on a part time basis.... but I'm willing to find out. He certainly can't be any worse than McCoy. I'd also be happy to see Barber take over at SAM for Dhani Jones who has also been subpar.
Second, just start Broderick Bunkley. He did a stupid thing and missed the team plane last week and he was benched. Punishment was doled out and received let's move on. Let's not forget Trent Cole kicked Eli Manning and set up the game tying FG with a penalty and not only started the next week but received a huge contract extension shortly thereafter. Jerome McDougle got a roughing the passer penalty and then kicked the flag to get another penalty totaling 30 yards which gave the Bucs all the field position they needed to win and he was not punished. So let Bunkley out of the doghouse and start the kid. Jim Johnson has complained that Bunk has not made enough plays and Bunk countered that he hasn't seen enough time. Frankly, I can fully understand how a rookie may be having a tough time running in every couple of plays and running off.
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Your run defense has been porous and your DTs, especially Darwin Walker, have been getting pushed around. Mike Patterson hasn't been quite as bad as Walker, but he hasn't been great either. Why would you not start the DT you just drafted #15 overall and are paying a ton of money? I'll tell you that in limited time Bunkley hasn't been much of a pass rusher, but I haven't seen the kid get moved on a block. At the very least he's been filling his gaps, something Walker has not done. Jim Johnson just appears to be so obsessed with rushing the passer, which Walker has done better than Bunkley, that he ignores this.
The worst thing is that even the players have seen that Bunkley is an upgrade filling up the middle against the run. After the Titans game on NBC10's "Sports Final" with Howard Eskin it was reported that after Darwin Walker was literally getting knocked on his ass by the Titans offensive line, Trotter was on the sidelines pleading with Jim Johnson "If you're going to dress the kid(Bunkley) why won't you play him?" I agree. I don't think running in your first round pick to play part time at a position where the starters are killing you is giving him an honest look. It's doing him and the team a disservice. What more can you lose by putting Bunkley in? You've already given up over two hundred yards of rushing 3 of the last 4 weeks!!! If he isn't starting because he "needs to make more plays", why the hell is Darwin Walker starting? What player on a defensive line is "making plays" when they give up over 200 yards of rushing?