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Thomas Tapeh sprained his knee and is seriously questionable. Buck is the backup FB. This would be a big loss for a running game that has excelled in some part to excellent FB play form Tapeh. Lets hope he can be healthy enough to play, but this would be a big loss.

Tapeh is no Jon Ritchie. He's just a body.

That said, losing anyone at this point not named Reno Mahe is a loss.

If Buck is the FB do they activate Moats?

Was this in practice today?

dgb

heard it early this morning, so my guess is weds. according to report i heard, if he improves just a bit, he should play, but its up in the air at present.

It was yesterday. I caught wind of it on the official site.

Hopefully it's a mind game like Horn's perpetual Questionable status.

The interesting thing is that if Tapeh is out, that would put Buck and Westbrook in the same backfield a lot more often - something the Eagles don't do much but the Saints do a lot. I would think the Saints defense is used to seeing double RB sets a lot in practice already, so I wonder if the move would really help or hurt the Eagles.

Tapeh isn't a great FB by any stretch, but he isn't a slouch. I don't think Buck would be able to step right into a FB role with the same level of competency.

If he plays- great. No doubting he's had a hand in the improved running game, tho last in the list that includes the committment to the run, and the massive, incredibly talented line getting to do what they've wanted to do for yrs.

The upshot of this is- now they (Saints) are goin to be lookin at a lot more sets where Buck and Westy are in the backfield together.

I think we'd all agree that offensively, you can do more with Buck than Tapeh- and many of the 'gadgety' type plays come with both of them back there.

I believe Westy actually has lined up at FB in the past, with 28 as the HB, on some of the end arounds by the WRs etc.

READ: More potential for diferent plays outta dif. formations/packages, if your FB is now an adept and capable pass catcher / running back.

I think that it's a negative if Tapeh doesn't play.

If you believe any of the "experts" out there that watch film and break teams down, the biggest difference in the Eagles run game (other than the fact that they are using it) is Tapeh and LJ Smith.

The line I've been hearing is the offensive line has been great all year, the WRs give great effort on blocks, but at the beginning of the season, both Tapeh and LJ stunk as blocker.

Now, they are both supposedly playing really well.

I'd like for Reid to pull out a double screen play and watch the hilarity ensue.

And I'd give more credit to the lines than Tapeh - not sure if anyone else couldn't do what he does.

"The Philadelphia Eagles have announced the signing of free agent Cecil Martin."

The line I've been hearing is the offensive line has been great all year, the WRs give great effort on blocks, but at the beginning of the season, both Tapeh and LJ stunk as blocker.

So the reason why the line had no push earlier in the season was because Tapeh and LJ couldn't block, according to the "experts".

The line is certainly better when they are actually practicing run plays during the week and running more than 10 times per game, but did you happen to catch LJ "blocking" early in the season?

I'm not joking when I say the average JV player could have done a better job.

I'm not saying the line hasn't improved during the year, but you can't just write off the TE and FB when it comes to ruin blocking because the offensive can pancake their guys and the play is dead if LJ and Tapeh don't make their blocks.

They've also used the fullback on running downs more this season than they have in years.

On this team, of course his position is important because he doesn't have anyone to back him up (I do like the idea of giving the Saints a bit of their own medicine and I had hoped the Eagles had incorporated that into their gameplan before Tapeh got hurt). I'm pointing out Tapeh as in comparison to the other FBs in the league.

Even still, we all saw how bad LJ's blocking had been.

"The Philadelphia Eagles have announced the signing of free agent Cecil Martin."

I saw him on Chestnut Street last week holding hands with a busted ugly girl. And her friend was even more busted.

[/threadjack]

tapeh played fantastic on the game winning drive, made som great lead blocks

I saw him and Willie T at a free autograph signing before the Packers Monday night game.

They just had a card table setup on the club level across from the concession stands.

They should just line Nick Cole up at FB on every play

As of 5 minutes ago, Spuds said Tapeh is expected to play, via his message board.

I guess the point is "moo".

Of course he's "expected" to play.

Like I said earlier - this smells like a mind game just as much as a real injury and it forces the Saints to think about handling more Buck + Westbrook sets.

Joe Horn has been "questionable" all year. Might as well play the injury card on this side, too.

No thanks.

I don't want to see any more "gadget" plays.

I want that line to just play smash mouth and wear the lighter front 7 of the Saints out.

Holla, Hollis!

nice Joey reference FD!