The Eagles' Demetress Bell will be back in a more familiar spot at LT this week against Dallas. That's a good thing because he'll be charged with containing Cowboys OLB DeMarcus Ware. (US Presswire) |
Eagles OT Demetress Bell will feel much more comfortable this week, or at least he will until the Eagles’ offense takes the field for the first time. After that, well, who knows?
“I’ve had a good week of practice and I’ve worked as hard as I can to get ready,’’ Bell said on Friday. “Now it’s almost game day and I have to make all that hard work pay off and do it against a very good team and a very good player.’’
The team is the Dallas Cowboys and the player is linebacker DeMarcus Ware. It’s debatable whether the Cowboys (3-5) are a good team, but nobody argues about Ware being a good player.
How good? Ware is in his eighth NFL season and already has 108.5 sacks. The only player in NFL history with more sacks in his first eight seasons was Hall-of-Famer Reggie White (124).
What makes Ware especially dangerous is the way in which the Cowboys use him, which is everywhere, at any time. Still, everyone expects him to spend much of his time going against Bell, who struggled mightily in last week’s 28-13 loss to New Orleans.
In that game, Bell replaced right tackle Todd Herremans, who went down with a season-ending foot injury in the first quarter, even though Bell had never played the position in a game in his life. It showed. Bell gave up a couple sacks and was flagged for a couple of penalties in the red zone.
This week he’s been moved back to left tackle, where he’s played most of his career, while King Dunlap moves from LT to RT.
“It’s just more natural for me,’’ Bell said. “Understand, I’m not using that as an excuse for the way I played. But I feel much better about things now, moving back and getting a full week of practice there [with the starters].’’
Of course, no matter which side he plays he’ll still have to deal with Ware, whose nine sacks are tied for second in the NFL.
“Much of his success comes from moving around, but wherever he is you have to put a body on him,’’ Bell said. “You can’t just let him run free -- that’s his job.”
Tight end Brent Celek will probably spend as much time on Sunday pass blocking as pass receiving and unlike Bell, who has never played against Ware, Celek knows all about him from the Eagles’ twice-a-year scrums with the Cowboys.
When asked what advice he’d give to Bell or any other player who hasn’t faced Ware yet, Celek smiled.
“He’s stout -- he weighs 225, but he plays like he’s 290,’’ Celek said. “And he’s the ultimate professional, too, on and off the field. That guy is what the NFL is about. I have a lot of respect for him. We’re going to have to come to play because he’s having a heck of a year.’’
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Philadelphia Eagles from blogger Kevin Noonan, follow @CBSEagles.