Doctor won't clear TO to play

[terpfan]

per ESPN
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs04/news/story?id=1975261

Technically its injury news, but I figure its big enough to go in here. Bad news for the Iggles.

[steelyeri]

wow, needless to say that sucks for the eagles.

[MCG321]

TO can still play. This just clears the doc from any blame if TO chooses to play and re-injures himself. Smart career move by the doctor.

[terpfan]

TO can still play. This just clears the doc from any blame if TO chooses to play and re-injures himself. Smart career move by the doctor.

That is true... not the greatest sign in the world though.

You think he will play?

[OwenTheBlonde]

He'll still play. It definitely was just the doctor covering himself. The team doctors will clear him though.

[VHawk15]

Wouldn't be suprised if T.O. suits up and tries to play a few downs as a decoy or an emotional spark. The Eagles will need all the help they can get.

If the Pats can shut down Stokley, Harrison, Wayne, Manning, and Edge, then they can shut down a limping T.O.

[MCG321]

TO can still play. This just clears the doc from any blame if TO chooses to play and re-injures himself. Smart career move by the doctor.

That is true... not the greatest sign in the world though.

You think he will play?

Yep, definitely not a great sign, but I think the doctor still needed to cover his bases. It'll come down to Reid deciding to put him in or not, but I do think TO will play.

[deluxe_247]

i really doubt he will play, and if he does i think it will be very limited. i think they are just saying he might play to give the Patriots D a little more to prepare for. he had a VERY serious injury...him thinking he can play... and actually testing it by running routes-cutting etc. are 2 different things. i say there are 2 chances TO makes a difference in the game....slim and none.

[mtryanks12]

IMO, he will play. Without him runnign routes, the Eagles have littlechance of staying on track with the Pats on Sunday. Andy Reid won't care how hurt he is, and he'll have the offeseason to recover too, so I expect they'll put him in. Not as the #1 man, of course, but maybe a #3 running short outs to pick up a few first down. I also expect him to get a few redzone looks, so I'm guessing he'll be #2 man productive on Sunday.

[eaglesrule]

he will play. that doctor is doing it more from a legal standpoint. considering how much trouble grant hill has had (another patient of his) I don't think he wants to risk malpractice. I think this is more of a procedural thing than it is an honest assesment.

I think he will play. I think that if he can't cut, they might send him out on some 4wr sets with some space, and probably play him near the red zone. He won't be full time. But he will be enough to give new england something to think about.

The reason it helps, is that the pats can take away one thing you do best. but the eagles are semi-amorphous in that regard. They can do a lot of things pretty well. They can be very balanced when they want to be. TO just gives them one more thing.

And what a smack that will be if everyone thinks "he isn't 100 percent" then bam, he catches a big one.