Bad playoff losses leave a stinging sensation in players’ mouths. Those defeats burn a bit more when the refs play a role in the unfavorable outcome.
The latter happened to the Detroit Lions in 2015 when a penalty flag was thrown and then picked up. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens bowled over Brandon Pettigrew in what looked like an easy pass interference call. It wasn’t called and no explanation was ever given. The Lions lost the wild-card playoff game 24-20.
That memory may be six years old but it still irks Darius Slay who was a starting cornerback for the Lions at the time. Slay recently told the “All Things Covered” podcast that he “hates the Cowboys” because they “cheated us.” The comments certainly played well in Philadelphia where the Eagles count the Cowboys as their number one rival. “Dallas Sucks” is a common chant from the fans, among other NSFW diatribes about the Cowboys.
“I hate the Cowboys because they cheated us in the playoffs in 2014,” Slay told Bryant McFadden. “When Dez Bryant ran up on the field. They pulled the flag. Yeah, they cheated us.”
“I hate the Cowboys. They cheated us.”
@bigplay24slay says NO WAY he was going to Dallas if they tried to trade for him
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Slay also revealed that Dallas was trying to trade for him and he refused to go there.
“I heard Dallas had wanted to trade for me,” Slay said. “I said, ‘Nah, I ain’t going there.’ I wasn’t going to Dallas. I couldn’t stand them. They cheated us.”
The three-time Pro Bowler didn’t say when those talks happened or how serious they got, but it’s safe to assume it was around the 2019 trade deadline. The Eagles eventually acquired Slay in the 2020 offseason.
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Eagles Missing Three Players at Practice
Three players missed practice on Thursday as the Eagles put final preparations on the Jets’ gameplan. All-Pro center Jason Kelce (rest/knee) was the biggest name, although he told reporters earlier in the week that he was going to play. Running back Jordan Howard suffered a knee injury on November 21 and hasn’t practiced in two weeks. He likely won’t play in Week 13.
Meanwhile, Boston Scott (illness) has been a new addition to the injury report after picking up an undisclosed illness. He has missed two straight practices and remains questionable for Sunday. Philadelphia listed four players as “limited” participants, including quarterback Jalen Hurts (ankle). Hurts informed reporters that he planned to play, though.
Thursday injury report
T.J. Edwards Has Knee Injury
T.J. Edwards is nursing an ankle injury, but the Eagles are hopeful he’ll suit up against New York. He has been a revelation since taking over as the starting middle linebacker. The coaching staff has talked often about the physical toughness he brings to the position, a trait that has given the entire unit a certifiable chip and nasty edge.
“He’s physical. He’s in the right spot. He’s extremely intelligent,” defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon said. “What we ask a linebacker to do, the Mike linebacker, from a communication standpoint with the front mechanics, with the back seven mechanics, we put a lot on his plate each week, and he handles it well. He doesn’t make mental errors.”
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Eagles Star Explains Why He Vetoed Trade to ‘Hated’ Cowboys