Tweet
Owens Says He'll Play in Sunday's Super Bowl
Eagles Wide Receiver Will Ignore His Doctor's Advice to Play vs. Pats
T.O.'s timeout is over.
Brushing aside his doctor's advice and - some might say - common sense, Terrell Owens returned to the practice field Monday, determined to pull off the most improbable play of his career by making it to the Super Bowl.
He ran the required routes. He made the necessary cuts. And - is this a sign of what's to come Sunday against the defending champion New England Patriots? - he caught the passes that were thrown his way.
Not bad for a guy who went down 43 days earlier with a grotesque injury to his right leg, apparently done until next season.
"I will play on Sunday," Owens said Tuesday. "I know the type person I am. I have a lot of faith in my ability. I feel great. I'm proving a lot of people wrong. The sky is the limit for me. There are no limitations."
C'mon, this shouldn't be all that surprising (though maybe it's a bit appalling to any parent who wouldn't dare let their kid go out to play with a skinned-up knee). And it's something Owens promised his teammates moments after he was injured.
"I told the guys in the locker room 'You guys just get us into the Super Bowl and I'll be there,"' he said. "They've done their job. Now it's time to do my job."
The greatest showman in football was certainly meant for the grandest stage. The guy who pulled out a Sharpie after a touchdown and gawked at Nicollette Sheridan for a pregame spoof had to at least give it a shot.
"It's always a lift when you can get anyone out there, an added weapon," Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb said. "He did make some big plays for us. He did an excellent job of coming in and presenting a different type of feel for our passing attack."
Just last week, Dr. Mark Myerson, the surgeon who operated on Owens' right ankle in December, said he would not clear the All-Pro receiver to suit up against the Patriots.
But there he was Monday, in uniform at the University of North Florida. While Owens took part in less than one-third of the team's 30 plays, he got a pass each time he ran a route.
"It's shocking when you see the injury he had and how far he's come," Pro Bowl safety Michael Lewis said.
In his first season with the Eagles after eight years in San Francisco, Owens led Philadelphia with 77 catches for 1,200 yards and 14 TDs.
Then came that horrific December day, when Owens severely sprained his ankle and broke his leg in a game against Dallas.
Myerson inserted two screws in Owens' ankle and a plate on the outside of the ankle three days after he was injured. Owens was told after surgery that he had only an outside chance of returning for the Super Bowl, which was 6 1/2 weeks away at the time. But he rehabbed vigorously, hoping to help Philadelphia win its first NFL championship since 1960.
The Patriots downplayed the possibility of Owens' return.
"We've got to prepare for all the players," coach Bill Belichick said. "We expect everybody to be at their best for this game. That's the only way the ever think about it. We never expect anything less from our opponents."
After a checkup last week in Baltimore, Myerson said that while he's pleased with Owens' recuperation, the operation requires a recovery period of eight to 10 weeks. Myerson added that any attempt to accelerate the rehabilitation process poses the same risk for injury.
But try telling that to Owens, who insisted on testing his leg during this Super Bowl week.
"We limited what he did, but he did it well, and he did it with the team," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "He moved around pretty well. I'll have to see how he does before we decide whether he'll play."
The final decision on Owens' status will come down to the player, Reid and the team's medical staff.
"Could the same injury occur? Yes," Reid said. "But he won't damage it any further than he already has."
"He looked pretty smooth out there," tight end L.J. Smith said. "He's not trying to push it. He's getting his timing down and he caught a couple balls."
The injury to Owens was a huge blow for a team that dominated the NFC and clinched the No. 1 seed in the conference after just 14 games. Owens invigorated the Eagles with his attitude, enthusiasm and stellar performance, adding a swagger to a team that desperately needed a personality.
With him, the offense was extremely potent, averaging 25.4 points in 14 games. After Owens was injured, the Eagles lost the last two regular-season games in which most starters hardly played and others were rested.
But the Eagles are 2-0 without Owens in games that matter. While the offense hasn't been dominant without Owens, they've scored 27 points in each of their playoff games against Minnesota and Atlanta.
"You have to account for him when he is on the field," teammate Hank Fraley said, "because he is a playmaker."
Source: AP
"Could the same injury occur? Yes," Reid said. "But he won't damage it any further than he already has."
"He looked pretty smooth out there," tight end L.J. Smith said. "He's not trying to push it. He's getting his timing down and he caught a couple balls."
The injury to Owens was a huge blow for a team that dominated the NFC and clinched the No. 1 seed in the conference after just 14 games. Owens invigorated the Eagles with his attitude, enthusiasm and stellar performance, adding a swagger to a team that desperately needed a personality.
With him, the offense was extremely potent, averaging 25.4 points in 14 games. After Owens was injured, the Eagles lost the last two regular-season games in which most starters hardly played and others were rested.
But the Eagles are 2-0 without Owens in games that matter. While the offense hasn't been dominant without Owens, they've scored 27 points in each of their playoff games against Minnesota and Atlanta.
"You have to account for him when he is on the field," teammate Hank Fraley said, "because he is a playmaker."
Source: AP
Comment