Sept. 2, 1964 - The Eagles are giving extra attention to pass protection this week in their daily drills at Cherry Hill — and with good reason.
The protection broke down badly at times against the New York Giants last week at Princeton, and unless the blocking holds up better Saturday night against the Minnesota Vikings at Hershey, the quarterbacks may have difficulty escaping with their lives.
The Vikings not only have the only pro team with a perfect record in preseason play, but apparently they have one of the most formidable groups of pass rushers in the game.
While the Giants were throwing the Eagles’ Norm Snead (pictured) for seven losses last week, the Vikings were dumping Bill Munson, rookie quarterback of the Los Angeles Rams, 11 times. It was the peak effort of the aggressive Minnesotans, who in three previous games had thrown enemy quarterbacks 10 times for big losses.
What’s stimulated this yen of the Vikings to make such sport of the opposing passer? Is Norm Van Brocklin feeding them raw meat?
“It’s just a case of the line reaching maturity, I guess,” says Viking publicist John Thompson, “and because we happen to have one of the best defensive ends in the league in Jim Marshall.”
The only newcomer on the Minnesota line is rookie Carl Eller, All-American from Minnesota, who has more than filled the shoes of Don Hultz (now with the Eagles) at left end. Eller has played so well, in spite of his inexperience, that it’s taken some of the pressure off Marshall and permitted the latter to be more effective.
Playing between the 255-pound Eller and the 235-pound Marshall, a five-year veteran from Ohio State, are tackles Jim Prestel, 275-pound giant from Idaho, and Paul Dickson, 255, formerly of Baylor.
“We’re getting such a good rush from the other three,” explained Thompson, “that our opponents aren’t able to concentrate two men on holding out Marshall.”
Support this project at patreon.com/realtime1960s
Comentarios