Goedert plans to show Cowboys they’re unworthy of name
PHILADELPHIA >> This is one of those weeks that can be very confusing for a guy like Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert.
No one has to tell Goedert how much Philly fans loathe the Cowboys, who the Eagles oppose Sunday night at AT&T Stadium.
Fans started a GoFundMe account to finance a (given) name change for Goedert moments after the Eagles took the South Dakota State product off the board in the second round of the 2018 draft. Thankfully, the idea was shot down by cooler heads.
Goedert understands the hatred of Dallas. But it’s impossible to totally ignore fan laments of “Dallas (stinks?)” during Cowboys weeks. He’s getting used to it, though, with two games under his belt last season.
“I think the fans are kind of to the point where they’re getting over that,” Goedert said. “I mean, a lot of the fans call me Philly. You know, Philly Goedert instead of Dallas Goedert. I don’t mind it, it’s something that’s cool. Obviously being here with the name Dallas, which is like the biggest rival, it’s kind of a neat little thing.”
Goedert has a score to settle with the Cowboys. Last year he beat them at AT&T Stadium for a 75-yard touchdown that’s still all over YouTube.
Goedert showed every tool in his skill set getting away from the bump-andrun coverage of safety Jeff Heath, gathering in a Carson Wentz pass, staying upright and surviving a cheap shot to the jaw and still managing to outrun the Cowboys into the end zone for what would have been the game-tying score late in the fourth quarter.
Even when a penalty marker fell, everybody but the guy who threw it figured it was on Heath.
Instead, Goedert was flagged for offensive pass interference, and it became one of the examples NFL owners used to extend replay reviews to offensive and defensive pass interference this season.
The Eagles scored on the drive, anyway, but they didn’t knot the contest until there was 1:05 left, shaving 95 seconds off the clock. The Eagles were so hot at that point had they gotten the ball back before overtime, they may have kicked the winning field goal, at the least.
Instead the Eagles lost the coin flip and were beaten, 29-23, on an Amari Cooper touchdown reception in the extra session.
Goedert has seen the replay of that play enough where he didn’t need to watch it one more time, as it was offered.
The only real question was, would the penalty have been overturned on replay considering the laissez-faire attitude of the replay folks in New York, who upon review, have consistently erred on the side of the officials?
“Yeah, if it was called, I think it would be reversed,” Goedert said. “I didn’t push off. I didn’t do anything like that. We were hand-fighting and he kind of engaged me. I think when they watched that on film – I mean we got a report back from (the league) saying it wasn’t OPI.”
Eagles offensive coordinator Mike Groh confirmed the notice that the official who threw the flag had erred. But the smile on his face and the slapstick response suggested he’s just as confused as anybody with the replay reviews regarding pass interference.
“If it’s clear and obvious, they’ll change it,” Groh said echoing the way the rule is worded. “I don’t know. It seems to be up for interpretation.” With the Eagles biding time until DeSean Jackson returns from an abdominal injury, an event some shills believe could happen this weekend, Wentz still has the two-tight end or 12 personnel packages with Goedert and Zach Ertz to confound the Cowboys. On paper, Goedert has an edge against Heath or any of the Cowboys linebackers.
Goedert has 10 receptions on the season, half of them in the 38-20 loss last week at Minnesota.
For whatever reason, the Eagles weren’t ready to play. Not enough of them, anyway. That’s unlikely to be an issue this week because, you know, it’s Philly Goedert week. Think of it this way: if Goedert had been drafted by the Cowboys, who wanted him badly, his ears would be ringing Sunday.
“Obviously it’s a really cool stadium and a fun atmosphere to play in,” Goedert said. “But I love the Eagles, so any time I go down there I want to beat Dallas. I want to do whatever I can to help the team win. So that will be the same thing this time. I’m good being here. I like it here so it’s all good.”