October 27, 2011 | Jersey Al | jerseyal.com
Desmond Bishop is a tackling machine. I think anyone who has watched the Packers the last two years knows that and his stats prove that. Desmond Bishop loves to make the big hit and blow up running backs – again, no big surprise. But there is one thing about Bishop that perhaps goes overlooked – If you’re an opponent carrying the football, he will track you down from wherever he is on the field. Simply put, he wants to get to you more than you want to get to the end zone.
Remember the Eagles playoff game last season? 1:45 left in the game, Packers up by 5, Eagles marching down the field… Without this play, the Packers’ playoffs could have been over after one game. In case you’ve forgotten, here it is:
Simply amazing. He’s in man coverage on a tight end on one side of the field and comes all the way across to catch up with DeSean Jackson and probably save the game. Most inside linebackers probably would not have even tried.
I was reminded of this play as I watched the Packers Vikings game this past Sunday. We all saw Adrian Peterson rattle off three very big runs against the Packers. On two of those plays, Desmond Bishop comes a long way with incredible effort to track Peterson down and make the tackle.
On this first play, Hawk reads the play, avoids the OL coming out to block him, takes a good angle and comes all the way from the LILB spot to track down Peterson. Not a spectacular play, but it does show his enthusiastic pursuit and athleticism, as he whizzes by A.J. Hawk, the RILB on the play who gives a half-hearted jog towards Peterson.
Fairly impressive, but you say you want spectacular? Coming right up. Watch Bishop closely on this play:
The first time you watched this, did it seem like Bishop just appeared out of thin air? It did to me. I had to watch it a few times before I was able to follow Bishop the whole way.
Bishop had absolutely no right to make this play. He had no right to even think he could make it out of that pack of players at the line of scrimmage and catch Peterson 50 yards down the field. And yet he did.
Desmond Bishop just wants it more than anyone else on that field. Simple as that.
