Why didn’t Eli Apple play the first three series of the game?
“I was benched,” the second-year cornerback and last year’s first-round pick said. Apple was replaced in the starting lineup by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and in sub packages by Ross Cockrell. “I wasn’t happy,” Apple said of getting the news of his demotion during the week. Asked if he tried to plead his case to the coaches, he said: “It wasn’t that type of situation.” Apple did eventually get on the field. “After like 10 series,” he said even though it actually was just three. “I don’t know, it felt like 10.