It was an ordinary play in a big game, and maybe the combination of those two factors caused Malcolm Jenkins to disregard the telltale fogginess that began to settle over his consciousness.
Cowboys running back Darren McFadden had broken free of one tackler in the second quarter of the Eagles' 33-27 victory Sunday in Dallas and was moving forward. Jenkins - the Eagles' starting strong safety, as intelligent and respected as any player in their locker room - moved forward, too, to confront him. Jenkins led with his right shoulder when he collided with McFadden, and still his head struck McFadden's chest with enough force that, once Jenkins got up from the ground after making the tackle, he felt something he had never felt before.