The Eagles quarterback controversy has been one of the biggest stories in the NFL for weeks now. Here in the Philadelphia area, it’s been the number one sports topic amongst sports fans despite the fact that the Phillies are in the playoffs.
Everywhere I go, Eagles fans have a strong opinion about whether Kevin Kolb or Michael Vick should be the team’s starting quarterback.
If you want to get an argument started anywhere in the Delaware Valley, just start giving your opinion on whether Vick or Kolb should be the team’s starting quarterback.
Earlier in the season, it was Michael Vick who brought attention to the position by playing like the league MVP and putting up amazing numbers while doing it. He has led the Eagles to two victories by dissecting defenses from the pocket.
Reid named him the starter and I figured it would go away after a while.
Well Vick went down due to injury in the Redskins game and Kolb took over and poured gasoline on the debate.
Kolb has come out throwing darts to his receivers and like Vick has performed like the league’s MVP by putting up amazing numbers and leading the Birds to two wins. Kolb’s completion percentage has been off the charts.
Despite all the controversy swirling around them, Kolb and Vick have showed tremendous discipline by ignoring the intense controversy, focusing on playing great football and maintaining their friendship.
Neither has been willing to talk a great deal about how they feel about the situation.
Kolb was asked yesterday whether he felt he could win back the starting quarterback position, but he didn’t take the bait.
“My outlook is what I spoke of before”, Kolb told reporters. “I have to take it one week at a time, and continue to prepare like the starter. And that way I’m ready when my name’s called. Whatever [head coach Andy Reid] decides, he decides. It’s just my job to play good football and get another win. That’s our focus week in and week out.”
Kolb knows that playing great football is the only thing he should be focused on. How he feels about the way Andy Reid benched him earlier in the season is irrelevant and isn’t going to help him. If he plays great football everything will take care of itself.
The ordeal he went through at the beginning of the season has toughened Kolb and got his competitive juices flowing. “You see that nothing’s ever promised from week to week, and I think that’s the one thing I’ve learned. So you have to bring it. Like I said, this league is a ‘what can you do next’ league, so have to forget about last week, as good as it was, we have to forget about it and we have to go prove ourselves again against the Titans.”
Vick has had a similar mindset with regard to his focus on getting the job done. He knows there are people who get sick at the mere mention of his name. That’s something which won’t change and Vick knows it, so he’s focusing on what he does have control of and that’s how he plays football.
All that Kolb and Vick can do is play well when Reid gives them the nod. They’re focused on the making the proper reads and proper throws.
Their jobs are to play the best football they can play and Reid’s job is to make the decision about which one should be the starter.
The good news is that there is no QB Ex-Con-troversey the bad news is there is a QB Kolbtroversey.
Guys it’s lines like that that are used by the media to divide and provide fodder for discourse and draw in posters. The fact that we have 2 guys that can get it done when other teams in the league are looking for one should be a source of pride.
There is no controversey because the Head Coach will make his decisions regardless of our feelings.
I would point out though that I lean towards Kolb for a few reasons.
1. Age
2. Accuracy
3. He gets it when it comes to interviews (not saying 7 doesn’t)
4. He is less likely to be removed from the NFL for Life after one more bad decision.
Vick offers athletic play that is unmatched but
1. While he has improved he is less accurate than 4
2. at six feet tall he has to move to see the field
3. Question- at 35 will Vick be as good as Kolb Might be at 35? When he no longer can outrun every one? I get the excitement that 7 brings (IT IS UNREAL) but for the next 5-10 years who gives you the MOST BANG FOR THE BUCK (Profootball is a business)
Lastly we should all enjoy what we have
Until Andy Greed says otherwise the decision has been made already. There is no debate or controversy. If Andy Greed said that it was an open competition then there would be a debate. He knows not to do that because it would split the team. Vicks injury could be more serious then they have said or Kolb could have a relapse.
Banner has a HOT iron at Andy Greed’s backside, and that is why they have been so quick to let Heckert, DB coach, Strength coach, Andrew sisters and Bell go. Demote Gaither, Jordan and Cole.They use to be alot more stubburn on personel. See: Reno Mahe, and all the rookies Andy Greed use to keep on the bench. I’ve said it befor, I like this new GM. Maybe not this year, but this team will win the big one and dominate for a few years like Dallas, San Fran, and the Patriots.
They might have to do a Tampa Bay and get rid of Andy, and bring in Gruden (See: Tony Dungy) but like Bobby Bethard and that GM for Greenbay. Stockpile enough talent and even a game day choker and horrible clock manager could win a superbowl. Of course Andy will have to motify the BYU offense, and let Shady do his thing…Hmmmm….”Highest passing percentage of any coach in NFL history”…
On second thought…
On second thought,
Mr. Cobb, is Kolb durable enough? Vick can take a hit and keep on ticking. Kolb has taken one good hit and it knocked him out for a couple of games. As far as being one mistake away from being banned. Who would have thought Ben Ruthlessburger was a women beater. Or Junior Seau would drive his truck off a cliff. You never know what these guys are thinking or doing.
@RegalEagle
You are 100% correct in that we have two good QB’s…The media is trying to stir things up, Vick and Kolb have been good teammates with one another during this whole situation! Kolb has earned my respect over the past two weeks…However, I do have to disagree with you about how good will Vick be when he is 35….This is why Vick has worked on his pocket presence, because of the longevity it brings to the game. I still am not completely sold on Kolb…he has made some pretty good decisions, however…he has 3 TO’s this season (2 Int’s and 1 fumble) 2 other fumbles he had were recovered by the Eagles, which could have been game changers and most people pulling for Kolb would be singing a different tune if either of those fumbles backfired! Vick has had no turnovers period! Vick has led us in both starts to TD in the last two minutes of the half…I’m still waiting to see Kolb deliver in this aspect! Also I think its difficult to really compare their accuracy…Vick is 61% Kolb is 67%, that is not a major difference…Vick goes for the homerun a little more than Kolb does! Vick has thrown the ball down the field 50 yards on many occasions…I haven’t seen Kolb throw a pass in the air more than 40 yards except for the hailmary that was thrown to Avant…Longer passes, means less chance to connect…just as in basketball, a layup is a high percentage shot, a 3 pointer is not!
also when Vick is 35, he will still have stronger arm than Kolb and still be quicker! Age makes no difference when you compare Vick to Kolb!!!
Realtalk? Real talk
These guys can both play. We are more fortunate than a great many NFL teams who do not have one marginally aceptable qb. Next year we will have them both, or we will have one of them and a nice shiny early round draft pick to use on a right guard. We win all the way around. Next question.
BSM, good point again buddy. As I said before these two QB’s they get it on many levels. They are friends, they are team oriented-team first guys. There will not be any back stabbing they are focused. If there is any contraversy it will have come from outside and thus will not amount to a hill of beans. I like both, but would like Vick in there.
So brother Eagles let us not buy into anyones QB crap, and thus create that dreaded negative karma, while we are moving towards a date with the Titans. Nope not going to have it. I am ready for the game.
Hey Gcobb, thanks for the article and stating that these two guys are fine in there own skins and not feeding into the drama factory whine, good for you, and good for us.
Its thursday, get your Karma prep boys load it up and don’t waste on selfish endeavors, Our boys are going to war, the least we can do is flex the vib and will them to victory. I am crazy yes, now you know, get over it, move on, and lets get Eaglelized!!!!!!!!
As always LONG LIVE THE EAGLES, Hell we are not the Jags dang gone it.
RT777, the td pass to Maclin was 45 yards in the air. Not that that means anything. But it was 45 and it was pretty windy down on the field.
RealTalk777…..That was the Best Post ON HERE THAT I’VE SEEN SINCE I’VE BEEN A MEMBER this week. The only thing people can put over Mike Vick for Kolb is Accuracy…And that is not a big deal because its a mere 6% difference! Lol. And yes, Vick going for the homerun a little more does explain that 6% but 61% accuracy is still excellent and the long balls are needed given the talent we have. Kolb is capable of throwing it deep, but thats not his game….Which means that guys like Desean Jackson will have to continue to cut across the middle and do slants to adjust to Kevin Kolb’s game…therefore putting Desean’s career in jeopardy as we saw LAST WEEK! But with Michael in at QB, Vick adjusts to the talents of Desean and JMac. And if he decides to take off, he has defenses in awe and clueless because he still has the option to throw on the run or just run it for 50 yards.
That guy VinnietheVictor, all he has in his defense is degrading Mike’s talents by bringing up the player HE USED TO BE. That was a different system, different team, different era, different player. Therefore you cannot compare Michael past with his present…2 different players.
Yes, Im blessed to say that we have 2 amazing QB’s. Although Kevin still has to prove many things like playing under pressure and with defenders coming for his head. But my case rests…Michael VIck is whats best for the team and I just proved it. Whatever your opinions may be, you have got to admit it if you want to see the Eagles win. Just read what I wrote above. Be forreal.
It’s a debate that will not go away…it crosses so many lines that it’s not worth the typing to respond to them all. One thing that will not change is, you will have diehard Kolb backers, and diehard Vick backers. It’s great for the Eagles to have this type of decision. Trust me, cream always rises to the top. Let it play out. Tough, tough games are coming up. Buckle your seat belts.
whats the controversy
vick is the starting qb its that simple
reid wont make u lose ur spot due to injury
kolb lost his spot due to his play
theres no controversy i guess guys trying to drum support for kolb
*****Trade Alert****
Eagles Trade QB M Vick to the Omaha Prairie Dogs of the UFL in exchange for QB J Garcia
The NFL Trade Deadline has passed, but no rules or deadline in trading to another League…
Roseman is Genius…. People in Omaha are rioting in the Streets and so upset that they have to get Warren Buffet and old Merle Olsen (from Mutual of Omaha) to come out publicy to calm the folks down..
pw – you are completely right about that. It’s actually the Vick guys that are keeping the argument alive for some reason though. Vick is the starter, but his staunch supporters on here are defending him as if he is not.
Who gives a f!ck anymore with this sopa opera sh!t. I’m worried about Chris Johnson,locking down the wide-outs so the dline can merck old man river,and other assorted thoughts on offensive weaponry.Does anyone else have anythign too say about the FOOTBALL TEAM!!? Or is it just yackn about obvious points about both qb’s? There both good….Vick is the starter.Man thats a debate.
Titans have a rough secondary and we’ll need wides too be physcial.
D-line is pretty good so max pro early for the dude.(Kolb)
Get Shady goin early Andy.
Colvin with a big return early.
Eagles 35 Titans 21…
What do Vick and Werth have in common? If you need rope from them,it will be frozen.Go phills!!
Shiller…i agree…its like fans who want Vick to start(me included) wanna jam it down your throats.Its over the top. We get it already.
Well one of the Kolb Ints was on the hail Mary and could have and should have just as easily been a TD and a win
His QB rating against the SKins was 76 and would have been over 100 if not for the Hail Mary int
But that was a Hail Mary–what really lost that game was the delay of game penalty and McCoy’s fumble –at least 8 points lost
Eagles would have been sitting at 5 and 1 and sole position of first
As far as Vick or Cobb if Reid thinks they both run the offense and read defenses equally then Vick does have the better long pass threat –but let’s forget this weak arm BS about Kolb –He has more than adequate NFL arm but not a cannon
To Erock,
I think Vick or Werth have this more in common…
Both will not be in Philadelphia in 2011, they both will sign huge Free-Agent Deals and go elsewhere
Vick to Jacksonville,49es,or Raiders and Werth to the Boxton Red Sox
So essentially we all cheer for paid mercenaries
@Erock
WTF? are you talking about? if you look at the first comment on the message board, the gentleman is saying Vick vs Kolb in 5 years….This is what I responded too, and I posted because I disagree! If you dont like reading the comment, you have a choice to stop reading it!!! It is a two way street, the Vick supporters weren’t the first to post here…
A lot of people on here like to throw the stats out there…Here are some stats for ya ass!!
Kolb has 5 TDs 3 TO’s (2 Int’s 1 Fumble, 2 other fumbles that were luckily recovered by the Eagles or many of you may be singing a different tune about Kolb)
Kolb 67% completion (mainly the passes from 1 -10 yards helps Kolb in this stat)
Kolb has 843 Total Yards
Kolb throwing the ball 31+ yards 16.7% completion percentage 0.0 QB rating (Kolb has attempted 6 passes of 31+ yards, Vick has attempted 5)
Kolb throwing the ball 11 -20 yards 86.7 QB rating
Kolb throwing the ball 21 – 30 yards 126.2 QB rating
Vick has 6 TDs 0 TO”s (0 TO’s period, NO fumbles period!!!)
Vick 61% completion
Vick has 986 Total Yards
Vick throwing the ball 31+ yards 60% completion percentage 69.6 QB rating
Vick throwing the ball 11 – 20 yards 106.2 QB rating
Vick throwing the ball 21-30 yards 134.4 QB rating
***Vick has led the team down the field on 2 minute drives in both of his starts scoring TD’s…(I am still waiting to see what Kolb can do, in this aspect)
@Erock
Also lets be real..there are alot of Kolb supporters that come on here and praise Kolb for the game against the Falcons….you want to talk about the team, lets talk about the team!
Against the 49ers the Eagles defense had 5 takeaways..Very slim chances for any team to overcome those odds!!
Against the Falcons, Andy Reid and the coaching staff called a damn near perfect game….from the very beginning…Not too mention the plays that he ran, were simplified for Kolb…where he only had to make one or two reads before dumping the ball off! With Vick Andy is able to have plays with 3 -4 reads!
I’m a true football fan and true Eagles fan…I watch every single game and evaluate it! Lets give some credit to Kolb, but lets give some creidt to the Eagles defense and coaching staff in these last two victories….(Eagles defense and O line did not show up against the Lions, Vick deserved all of the credit he got for this game)