There’s a reason Phil Jackson of the Los Angeles Lakers and formally of the Chicago Bulls is chasing his 12th NBA title. Jackson has perfected the art of putting things in the minds of referees and opposing players which benefit his team.
Any time the Lakers or Bulls were to come up on the short end of fouls being called Jackson would start crying and he would make sure to do it publicly. I remember him crying when Michael Jordan went to the hoop late in the game and a foul wasn’t called.
Let Kobe Bryant not get the benefit of the doubt and trips to the free throw line down the stretch of a playoff game and you didn’t even have to guess what Jackson was going to be talking about in the post game news conference.
Although I applaud Reid for crying to the league office, I think crying publicly is much more effective.
He’s got to make sure every referee who works an Eagles down the stretch or in the playoffs, is predisposed to think about the penalties that haven’t been called because of hits to on Birds quarterback Michael Vick.
I know this will anger the referees, but it will also put the pressure on them to protect Vick as much as he protects every other quarterback. I think he has a great argument and he should make it loud and clear.
When Vick takes off and outruns a linebacker or fakes him out of his socks, NFL referees see a player with running back ability gaining valuable yardage on the opposing defense. They look on with admiration, but they also keep the penalty flags in their pants, when defensive players hit Vick late or near his head.
I’ve always felt that running quarterbacks are looked upon like they can take care of themselves to the referees don’t feel they need to protect them. I think Andy Reid and Vick are playing mental games with the referees in much the same way Phil Jackson of NBA fame has done over the years.
Again, taking a fine by going after the referees even harder would be wise on Reid’s part. He’s got to continue making a fuss about this because he needs to make sure that he becomes a story which the networks pick up on.
Penalties can easily make the difference in close games and you know how hard it is to stop Vick. If a team is hesitant to attack him because of worries about penalties, that will make him even harder to deal with.
If you can’t stop Vick, you can’t stop the Eagles. Teams like the Giants and the Bears who have an advantage upfront on their defense against our offensive line, must be kept off balance by the fear of getting a roughing penalty or two. They had no fear of that in the first game versus the Eagles, but Reid must make sure it’s in the back of their minds in the second game.
As for the quarterback himself, Vick needs to shut up and be the good guy. Reid should be the bad guy.
A roughing call here or there down the stretch and in the playoffs could be the difference between lifting up the Lombardi Trophy or spending another off season talking about what went wrong. Reid should pay the fine with a smile knowing that it could help him and the city of Philadelphia get this monkey off our backs.
If Reid isn’t sure how to pull this off, tell him to get on the phone with Jackson and he’ll spell it out for him.
“Vick needs to shut up” ????
Vick complains about as little as any QB in the league and he’s been pounded.
Peyton Manning has become an interception machine as of late. I am sure he will be getting benched soon. Phillip Rivers loses again.
Hassleback, still think they deserve the MVP more than Vick????
How about you Thieseman?
I noticed that everytime somebody interviews Vick they have to talk about his past. Ruthlessburger was on primetime and nobody brought up his recent pass. Why does Vick have to keep apoligizing and doing good deeds, skating on thin ice just one slip up away? Ruthlessburger never payed society for his crimes. Why is this important? Should the Eagles trade Kolb and Vick is out at the mall and some nut starts a fight with him, he and the Eagles season could go down the train. That’s what Andy needs to worry about. Start planting the seed of a clean slate.
Brilliant article G…Maybe the best of the season so far….
He can afford it.
hey andy while u have phil on the phone ask him how not to choke in the big 1
G
I’m completely with bsmvideos, “Vick needs to shut up??”
I think Vick was instructed to speak up. Just after the game, he was asked about being hit. He said there was no problem. I’m sure that he had taken into account that he’s still trying to be known as a “good guy.” Sometime later, however, he said that “After watching the film . . . .”
That’s why I think Reid told him to speak up.
I like the idea of Reid getting an intentional fine. His image is pristine and he’s never complained about anything in 12 years (that I know of). Someone would have to take notice.
Im concerned for Mike. Because I feel my boy should be able to speak up, but society will act like he just committed the most serious crime in the world if he says ANYTHING. Im very proud of Coach Reid because usually he won’t address issues regarding players but he does protect his players. And I hate to bring up racism, but I SWEAR, If Tom Brady or Drew Brees or Peyton Manning had been the ones doing the dogfighting…I SERIOUSLY DOUBT that this would be an ongoing issue and that people would hate them for what they did. I doubt it. Just my opinion. But its messed up that these referees are holding a grudge against Michael Vick. The man is trying to do RIGHT. He’s helping more dogs than he’s hurt and he is speaking to kids and inspiring them! What more does society want? This goes to show how many non-christians there are….Because as a christian, we’re taught to forgive.
I heard this quote….”Have enough courage to look past what’s wrong to see the courage in what’s right!” And what’s right is forgiving Michael for his wrongs as we should. I have a pitbull and I love him dearly, but Mike didn’t hurt my dog. And what he did is his business. But I can’t help but notice that everytime he is interviewed, he is thanking the Good Lord (Jesus Christ) And that Chick from WIP610 Rhea Hughes is still buggin! She is the worst and people that HATE Mike Vick, even with him doing right by God today, they’re more sick than he was when he was doing the Dogfighting.
Now the Refs are trying to stop him in every way. But it doesn’t matter, because even thru all the adversity, Vick still continues to succeed. Just like in the Colts game with the Refs protecting Peyton and allowing the Colts to damn near kill Vick back there, Vick still succeeded in victory. And its eating them up! LOL. Keep doing your thing Mike and win us a superbowl! Bad News VA to Philly PA baby!
i think people probably shouldnt bring it up as much
but some of the people that do are trying to actually compliment him
saying he’s come from this dogfighting thug to a leader of a football team
it doesnt bother me as much
even though i know what yall saying
vick is balln out of his mind right now so i think alot of people are trying to draw the comparisons of now ( where he is supposedly this good man which im not buying by the way i nver thought he was bad but he certainly aint a saint now either just regular dude and those r the players i like most anyway) from be4 when he was dogfighting and supposedly his work ethic wasnt as good and maybe just didnt take football as serious. so i think alot of people who dont know what they r talkin about try to draw parrallels
i dont care
i just care about sunday’s at 1:00 what r u doing then
I care tho cuz I get sick of hearing about it. It doesn’t matter anymore so it shouldn’t be brought up. I’m getting annoyed. Yeah, I too, care about Sunday’s game but it would sure be nice if people would shut the “you know what” up about Vick’s past and stop trying to spoil our glory. They are trying to make our success bitter-sweet and although its not working, its mad annoying!
Its just sad to see this…….. You have guys like Daunte Stallworth and Leonard little……. These paticular individuals have done something far worse than what Vick has done…… They took lives of innocent human beings but get less attention towards the media……… Because of there negligence to drive behind the wheel drunk……… Yes…. Vick should be treated like a QB……..Thats the positon he is playing……. Who else is going to speak up for the players…… To know what is right and what is wrong…… A penalty is a penalty…… And the same rule should apply to who ever the Qb is (period)……. What people have done in the past its the past……. Its just terrible when someone is doing something successful media or people want to bring up anything negative!!!!!! yea vick needs to keep quit……… But I see team UNITY………. IN that……. And thats what I like to see……… What up DIZZY and Philly Will
I totally agree JRoc! What up J!
Players and coaches need to stand up and speak out for each other……. You dont see that alot now in days……… Look at the situation in Minnesota and the situation with the Cowboys……. Young players have a tendency to not take criticism and except it a negative aspect…….. And thats the truth……. But what I see is A coach calling out something that everyone sees with there own naked eye….. Not to say I’m an eagles fan….. But other people who like other teams say the same thing……. Vick is taking some illegal hits!!!!
I miss coaches like Mike Ditka, and Buddy Ryan…….. They didnt take NO and I mean NO B.S. Alot of the current coaches are soft…….. Theres a few of them who are gritty……… Very few!!
I know I’m going a little off topic, but its all good…Check it….
End of the day….An animal is an animal. A dog, deer, cat, mouse, pig, etc. No one says anything about hunting b/c its a redneck sport. SMH. I think hunting for food is acceptable, but to just be killing a deer or birds or whatever for no reason, that should be just as unacceptable as Vick with the dog situation. Did you know Kevin Kolb hunts Hogs for fun for no reason other than because he enjoys it? Why isn’t Kevin put in the negative light? Because the animal was a dog and they’re pets…Its a biased situation because people love dogs more than most animals. But other people love the other animals that are being hunted for no reason. I just dont think so much attention or criticism should be put on Mike Vick when there is so much other stuff going on in the world. Its just crazy! People need to grow up!
Refs need to be looked at……. Sometimes I say to my self LOL!! “Is David Stern part of the NFL also”, “Are him and Goodell partners…… making the NFL and NBA the same………???? watering down 2 sports I love to watch and play”!…… Or do we have the NFL’s Ref staff of Tim Donaghy’s in the NFL????? Thats a real big question mark!!!!! LOL
I know If I were a ref in the NFL and I had to officiate any games that had to do with the Eagles…… I’m not gonna lie to yall i’m calling every penalty against the other team LMAO! Im sorry and any team who is in the NFC East who are not even playing the eagles…….. I’m calling penalties on them as well LMAO! I’m a hater in a good way tho!!!!!! Refs are fans as well…….. Thats all i’m saying
I am also sick of hearing about it…But this is life…If anyone of us committed a felony our lives would be damn near ruined. The laws are setup so that “felon” tag will follow you throughout your life. We would lose our jobs and most likely won’t get it back. The world doesn’t believe in forgive and forget its just that simple. Its just another way for people to get left behind, why there is the homeless people, people on welfare, robberies, murders…But thats another discussion in its own!
Nothing wrong with Vick speaking in his mind in the manner in which he did…he said after watching film he noticed late hits (basically making it a factual statement, not opinionated) invititing the powers to be to take a look at the film
Real talk DIZZY………. Thats real talk FAMILY……… Your right about that…….. They use the deer’s or moose for trophy’s…….
When I lived in NY alot of the guys I use to work with use to go upstate NY to go hunting…….. They told me all the stories on how they killed the deers and took pictures and left them for dead……. Didnt take it for food purposes….. I asked them like why…….. Why not for food….. Come to find out alot of them were Ex- WAR vets. and they just like to shoot animals for there own reasons to do it……. The world we live in is just hilarious……. People train dogs while hunting to chase down and kill other animals……. Cruelty is cruelty……….
Yea realtalk777 your right about that……… We’ll lose our family, and lively hood……… And we’ll have pretty much a tattoo label on our foreheads saying FELON….. LOL……. But I cant say the same for rapist or child molesters tho!!!!! You should be labeled as a dead man or woman in my view……..
G, in my opinion it isn’t crying. Crying is when players are acting within the rules of the game and nothing is called but you still whine about it. These are clear hits to the head and body WHILE HE’S IN THE POCKET that are after the ball is gone. That’s not crying. That’s pointing out the truth. Last night I saw Roethisberger get his nose broken and no call. I saw a Raven player spearhead Heath Miller and no call. These refs are jokes. There are only a few select players that get preferential treatment. I guarantee in tonight’s game we will see some garbage calls against the Jets for some hits they will put on Brady. And that’s fine but you have to be consistent about it across the board. A QB is a QB. Whether he is strong or weak can run or not they all should be protected in the same way. So if Vick reels off a 20 yard run one play it’s ok to get a cheap shot the next play because he can “handle it”. Even when Vick dives (falls) forward players still dive at him and if any other QB slides head first and you dive at him, automatic penalty. They are a bunch of jokes. I hope someone “unintentionally” runs into a ref. They are going to make some calls and non-calls that will get someone knocked out of the playoffs and end their season early.
There are groups of people and causes that have individuals that take thier cause to extreem extents…with sports athletes we tend to put them on pedistals. In general, when they commit a crime or mistake they are put under a microscope and criticized. If the player is able to play well, for the most part it becomes a footnote. Look at Kobe. He wins a few more rings and people forget he was facing rape charges…same thing with Rothelsberger to an extent. While not illegal, Tiger has had his issues the past year, but once he starts winning, most will forget about it.
So overall, while there are a relatively small hard-core group of animal advocates that will continue to bring it up to help thier own cause, as long as Mike keeps playing at a high level and wins, the majority of fans will support him. As with other athletes, once production drops so does the public’s interest. Also, I tend to agree with Jroc’s statment about Stallworth…funny how some people in society will tend to be more vocal and have outrage over the death of an animal and little comment about the death of a person. Not to open up a contraversey, but I wonder if these animal lovers have a similar stance, and vocal support, against abortion of human babies? Just see too many hypocrits out there.
Greenfan your right…….. Alot of players at fault tend to sweep under the rug millions of dollars of hush money or heres for my condolences money……. For the families losses and spend 30 days in jail for taking a life……. People like you and me will spend an eternity behind bars for the simular crime!!!!! Yes what Vick did in the past was wrong I can admit that……… But this world we live in is a world that judges…… We live in a liberal society and thats how it is now……. The Brett Favre situation was pretty much Null and Void…….. He gave the chick that shut the Hell up money you got your 15sec. of fame money……. And that was swept under the rug as well……. FUNNY FUNNY FUNNY WORLD MY MAN!!!!
Greenfan you couldnt have said it better. People are rediculous.
just route the cowboys please
My cousin’s husband is white and he even thinks that Racism is playing its part with Mike Vick. Its so true. People dont act like its not a factor…because it is!
Aye from what I heard a while back……. A friend of mines who played for VT who went to the steelers said that Rothlisberger likes to hang with the BROTHERS!!!!!! Maybe he was an example????? SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!!!
You won’t hear anything else about Mike Vick and his past issues…Every network ( FOX , NBC , ESPN , NFL NETWORK ) got a chance ti interview him on it so now it should be a dead issue
Running QBs should be held to a different standard. It’s really an unfair advantage. How many times have you seen McNabb or Vick or similiar look like they’re headed out of bounds and then quick turn it upfield for an additional 5-7 yards?
Then if a defender hits the QB who is on the sideline, they get hit with a 15 yard penalty. The QB knows this and takes advantage.
Same thing with these defenseless receiver calls. You’re going to see more and more throws over the LBs to the tightends up the seam because they’ll learn that the safety can’t kill the TE anymore.
im a racist
i hate blue and white all week
now can we destroy anything on with those colors beginning sunday
to play devils advocate here and promote some conversation on the matter. i believe vick is treated ifferently becaus ehe is dangerous and if anyone remembers a few years ago the Titans and Giants game, V Young pumped faked a pass with a defender on him, the defender stopped and Young ran/threw (cant remember) for a first down and ended up leading a game winning drive. This doesn’t give reason to the late hits but i believe refs let the defenders play through the whistle on Vick bc he can change the game if people are pulling up not going full speed. The refs got killed for not blowing the play dead but Young was out of the pocket and wasn’t down but the player stopped bc he didnt want a roughing the passer call. So if they start calling those plays for Vick he could ultimately do more damage if he can bend the rules a little bit, for example fake running out of bounds and getting 5 more yards b/c the defender slows up, kind what Jay Cutler did to us two weeks ago.
Vick has become a true leader for young Eagles
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Posted: 4:34 p.m.
By Reuben Frank
CSNPhilly.com
We know he can throw a football a long, long way and place it precisely where he wants.
We know he can run very, very fast and elude defenders with speed, power and grace.
We know he’s been accurate, consistent and virtually mistake-free since taking over as the Eagles’ starting quarterback.
The one thing the stats don’t show, the one thing that Michael Vick has evolved into just 17 months after being released from house arrest following his 17-month prison term, is the unquestioned leader of this football team.
Maybe to outsiders it seems impossible, a dichotomy too bizarre to accept. How could this guy who spent a year and a half in a federal penitentiary after confessing to running an illegal dogfighting ring for several years be such an inspiration and a leader to professional football players who are black and white, who play offense and defense, who are rookies and veterans?
But that’s exactly what’s happening, and that’s one of the big reasons the Eagles are 8-4 and atop the NFC East with four games left in the 2010 season.
“I think he’s just starting to get his swagger back and really be able to be himself out there, and I think he feels the confidence we have in him,” Eagles fullback Owen Schmitt said. “We’re all like, ‘We’re behind you, we’re right there with you, you’re the leader, man.’
“He’s a soft-spoken guy and in the huddle when he comes in there and says, ‘Come on, we need to do something here,’ it’s serious, and you take notice. Ultimately, when he’s fired up, it just gets you fired up. Nobody wants to win more than he does.”
There are several reasons why Vick has emerged as the one guy that everybody on this Eagles team looks up to, the one guy whose voice can will his teammates to perform at a level beyond what they thought they were capable of.
Part of it is the position he plays. Part of it is his new-found work ethic. Part of it is the way he bounces up without complaining following hit after bruising hit. Part of it is the way he’s been accountable without exception following his conviction and following his release from prison. Part of it is the way he lavishes genuine praise on his teammates without shifting the blame when things go a bit wrong.
And a big part of it is just the mythology of Michael Vick. So many of these players grew up idolizing Vick, and now they share a locker room with him.
They listen. Oh yeah, they listen.
“I mean, it’s Mike Vick,” said running back LeSean McCoy, who was 14 when Vick went to his first Pro Bowl. “When he comes in and it’s Mike Vick, and he talks to us, we listen. Everybody looks at him and respects him.
“I think a guy that plays [like he does] – that will to win, everybody wants to follow. The guy’s taking hits and spinning off it and extra runs, and staying in the pocket to throw that extra ball, that extra second, that extra hit – that means guys want to play with him.”
Vick’s growth as a quarterback has been astounding, and his growth as a leader has paralleled it.
He’s spoken at length about how he never really prepared the way he should have as a Falcon, how he relied on his athleticism instead of film study and how he let down the franchise by not even trying to get the most out of his remarkable physical ability.
Compare “Vick the Falcon” with “Vick the Eagle.”
As a Falcon, he completed 54 percent of his passes, averaged 170 passing yards per start, threw a touchdown every 24 passes and an interception every 33 attempts.
As an Eagle, he’s completed 63 percent of his passes, averaged 288 passing yards per start, thrown a TD every 17 passes and an interception every 140.
Blossoming as a quarterback has given him the opportunity to blossom as a leader.
“It enhances your willingness to do that,” head coach Andy Reid said. “If you know you’re not the hardest worker and you’re not expending your energy as much as the other guys or more than the other guys, then you’re a little hesitant to do that. Players don’t expect it. But they know (this year) he’s busting his tail. He’s in here early, out late, and doing the right thing, so I think he feels comfortable with it, and the players are receptive to it.
“I think every week he’s more comfortable, so he feels more comfortable expressing himself and that’s kind of how it’s been throughout.”
Unlike some pro athletes who have to constantly talk about their leadership to try and convince people they’re really leaders – we’re thinking of one former Eagle quarterback in particular – Vick rarely even uses the word. He doesn’t have to.
“It’s something that’s just in him,” receiver Jason Avant said. “It’s not something he has to force out, because that leadership is in him just natural, and he doesn’t do it loud. He just calls everybody, ‘Hey, man, it’s tough time right now,’ and the team responds. Guys look up to him – he gets hit, he gets back up. And when he speaks everybody listens.
“He cares so much about this team and wants to compete and wants to win, and it’s contagious and he wills us to win a lot of times because of his attitude in the huddle. There’ve been a few times this year where we were down and nobody blinks and we didn’t get down on ourselves. We just play ball.”
This is the perfect locker room for Vick because this team is so young. There are no cliques, no factions, no divisive forces working against the common good. They’re all in this together, and it starts with Vick.
Vick calls McCoy, DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin his little brothers, and that family atmosphere is pervasive in the locker room. And that hasn’t always been the case around here over the past decade.
“It’s hard to put in words,” McCoy said. “I joke with Mike all the time about in high school, my whole team had his cleats when he was playing in the NFL. Now I’m in the same huddle with him, locker room with him, joking with him, texting him, calling him – I’m a fan of his. I just can’t show him too much.
“It’s the same for me, for Maclin, for DeSean. Us young guys, to be playing with him – I mean, we’re excited. We look up to him. I think it works out when you look up to your leader instead of just playing with your leader.”
His teammates say that they’ve seen Vick’s leadership the most when the Eagles have faced adversity – when they trailed the Colts at halftime and trailed the Giants and Texans in the fourth quarter.
All three times, the Eagles roared back behind Vick’s heroics to win the game.
“When you get down and you know you should be winning the game [or have] more points than what you have, then instinctively you just step up as a leader,” Vick said. “And that’s my job.
“I have all the belief in the world of those guys and I think the world of them and I’d go to battle with them any day. So I try to encourage them and say whatever I can to keep them upbeat and keep them confident and keep them with their will to win.”
Vick, in his first year as a starter since 2006, is a lock to make his fourth Pro Bowl team and is in right in the middle of the MVP race.
More importantly, he has the Eagles in first place in the division and in very good playoff position.
Vick has evolved in so many ways. Not all of them can be found in the box score.
“My job is to rally, motivate, and push these guys as hard as I can,” Vick said. “Just as much as I push myself.”
KTD, I agree but that still doesn’t make it right. That would mean each player is playing to a different set of rules according to his own physical abilities. Truthfully, I’d rather the refs just blow the whistle and live for another play than for them to let them play for a few more seconds because Vick MAY be able to get away. What if he doesn’t and gets pounced? Then we are all whining about the refs not stopping the play. In my opinion, all QB have to be treated the same way regardless if one player can escape and another can’t. The rule is for QBS. Not athletic QBs or statuesque QBs. I take the side of caution not only because it’s our QB but because it’s the rule. Shouldn’t be subjective at all.
Didinger: Eagles must find ways to protect Vick
Friday, December 3, 2010
Posted: 3:15 p.m.
By Ray Didinger
CSNPhilly.com
The Eagles have a few extra days off before they meet the Dallas Cowboys and that’s a good thing. It will give Mike Vick time to heal after the thumping he absorbed from Houston on Thursday. It also will give the coaches time to think about what they might do differently to keep Vick from getting pummeled.
Vick says it’s not a big deal, it’s just the usual bumps and bruises, but anyone who saw him taking hit after hit on Thursday and limp around between plays knows better. He is the Eagles’ MVP, but at the moment that stands for Most Vulnerable Player.
This cannot go on, not if the Eagles hope to have Vick for a playoff push. If they keep doing the same things and defenses continue to attack them the way they are now, Vick either will be lost to another injury or he will be battered to a point where he is no longer effective. Either way the Eagles lose.
I first mentioned this on Eagles Postgame Live after the Chicago loss. I saw signs of Vick wearing down. My fellow panelists looked at me strangely and pointed to Vick’s stats, which were pretty good even in defeat. But after seeing Vick get caught from behind by Julius Peppers, a 290-pound lineman, I felt something was wrong. Two weeks earlier, Vick would’ve left Peppers in the dust.
I thought the hits Vick absorbed over the course of the season were catching up with him. He had not been asked to carry the load in a long time. He was away from football for two years and last season he played just a handful of snaps. This year, he is being asked to carry the offense, and while he was collecting those Player of the Week awards, he also was collecting a lot of nasty licks. I felt it was taking a toll.
In the NFL, we talk about rookies “hitting the wall” late in the season because the grind is so much longer than what the players experience in college. I think Vick after being away from the game awhile hit the same wall, except as a 30-year-old man. He still was putting up good numbers, but he wasn’t as quick on his feet or sharp with his throws.
Then in Thursday’s game we saw Vick get bounced around like a crash test dummy. He is gutsy, no doubt, and he deserves a lot of credit for bringing the Eagles back with two long scoring drives in the fourth quarter, but watching it you had to wonder: “How much longer can he last?”
It is a question that needs to be asked, not just by the fans but by the Eagles coaches.
If you are Andy Reid, what can you do for Vick other than give him the name of a good chiropractor? Well, it would help if you could give him a better offensive line, but that can’t happen before next season. At the moment, you have to line up and play with what you have, and what you have isn’t real good in pass protection.
Opposing teams now have a half of a season’s worth of tape on Vick to study, and they aren’t as clueless as they were in September when they didn’t know how to gauge his readiness to play. Green Bay, Detroit and Jacksonville all tried different things, and he ran circles around them. Washington game-planned for Vick twice and still couldn’t figure it out.
But the Giants, Bears and the Texans found a strategy that while not wholly successful, at least looked like a start. Play the safeties deep to take away the long ball, stunt the defensive linemen to apply pressure up the middle and bring a blitzer off the edge, preferably from the left. If the pocket collapses, Vick has only one way to go and that’s to his right, which reduces the chances he will throw. Once he is a runner, the defense can close in and tackle him.
In the next four weeks, the Eagles will see Dallas, the Giants and Minnesota, all teams with premier pass rushers: DeMarcus Ware (9.5 sacks), Osi Umenyiora (eight sacks), Justin Tuck (7.5 sacks) and Jared Allen (7.5 sacks). How does Reid keep those guys from ending Vick’s season and possibly the Eagles playoff hopes?
Reid could put Vick on the move. I’m not talking about scrambling; I’m talking about designed protection schemes with Vick rolling out, perhaps off a play fake or bootleg, and setting up outside the pocket to throw. The Eagles did that on the very first play in Washington and Vick had time to launch his 88-yard bomb to DeSean Jackson.
Vick has come a long way as a pocket passer, and he is much better at reading coverage and delivering the ball in the classic West Coast style, but we’re seeing defense collapse the pocket with pressure up the middle, and on Thursday, Vick took some of his hardest hits while standing in there. It might be time to mix in a few plays with a moving pocket just to give Vick room to breathe.
And knowing me, you knew this was coming: the coaches could help Vick by calling more running plays. LeSean McCoy is having a good year and Jerome Harrison has done some nice things when given the chance, so why not hand them the ball once in awhile?
By my count, the Eagles had 55 called passes and 15 called runs in Chicago. You can say they were behind and had to play catch up, but what was the excuse Thursday? They had a 14-3 lead in the second quarter, yet on the next series, Vick threw three passes, scrambled once when he was supposed to pass and was sacked by a blitzing Bernard Pollard. Six plays: five called passes, one run by Harrison.
On the next series, the Eagles had five plays: four passes, one run. On the next series (following the Trevor Laws interception), they had six plays: four passes, one scramble when Vick slipped away from a blitzing Kevin Bentley and one run.
The bottom line during the three series – 14 called passes, three called runs – and that was with a lead. I know the Texans have the NFL’s worst pass defense, but still that’s an odd stretch of play-calling, especially with the Texans sending more blitzes and getting more pressure. That was the stretch when Vick started taking his lumps.
People can talk about Vick being more aware and doing more to protect himself, but he can only do so much with the O-line being what it is and with the coaches asking him to either pass the ball or run it himself on almost every play.
Andy Reid gave Vick the chance to return to the playing field. Now he has to find a way to keep him there.
mugzybrown, there’s a difference between a defender making sure the QB is out of bounds by pushing them or deliberately trying to hit them hard when they already have 1 foot out of bounds. That’s the defenders fault for not making the QB go out of bounds. Those aren’t the hits away that everyone is really talking about. It’s the shots to the head IN THE POCKET. Or players diving at him while he’s already down to get in another extra shot when all they need to do is tag him. There should be no different standard. The penalties should be judged by the position and not the specific player. Period.
Every QB scrambles every now and then…there is no excuse for it…A QB is QB, Vick shouldn’t be punished because he can make plays with his legs…He plays the QB positon not the RB position.
You guys know that I’ve harped about play-calling since the Titans game. I am not asserting that the team must run more (thought that would probably help), but they certainly need to diversify their offense. Something has to be done to slow down the all-out pass rush. Defenders are shooting forward, without hesitation. Screens, draws, and reverses are all plays that slow down the pass rush. We need to keep our QB healthy and on the playing field.
This portion of Didinger’s article pretty much is in agreement with me.
“By my count, the Eagles had 55 called passes and 15 called runs in Chicago. You can say they were behind and had to play catch up, but what was the excuse Thursday? They had a 14-3 lead in the second quarter, yet on the next series, Vick threw three passes, scrambled once when he was supposed to pass and was sacked by a blitzing Bernard Pollard. Six plays: five called passes, one run by Harrison.
On the next series, the Eagles had five plays: four passes, one run. On the next series (following the Trevor Laws interception), they had six plays: four passes, one scramble when Vick slipped away from a blitzing Kevin Bentley and one run.
The bottom line during the three series – 14 called passes, three called runs – and that was with a lead. I know the Texans have the NFL’s worst pass defense, but still that’s an odd stretch of play-calling, especially with the Texans sending more blitzes and getting more pressure. That was the stretch when Vick started taking his lumps.
People can talk about Vick being more aware and doing more to protect himself, but he can only do so much with the O-line being what it is and with the coaches asking him to either pass the ball or run it himself on almost every play.”
Drummer I agree…….. Alot of passing…… less running…….. Is vick now the Cam Newton of the NFL……. LOL! Look AR and MM need to be more balanced as we know it……. If thats the case than this will not even be a topic right or wrong……. Sometimes I say to my self we have RB’s for no reason at all!!!!
But I’m sure you guys know ++++++++++++++++++ NO DEZ BRYANT+++++++++++++++++++++
Good news for Hanson in the slot……. So I hope guys like Ogeltree or Sam Hurd what ever there status is playing……. Dont have a break out performance against us……. And another note no more Patrick Crayton………..
NO MORE CRAYTON!!! NO MORE CRAYTON!!!!!! He killed us during this stretch of the season in December!!!! I hated him for it lol!!!! I even wished him no success in SD LMAO! Did i mention I’m a hater…….. IN a good way tho!!!!
I agree, all this ridiculing Vick over dogs!..Its senseless!..I mean you should see what i do to peoples daughters late night after a night drinking at the bar!…lmao!!…nobody seems to complain about that!!!..lmao!!!…best 2 minutes they ever had!..lmao….but seriously though…if we win the super bowl, i will march right down to the spca, adopt a pit bull, just so i can bring it to the parade with a vick dog jersey on it!!! Thats NO JOKE!..lmao
LOL wilcher…… That was a good one!!!!!
In talking football with a friend of mine the other day he came up with an idea that might be a little unorthadox, but might work. With all the fines for hits and figuring out a way for these players to stop how about this. Keep with the fines or suspensions but when it comes to the fine for violating player, the fine will be split between the NFL and the “victim” of the hit. It might be one thing for these guys to not get too bothered to pay the league a fine, but if they’re putting their money into another players pocket, they might think differenty.
It’s Dallas Week!!!! The very highlight of my football season. I live to see the Cowboys die like screaming girls. There’s nothing sweeter than a Sunday that includes an Eagles win and Cowboys loss. And this week, we can do both at once!!
I’m thinking about suiting up for this one.
Will be a good teas down in Dallas this week..
Eagles Defense needs to step up and get to Kinta, make him move or roll to his left and not let his stand there in the pocket and get into a rhythm..
It’s funny, The Eagles D has played pretty well versus the well-known QB’s like the Manning Brothers,Rodgers,McNabb and, but have made the Classic pocket QB’s look really good
like S Hill, K Collins, J Cutler and M Schaub…
If Cowboy QB J Kinta has time to step up and see down the field and thru his throwing lanes and get into a rhythm,it will be a long day for the Eagles D and Secondary..
No it wont Paulman shut up! SMH. Kitna sucks! Michael Vick is ballin out of his mind and the team feeds off him. But yeah um, Kitna sucks!
Paulman I have to agree with you…….. We cant let Bobby from king of the hill LOL! To have a career game against us……. We need to get him frustrated and make him have alot of 3rd and long situations….. Did I mention No Dez Bryant LOL!
LOL Kitna Does suck! Dang you dont like Paulman fam LMAO! HAHAHAHA you got me rollin at work dizzy OMG!!
We just cant let these no name Qb’s get a name for themselves….. And these wr’s like Sam Hurd and olgeltree……. And Bum ass Roy Williams…… I cant stand that guy and also Officer Tubbs from Miami Vice O’l Miles Austin…… AKA Dracula Teeth!!! LOL!!!
I agree!
DALLAS WEEK……GO BIRDS!!!
I’ll suit up with ya drummer, but for the best of the team I think I will be de-activated!
Early Prediction
Cowboys 31- Eagles 26
bad prediction
Paulman! Get the *bleep* out of here with that *bleep*
Eagles are going to stomp the Cowboys this weekend..
Their defense is not going to have an answer for our offense…
This weekend our defense steps up!
If it turns into a shootout, the Eagles will still prevail…
I’m sure Paulman’s prediction will change a couple times this week. Not just score, but the actual winner. By Friday it will be the Cowboys in a close one due to the same concerns he had against Houston’s offense.