Posts Tagged ‘Brandyn Campbell’

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Will Mike Vicks Health Change the Quarterback Situation in Philadelphia?

Sunday, December 2nd, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

(Image via Business Insider)

 

Poor performance breeds drama.  In addition to being disappointing, this has been an incredibly dramatic season for the Philadelphia Eagles.  The multitude of storylines show no sign of slowing down, particularly not as they relate to the quarterback position.

Friday saw a report from ESPN’s Ed Werder stating that Mike Vick felt that the Birds were “playing politics” with his injury and using it as justification for starting rookie QB Nick Foles.  Also out there was a report from Sports Radio WIP stating that Mike Vick’s concussion was getting worse.

Then came the damage control.  Team trainer Rick Burkholder said that the issue was simple: protecting player safety.

“There’s no conspiracy here.  As the gatekeeper of these guys, he’s not going to play until he gets past baseline, gets through the five phases.”

Vick then commented on the situation himself, issuing a statement via the Eagles:

“I want to thank my fans for the thousands of well wishes.  I also appreciate the support of the entire Eagles organization.  I feel strong and healthy.  As a professional athlete, I want to play in every game but the NFL has a specific protocol to protect players.  My focus is to complete this process successfully, so I can rejoin my team on the field.”

Vick is stuck at the fourth of five stages he must pass in order to return to the football field.  But when he clears all phases of the league mandated tests, the team says that he’s still their starter.  Reid stressed this fact on Friday.

“I make the decision, and I told you that.  Until I tell you different, trust it.”

Uh huh.  It seems surreal that there is so much commotion over this, because let’s be honest.  Who among us expects Vick to start over Foles even after he makes a full recovery?  While the veteran quarterback was far from the root of all the team’s problems in this horrific 2012 campaign, what good does it do to play him now?  Vick is all but certain to be shown the curb come the end of the season, as will Reid.  The Eagles need to know if there is any realistic chance that Foles is the quarterback of the team’s future.  If not, they have to plan their offseason strategy accordingly.

It’s certainly understandable why Vick would want to return to the playing field.  He’s a competitor.  He wants to show what he can do to other teams in the league.  Who wants to end their time with a team with an injury and/or by being benched?  No one.

But the time when what’s in Vick’s best interest is a matter of concern for the Philadelphia Eagles is over.  No one ever said breakups were easy.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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DE Jason Babin Laughed When He Learned of His Release from Philadelphia Eagles

Thursday, November 29th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

Jason Babin doing his QB sack celebration, something he hasn’t done much in 2012.

Bye bye, Jason Babin.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive end was released on Tuesday, the first prominent player this season to see that fate.  Babin, acquired during 2011’s free agent spending frenzy, has not performed anywhere near last season’s Pro Bowl level.  His 18 sacks last year have been met with dramatically declined production in 2012, with Babin only having 5.5 sacks.

Andy Reid issued the following statement about Babin’s release:

“We appreciate everything that Jason has given this team over the last couple of years.  We wish him all the best as he continues his career.  By releasing him today, this gives us an opportunity to give more playing time to some of the younger guys in the defensive line rotation.”

To be sure, Babin isn’t the only player on the Eagles’ defensive line to go silent this season.  But the fact that he was unpopular in the locker room, with CSNPhilly’s Geoff Mosher saying that several sources with the Eagles described Babin as arrogant and aloof, can’t have helped his plight.  Babin also earned the ire of Eagles fans when he whined about their vile language at the Linc.

Bad language in football.  The hell you say.

Perhaps if he had focused his attention on the sidelines to the job ahead things would have worked out better for Babin.

To prove once and for all that his attitude is just not what this team or this town needs, Babin laughed when Andy Reid told him that he was released, as he gleefully relayed to ESPN Radio.

“One, anytime you see Andy Reid come across your caller ID, you know it’s probably not a good thing,” said Babin.  “Two, all I could do was — I laughed.  I was like, ‘Alright, Coach, if that’s what you’ve got to do.’  I don’t know, caught me off guard.”

In fact, Babin was all over the airwaves just hours after his release and didn’t seem that bothered with his release.  Perhaps he’s relieved to be free of a team whose fanbase holds players accountable.  He certainly couldn’t have been pleased being on this Eagles team, as he only wants to play for winners.  Babin stated on ESPN’s “NFL Live”:

“I like to win, I like to compete, and I like to sack the quarterback.  I imagine there’s a team out there looking for that.”

There probably is, but they aren’t going to pay anything close to the contract Babin signed with the Eagles, a five-year, $29-million deal.  Per CSNPhilly,

“Because he has already collected termination pay earlier in his career, Babin is owed nothing by the Eagles, who will save more than $16 million in cap space in the next three years by having Babin off their books.”

We’ll see if, unlike the firing of Juan Castillo, Babin’s release will shake up the locker room and in particular the Eagles defense to get them to improve their performance.

Good riddance, Jason Babin.  If there’s any bull running happening in Spain these days, Eagles fans would love for you to go take part and fulfill your dreams.

You can listen to audio of Babin’s light-hearted view of his release from the team courtesy of Crossing Broad here.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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Injuries Keep Piling Up for the Philadelphia Eagles as DeSean Jackson Placed on IR

Thursday, November 29th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

DeSean Jackson walks off the field on Monday Night.
(Photo by Michael Perez of the Associated Press)

To say that the  Philadelphia Eagles offense has been unlucky when it comes to injuries in the 2012 season is to put the situation mildly. The o-line has been decimated by injuries, Mike Vick and LeSean McCoy are struggling to recover from concussions, and another key weapon was added to the list this week: DeSean Jackson.

Head coach Andy Reid said the wideout was placed on IR after suffering fractures to ribs in the first quarter of the Monday Night Football contest against the Carolina Panthers, ending his season. Jackson finished the season with a disappointing 45 catches for 700 yards and 2 touchdowns.

In related news, Reid also revealed on Tuesday that Jason Peters is also headed to IR. He had previously been placed on the non-football injury list.

It doesn’t like the Eagles offense will catch a break anytime soon as the injuries continue to pile up.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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3 Bright Spots from Philadelphia Eagles’ 30-22 Loss to the Carolina Panthers

Tuesday, November 27th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

His name is Brown. That’s what they call him.
(Image via the Philadelphia Eagles)

The words are more difficult to come by with each loss.  What more is there to say?  The nightmare that is the 2012 season for the Philadelphia Eagles continues.

In a season with not much positivity, I can’t bear to write another somber account of yet another Eagles loss.  At least not at the moment.  There were a few bright spots from the Philadelphia Eagles’ 30-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers to highlight, so let’s have a look.

1. They made it a game.  This could be both a positive and a negative.  We expected a blowout after Carolina scored two touchdowns in quick succession in the first quarter, but the Eagles made it a game and went into halftime with a 15-14 lead.  Perhaps that glimmer of hope made the unraveling that happened later in the game, something to which we’ve grown far too accustomed as of late, that much more painful.  Or not, as we just don’t expect much from this team anymore.  But we saw that there is still some life and fight in this Philadelphia team, something we haven’t witnessed in weeks.

2. Bryce Brown.  His two fumbles cost the game.  But the Birds were right to trust their instincts when drafting Brown,  who had 178 rushing yards in his first NFL start, averaging an incredible 9.4 yards per carry and running in both Philadelphia touchdowns.  Brown set an Eagles rookie record for most rushing yards in a single game.  He must be sick about his fumbles and how they impacted his team, and Brown will remember that feeling and learn to hang on to the ball.

3. DeMeco Ryans.  The defense continues to be a perplexing mess but think how much worse it would be if the Eagles hadn’t acquired the middle linebacker in the offseason.  He led the D with 10 total tackles and made plays when no one else would.  Or could.  He is one player whose fight you can see each and every week.

There’s so much not-so-positive from the game to discuss it’s hard to know where to start.  But  that will be coming at you soon.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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Nnamdi Asomugha Believes Things Will Turn Around for Himself and the Philadelphia Eagles

Monday, November 26th, 2012

Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

  Fairly or unfairly, if there is one player who represents the underperformance of the 2011 and 2012 Philadelphia Eagles, it is Nnamdi Asomugha.

When the Birds landed the three-time Pro Bowl corner in the free agent spending spree that followed the NFL lockout in the summer of 2011, it seemed that the sky was the limit for the team.  In hindsight, it’s hard to fault Vince Young for his “Dream Team” comment, particularly after they landed the most prized free agent of the year in corner Nnamdi Asomugha.  In those early moments of a shortened training camp, it seemed that with the talent the Birds had locked up, the sky was the limit for the squad.

Or not.  Asomugha, along with his team, struggled in 2011.  Maybe he needed time to acclimate to a new system.  Perhaps he wasn’t being utilized properly.  Maybe things would get better when Philadelphia offloaded Asante Samuel.

After embracing Jeffrey Lurie’s notion that 8-8 wasn’t good enough, this offseason again generated new hope.  Players like Asomugha were confident.  They had a season of  Juan Castillo’s system under their belts.  Unlike the previous offseason, there was time to work with their teammates in OTAs and minicamps and truly gel as a team.  For real this time — THIS was going to be the year.

Until, once again, it wasn’t.  In the middle of a season that is unbearably miserable, Asomugha still has failed to deliver.  He has just one interception and has fallen so far in the eyes of his opponents that he’s not even seen as a threat.  Teams now throw towards him and why not?  They are having a great success doing so.  Opposing quarterbacks have a 110.4 QB rating when throwing in Asomugha’s direction so far this season, according to ProFootballFocus.  He has just one interception.  This is not working out as anyone planned, including Asomugha.

Asomugha knows that he is being heavily criticized and deserves it.  He opened up to reporters on Friday to discuss that reality.

“Obviously, it hasn’t been as good as I wanted it to be.  As far as team and individually, my expectations were so high, and then things just kind of just hit really quickly and it was like team-wise and player-wise, it was kind of like playing catch-up, trying to get it back on the right foot.”

“So that part of it has been difficult.  But I still keep that faith and believe that at some point the thing will turn, because the mindset is keep working hard, keep pushing and at some point, it’s going to turn.  And that’s just what I believe.”

For Eagles players and coaches to continue to get on the field each and every week they have to believe that things will change.  That they will improve.  Otherwise, who would suit up to be humiliated by bad teams every week?  Asomugha believes that things will turn around, but when will that be, exactly?  And why has he struggled so much in his career as a Philadelphia Eagle?

At least Asomugha knows how poorly an attempt at an explanation will be perceived these days.  We are far beyond the point of needing words.  All we will believe is improved play on the field.

“I think there’s a lot of things that go into it, but I think to say anything about that now would kind of be like making an excuse.”

“So my mind is focused on turning it around instead of why hasn’t it or what has been the issue.  I don’t want to get into that and make it seem like there’s an excuse.  You know?”

What Asomugha knows is the frustration of being a fan and seeing a player you expect to come up big fail to do so week after week.  So, unlike some of his teammates, he’s not going to lash out at the Eagles fanbase.  He understands where they’re coming from.

“As a fan I can look back to teams that I like and a player that I’ve liked  comes in and expecting it to just change, and it not working out and being upset about that,” he said.  “I can’t now be that guy and look at them and say, ‘You can’t be upset that we haven’t won and I haven’t been Superman on the field’ even though that’s what has been expected of me.”

The Eagles will face many big questions at the end of the season, one of which will be whether or not to hang on to Nnamdi. He is set to earn $15 million in 2013 if he stays in Philly, $4 million of that guaranteed.  And this is where he wants to be.

“I absolutely believe in the decision I have made and believe in this team.”

There are six more games in the season for us to see Asomugha make that turn he referred to.  He is certainly not the only player on the team, or even the defense, who needs to improve dramatically so that this team has a chance to win games.  Will he be back next year?  We’ll see.  For now, let’s see whether Asomugha can help to neutralize the potent combination of Cam Newton throwing to Steve Smith against the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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QB Nick Foles and RB Bryce Brown Expected to Start for Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night

Friday, November 23rd, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

Rookies RB Bryce Brown and QB Nick Foles will lead the Eagles offense on Monday Night against the Carolina Panthers.

 

Nick Foles will see the bright lights of Monday Night Football for the first time as he returns as the Eagles starting quarterback for the second straight game.  Foles’ start is expected as the Philadelphia Eagles face the Carolina Panthers this week.  Mike Vick is still struggling to recover from and pass league mandated testing for a concussion sustained in Week 10 against the Cowboys .

The rookie quarterback will have another opportunity to get used to the speed of the NFL and find his stride within it.  Following his less-than-spectacular debut against the Redskins, where he threw 21 of 46 passes for 204 yards with two interceptions, Foles has vowed to learn from the experience and improve — quickly.

“I’m not going to make any excuses.  I need to get better.  I’m going to learn from it, though.  I was able to see what I did fundamentally, maybe decision-making sometimes, and I’m going to improve on it.”

Running back LeSean McCoy is also dealing with a concussion and another rookie, Bryce Brown, is expected to get his first start in McCoy’s absence.  Remarkably, it will be Brown’s first start since 2008 when he was in high school.  Drafting Brown was a gamble but the Eagles have used him steadily this season.  Brown has so far accumulated 141 yards on 32 carries.  He will need to show that his blocking abilities have greatly improved in order to provide some help to the struggling Philadelphia offense.

On the other side of the ball, another rookie looks forward to an exciting game, as defensive end Vinny Curry will be active for the first time this season.  And why not give the hometown kid a try?  The disappointing performance of the widely touted Eagles defensive line throughout the season has been one of the many storylines attributed to the 3-7 record of the team.  The second-round pick is eager to show the fans and his teammates what he can do, but knows that being active for the game doesn’t tell him how much action he’ll see on the field.

“Patience is the key.  Face it, those guys are household names [teammates like Trent Cole and Jason Babin].  I also want to establish my name around this league.”

“That’s going to be pretty sweet being active.  But now the thing is, hopefully I get a lot of plays.”

Curry’s enthusiasm is infectious and his eagerness to give his all to the team he grew up rooting for means he plans to put it all out on the table.  Or, more accurately, on the field.  What should Eagles fans expect to see from Curry when he finally gets an opportunity to show what he can do during NFL regular season action?

“Just a guy out there who has worked his tail off.  I was brought here in the second round, and I just want to show them what I can bring to the table and let them form their own opinion about me.”

In a game that may well yield yet another bleak outcome for Philadelphia’s woeful season, that’s something to root for.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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The Eagles are Awesome at Firing the Wrong People

Wednesday, November 21st, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

A strange story out of the Novacare Complex seems to point to a Philadelphia Eagles organization that, both on and off the field, simply doesn’t have a clue.

News of a firing by the Eagles broke overnight.  If you’re wondering why there’s no hubbub over it, it’s because it was of someone who has nothing to do with the mess that has unfolded on the field in the 2012 season.  Or anyone you’ve even heard of.  The team fired VP of Communications Rob Zeiger.

So….yeah.  Zeiger’s responsibilities included heading up the Birds’ public affairs department, as well as serving as a liaison between owner Jeffrey Lurie, other members of the Eagles’ front office, and the media.

More meaningful to many of us, Zeiger is the poor soul trotted out to confront fan outrage on WIP following the loss to the Cowboys over attempts to raise the volume of the music at the Linc to drown out the boos of Eagles fans to a primetime audience.

If you’re keeping track, this is the second firing of an Eagles big-wig this season that will do absolutely nothing to improve the situation in which the team finds itself.  The first, of course, was the firing of defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, who is sitting home cackling at how things have unfolded as I write.

There is already much speculation and trepidation about how things will go down on Monday night, both on and off the field.  Will the nation witness on Monday Night Football exactly how much fan disgust, disdain and outrage there is for Andy Reid and the Eagles’ woeful performance this season?  And just how badly will team officials botch up attempts to “manage” the situation?

Or, here’s a novel idea.  Perhaps  the team will actually play like it belongs in the National Football League and defeat the only team in the NFC with a worse record, the Carolina Panthers.  And then sure, there will be signs, but the Eagles fans who bother to show actually may have a little something to cheer about!

A little head shake for you as you start your Thanksgiving plans and preparations.   Be good and stay safe.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

 

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Andy Reid Won’t Quit on Coaching the Philadelphia Eagles

Tuesday, November 20th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

(Image via USA Today)

Andy Reid’s job as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles is safe at least through Monday night, per a report in the Daily News.  And if you’re hoping that Reid will show mercy and throw himself on the sword of unemployment, you’re out of luck.  It ain’t happening.

Reid was asked whether his own leadership has been rendered ineffective in trying to motivate his men.  As we know with our Andy, he likes to evaluate everything.  Including himself.

“Listen, I look at everything.  I’m not telling you I don’t look at that.  I think we’re not winning football games, so I take that responsibility and since I’m in that leadership spot, then my leadership right now isn’t good enough.  I’ve got to do a better job there and make sure that we play better.” (Emphasis mine)

Do you think that the phrase “we’ve got to do a better job” or any variation thereof sounds as hollow to Reid as it comes out of his mouth as it does falling onto our tired, saddened ears?

The questioning went further and Reid was asked point blank if there was a stage when he would consider stepping down from his head coaching duties.

“I’m standing in front of the team and telling them these are the things we need to do, one of which is to continue to battle.  So, I think that’d be a cop-out.  That’s not how I see things.  That’s not the way I’m wired.  We’re going to keep battling and do it as a team.  I’m not going to tell the guys one thing and then do the other.”

Big Red continues to stick up for his team, his players, and swears that there is no leadership void on the squad.  And he continues to say that the issues are fixable.  If the issues can be addressed but still are problems, then where do you go from there?  What’s the point in saying the problems are “fixable” when you have shown game after game that the team is, for whatever reason, not capable of fixing them?

There are no words that Reid can say that any of us want to hear at this stage.  We’re beyond that.  There is nothing that can be said to begin to address the failure that has been this season.  So Reid has stopped trying to explain.  And we are no longer willing to listen.

The Eagles currently stand in 15th place in the NFC.  The team in last place?  Monday night’s opponent, the Carolina Panthers.  Does anyone truly believe that there’s a team left in the league that the Birds can handily beat?  Or just beat at all?  If it doesn’t happen on Monday then a prime time audience will have a front-row seat to the revolt of a fanbase.

Injury news

Reid  stated that Mike Vick will be the starting quarterback if healthy next week, throwing aside the conventional wisdom that the season is Foles’ to ride into the sunset.  However, Vick failed his impact test and is still at baseline so still has a way to go towards health.

LeSean McCoy is also at stage one of his concussion and is day to day.  Reid stated that, in his non-medical opinion, Shady’s injury didn’t seem as “significant” as Vick’s but added, “who am I to judge?”

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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Will the Philadephia Eagles Win Another Game in 2012?

Monday, November 19th, 2012

By Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

The Eagles were anything but a picture of confidence as they prepared to walk onto FedEx Field on Sunday.
(Image via the Philadelphia Eagles)

 

The Philadelphia Eagles may not win another game in 2012.

It’s not a statement made to be alarmist.  It’s one that may well be the reality.  I’ll still be watching/suffering through every single game.  But there are no longer any expectations from this Eagles team.

Nary a touchdown scored by the Birds in the 31-6 throttling by the Washington Redskins, who advance to 4-6 while the Eagles fall to 3-7.  Philadelphia is all alone at the basement of the NFC East.

Sunday was indeed about the quarterbacks, and the show was put on by the one not named Nick Foles.  Foles struggled, which wasn’t a surprise.  21/46 for 204 yards and no touchdowns and 2 interceptions for a 40.5 passer rating.  No one expected Foles to be a picture of polished precision after not taking reps for most of the season.  But you did hope to see some of the flashes of poise that impressed us so much during the preseason.

That’s probably hard to do when you’re in the midst of being sacked 4 times and hit many more with an offensive line who racked up penalty on top of penalty to add to their pitiful play.

Will there be cries for Trent Edwards to be the starting quarterback if Foles continues to struggle?  Perhaps.  But it would be foolish to think that a replacement at quarterback would matter at this point.  Philadelphia has to see what it has in Foles, for better or for worse.  And why not, as any hope for a meaningful run at the postseason for this Eagles team is gone.

We were treated to seeing RGIII notch a perfect 158.3 passer rating against the Eagles defense, completing 14 for 15 passes for 200 yards and 4 touchdowns.  If that wasn’t enough, Griffin III also averaged 7 yards per carry on the ground, totaling 84 rushing yards.

By contrast, LeSean McCoy averaged only 3 yards per carry getting 45 rushing yards, while Bryce Brown had 35, averaging 7 a carry.

For his troubles on Sunday, McCoy, who has for two seasons been the only consistent light for a struggling Eagles team, sustained an ugly concussion with just under two minutes left in the game.  Asked why on earth he or any of the starters were still on the field, Andy Reid stated, “Because we were trying to catch up and win the game”.

What?

A baffling remark for a confounding season.  Anyone interested in contributing to Philly Sports Muse out there?  Drop me a line.  Because I’ve run out of words.  It doesn’t just stay the same each week.  It somehow keeps getting worse.

Even Reid must realize that there is no option for him other than to leave at the end of the season.  Change is needed.  But don’t be fooled.  With regime change in our midst and no clear franchise quarterback waiting in the wings, the struggle of the past two seasons will not end when Big Red goes.  We’re in for a rough ride, but at this stage there is no other option.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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All Eyes on the Rookie Quarterbacks as the Philadelphia Eagles Prepare to Face the Washington Redskins

Sunday, November 18th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

All eyes will be on Nick Foles today at FedEx Field.
(Photo via New York Daily News)

We all know that football is a team sport and that to get a win, all phases of the game must come together to propel a group to victory.  But come Sunday, it’s going to be all about the quarterbacks.

When the Philadelphia Eagles face the Washington Redskins at FedEx field on Sunday afternoon, the storylines and excitement overwhelmingly surround the two young quarterbacks who will lead their teams.

The reasons for the QB focus are manifold.  The playoff chances for both teams are grim, as today’s game represents a fight for the very bottom of the NFC East.  That’s not very fun.

The Washington Redskins have found their franchise quarterback in Robert Griffin III.  The hopes and dreams of a team who has been crap for years rides on the shoulders of this young man.  Is he the piece that’s been needed all along to start to turn things around for Skins?  It certainly looks that way.

As an added bit of intrigue, RG3 spoke about his meeting with Andy Reid at February’s scouting combine in Indianapolis this week.  While Reid portrayed the meeting as routine, Griffin stated that the Eagles head coach said that the Birds were “very interested” in him.  We know that the chances of Philadelphia actually getting this year’s #2 overall pick were slim.  But still, there will be an element of wistfulness at what could have been as we watch Griffin III go to work on today.

And then we have the Eagles.  Rather than being on the upswing of the curve like Washington, this is a team in decline.  If 8-8 was unacceptable to owner Jeffery Lurie in 2011, the team’s current 3-6 record is an abomination.  Two straight years of hope and hype and talent and the team has fallen apart.  It’s likely the last stand for Reid and Vick.  So that means all eyes are on third-round draft selection Nick Foles.

There is a lot riding on Foles’ young shoulders.  He will be fighting behind an offensive line that has performed so poorly that I’ve run out of adjectives to describe them.  Will Foles’ play be solid enough to give us hope that he could be the future for Philadelphia?  Or do you let him ride out the remainder of the season regardless of how he performs to better assess what you have in the rookie?

Updates on Mike Vick’s concussion reveal that, at least in the short-term, there may be no option other than to play Foles.  According to Rick Buckholder, the team’s trainer, Vick is not at all himself after sustaining a concussion last week against the Cowboys.

“He’s not very alert right now in terms of he just doesn’t have that energy.  He’s tired all the time, he’s slept a lot, and he’s not getting rid of that fatigue.  When I talk to him, he’s just not the Michael Vick I know when he’s healthy.”

At this point, Eagles fans are simply rooting for Foles to largely stay on his feet, put in a solid performance and prevent Philadelphia from falling to the very bottom of the division.

Foles, of course, will need a lot of help from his friends.  Thankfully, his first start in the NFL will be against a team that has the  29th overall defense in the league (30th in pass defense and a respectable 7th against the run).  But New Orleans was ranked dead last and we saw what happened there.  The Birds must utilize the incredible asset they have in LeSean McCoy and commit to the run to help Foles.  Defense has got get the Redskins off the field on third downs, a particular problem for the Eagles as of late.  In the last three games, opponents have converted on 17 out of 35 third down opportunities in the Bowles era of Philadelphia’s defense.  And Bobby April knows that special teams has done the Eagles no favors, this week taking full blame for the poor performance of the unit that led to a heart-stomping 78-yard punt return for a touchdown by Cowboy Dwayne Harris.

Football is a team sport, and at 1pm ET we will watch to see how — or if — the Philadelphia Eagles support Foles in his NFL debut by putting in strong performances during each phase of the game to help him succeed.  Vick certainly couldn’t do it by himself and there is no way Philadelphia’s rookie can, either.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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