Posts Tagged ‘Michael Vick’

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Philadelphia Eagles: Was Juan Castillo Used As a Scapegoat?

Wednesday, October 17th, 2012

by Brandon Pemberton

 

 

Yesterday the Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid, fired defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, making him a scapegoat for the teams mediocre 3-3 start.  In the Eagles last two games, the defense gave up leads in the fourth quarter and Sunday’s collapse forced Reid to make changes.  But this is more of a indictment towards Reid and the reason why, if they don’t somehow turn it around and make a trip to the Super Bowl, he and this whole regime must go.

There is plenty of blame to go around when you break down why this team with all this “so called” talent is 11-11 in their last 22 games.  We can start on defense if you like.  It all started when Andy Reid hired Juan Castillo as the defensive coordinator when he has never coached defense in the NFL, let alone college.  He had been the franchise’s offensive line coach since Ray Rhodes was here, and was one of the league’s best.  He made a constant habit of taking late-round picks and undrafted free agents like Jamaal Jackson, Artis Hicks, and Hank Fraley, and turning them into serviceable starters in the league.

Moving a lifetime offensive coach to the defensive side, let alone in charge of the defense was unprecedented and downright foolish.  It showed me that Reid thought and knew he was teflon and wasn’t going anywhere.  The defense in 2011 was horrible, probably the worst I’ve seen in 27 years of watching Eagles football.  After the play of last year’s defense, which was for the most part a direct result of Reid giving Castillo the job, they all should have been fired.

The players on defense also need to be held accountable for their play.  Juan Castillo can call the right defense for a certain situation, but if the players don’t execute out there on the field, there is nothing he can do.  The defensive line has been a flat-out disgrace, 7 sacks in 6 games (on pace for 18 for the season), after leading the league with 50 last year.  They weren’t able to pressure the QB with the down four, so Castillo was left no choice but to blitz.  Trent Cole, Jason Babin, and Cullen Jenkins have been complete no-shows vs the pass this season.

Okay an obvious target is Mike Vick and the offense as a whole.  He’s turned the ball over 13 times in just six games, often costing the team points and constantly putting the defense on the field and in tough spots.  The Eagles rank 31st in the league in scoring at 17.2 ppg, but is ranked 11th in total yards, which tells me that obviously Vick’s carelessness with the ball is a huge problem, and two, the red zone offense stinks and hasn’t gotten any better since last season. 

The offensive line is a glaring problem, losing the best left tackle in football and your starting center is going to leave you short handed.  I’ve watched the coach’s film and they aren’t as bad as most say they are, but the line definitely isn’t playing to the level that they were in 2011.  Guards Evan Mathis and Danny Watkins, honestly have been mediocre at best this season and I don’t expect much from backup center Dallas Reynolds. 

Finally, Andy Reid, the one who has put this team together.  He picks the players, he picks the coaches, and he has final say scheme-wise as well.  The bad play calling, his inability to adjust on game day, not using Shady McCoy (who is one of the top 3 running backs in all of football), and the fact that he had the gall to appoint an offensive line coach as the defensive coordinator, should have been grounds for dismissal at the end of last season.  Instead, owner Jeffrey Lurie brings him back and we have more of the same mediocre play from last season.

It’s no coincidence that the Eagles are 11-11 over their last 22 games, but a win in two weeks over Atlanta could give the Eagles confidence, momentum, and start a winning streak, but the downside of it is that it could also give Reid another year.  We will see how it plays out.  Football is a funny game. 

 

Brandon Pemberton of Sports Trap Radio, for War Room Sports

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Mike Vick the First to Go If Philadelphia Eagles Don’t Make Playoffs?

Monday, October 15th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

A few hours before kickoff on Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter cited an NFL source as saying that the Eagles would cut Mike Vick if Philadelphia didn’t go deep into the playoffs this season.

Anyone who pays attention to Eagles football knows that this was something that was already understood.

Since it was signed, we have known that Vick’s $100 million contract tied the team to the quarterback  for at least two years.  This is year 2. In the third year, Vick is due $16 million.  If he remains on the Eagles roster three days after the Super Bowl, he will be owed a guaranteed $3 million.  If the Birds release him, however, then Philadelphia will have no further obligation to the quarterback and take no hit on their salary cap.

What will determine if Vick gets to stay on the roster?  Whether the team gets deep into the playoffs.

The Sunday morning, pre-game timing of the report seemed premature.  But after seeing the Eagles unravel against the Lions, it suddenly took on a more ominous tone.

Let’s be clear: it’s still early in the season.  The Birds still have ten games left to play.  No one is giving up on the season or on this team (well, I’m not, anyway).  However, the coming week needs to involve some soul searching on the part of the Eagles.  We know they have the talent.  We know that they can correct the errors they’re making that largely result from a lack of discipline.

But they’re not doing it.  Six weeks in, you expect teams to find their rhythms and begin to reveal what they are truly made of.  What we saw in Week 6 from the Birds looked uncomfortably like the start of 2011 and a team that had regressed.  Heading into the 4th-quarter with a lead and not being able to hang on to win the game.  Sound familiar?

There is a lot of blame to go around but when you see the same issues popping up each and every game, the fingers have to point at Andy Reid and the coaching staff, who are on the hot seat to improve upon last season’s 8-8 record.  Perhaps the heat hasn’t been turned up high enough.

After defying the odds for three games, reality has set in and the Eagles are no longer winning games with the turnovers, fumbles, and all-around sloppy play.  The winnable games are not being won and the errors that are can be addressed are still occurring.

Tight end Brent Celek said it well following Sunday’s loss: “Yeah, it’s very fixable, but you can only say that so many times.”

The Philadelphia Eagles must find a solution to play a more consistent, fundamentally sound game before time runs out for the team to turn around their season.  If they can’t, expect an ugly gutting of the current Eagles roster and staff come the end of the season.

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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Mike Vick On Philadelphia Eagles’ OT Loss To Detroit Lions: ‘I Don’t Know What To Say’

Sunday, October 14th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

 

Disgusted and numb.  That’s how I feel after witnessing the Eagles let this game slip away and lose to the Lions 26-23 in overtime.  And that empty feeling you have in the pit of your stomach?  You get to live with that for the next two weeks.

The defense did a hell of a job containing Calvin Johnson until the 4th quarter.  Then Megatron did what he does best – be a huge offensive weapon for the Detroit Lions.  The fact that the Birds lost two starters in the second half – Nate Allen left the game with an injury and Fletcher Cox was thrown out of the game – had huge implications for the outcome of the game.

But let’s be honest: It’s not like Eagles were playing that great of a game before then.

On offense, not only did we see that Vick’s issues with fumbles were not resolved, but his interception problem decided to make a comeback as well.  For those keeping track, Vick has eight interceptions, five fumbles and has accounted for 13 of the Eagles’ 17 turnovers on the season.

There were flashes of brilliance thrown in with the moments of frustration that seem par for the course with Vick this season.  But what you can’t deny about Vick is his toughness.  Even though he took a beating behind this ragtag offensive line, he kept getting up and fighting.  But he has got to play better when he’s standing.

Philadelphia, we have a problem.

How do the Eagles fix it?  Can the problems even be fixed?  We have two weeks to mull the issue.  Now with a 3-3 record and facing the still undefeated Falcons after the bye, the future – at least in the short term – doesn’t look so great for the Eagles.

Mike Vick opened his postgame presser by saying, “I don’t know what to say.”  We don’t either, Mike.

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

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

 

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Mike Vick Carries Football With Him Everywhere To Fix Fumble Issue

Sunday, October 14th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

 

Holding on to the ball is one of the most basic concepts of football, yet it has posed very real problems for Mike Vick as of late.

How do you reinforce such a fundamental lesson to a professional athlete?  Get him to eat, drink, and sleep with the football?

Pretty much.  That’s what Vick has been up to this week to focus on being aware of hanging on the ball at all times.  The quarterback revealed his tactics to the media on Friday to add to his preparation for facing the Lions today.

Where all did Vick carry the ball?

“Breakfast, to the meetings, lunch.  Everyone thought it was funny, but I didn’t.  That’s how much I care about this team and that’s how much I care about our success and winning on Sundays.  I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that I take care of my responsibilities.”

Teammates tried to knock the football out of Vick’s hands to test him. However, he decided to end the exercise when, he joked, things got too serious and a bounty was placed on the football.

In addition to focusing on the physical feel of ball security, Vick studied what happened during his fumbles in Pittsburgh to see where he needs to improve.  And he is confident that his flak jacket is not contributing to the issue.

“I don’t think that [the jacket] had an affect on the ball coming out.  The guy put his helmet right on the ball.  With the second fumble, if I just go through my progressions, it would have never lead to that.  I went back and looked at all of the film with the turnovers that I had and what I could have been able to do to correct it, and they are all things to do to prevent it.  They are all things that could be corrected and it’s all self-inflicted.  I just have to trust in what we’re doing.”

Vick was also mindful of how others in the league were hanging on to the ball as he watched games throughout the week.

“I’ve taken tips from some of the running backs who carry the football.  I love football so much and with all the football I’ve watched  – this entire week I’ve watched guys carry the football – and everybody has it high and tight.  Even quarterbacks that I’ve watched.  It’s something that I definitely need to do.  There’s a comfort level that I’ve been able to develop when holding the football.”

To add to the work he’s already done this week in focusing on ball security, Vick should visualize a ’90s fade when thinking about what he needs to do to hang on to the ball: keep it high and tight, my man.

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

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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Lions-Eagles Preview: Taming Detroit’s Roar

Sunday, October 14th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

 

 

What happened to last year’s Detroit Lions team?  You know, the one that seemingly came out of nowhere to finish the season with a 10-6 record and make it to the playoffs?

That team is now 1-3 and are seeking an answer to that question themselves.  More importantly, they want to stop giving people reason to ask it.

For the second week in a row, the Philadelphia Eagles will face a team coming off of its bye and seeking to reclaim its season.  The Lions have arrived in Philadelphia rested and ready to roar, and it’s up to the Eagles to quiet their bite at the Linc.

The Lions are third in the NFL in total offense, averaging 412.2 YPG  but have little to show for it in terms of their record.  Detroit is averaging 25 points a  game, though, as compared to Philadelphia’s next-to-bottom of the league 16.  Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has struggled this season, notching more interceptions (4) than touchdowns (3) with 1,183 yards after coming off a 2011 season where he tallied 41 TDs and 16 INTs for over 5,000 yards.

While we are all wondering what happened to all of the sacks we expected to see out of Philadelphia’s defensive line (they haven’t had a single one in two games and only have 7 this season), they have done well with the pass defense and have held opposing QBs to an average rating of 67.1.  Expect them to continue with the pressure but it would be nice to add some good, old-fashioned quarterback sacks to the mix.

Calvin Johnson, has 29 catches for a total of 423 yards this season but only has one touchdown, which interestingly did not come from Matthew Stafford but rather backup quarterback Shaun Hill.  The  elite receiver is still trying to find the chemistry to match the magic of last year with his quarterback and the Eagles must ensure that that does not happen on their watch.

It’s been no secret this season that the Eagles have struggled mightily in covering the best receivers of the game (I don’t even want to mention the Cardinals and Larry Fitzgerald, lest you have flashbacks.)  Megatron is as good as they come, matching physicality (he’s 6’5 and 236 lbs) with speed.  The Eagles have not gone into detail about their plans for covering Johnson but going one-on-one should not be an option.  All hands need to be on deck to limit the damage that Megatron can inflict.

The Lions have struggled to find a consistent running game this season with RB Jahvid Best out of action.  Mikel Le Shoure, however, is a significant threat,  running for 100 yards and a touchdown in his Week 3 NFL debut.  He was quiet the following week with just 26 yards but his potential is there and needs to be stifled.  MLB DeMeco Ryans and DT Fletcher Cox have been very successful at stopping the run and their efforts should be helped by the return of Akeem Jordan to the weakside.

The Eagles offense will see a similar look on the Lions defense, as Detroit also utilizes the Wide-9.  One of the team’s standouts on defense, tackle Ndamukong Suh, has recently received heavy criticism from an unnamed GM in the league for being overhyped, and it’s true that Suh has not dominated as he has in previous years.  He is still a force and the Eagles will face a pissed-off and slightly embarrassed Suh due to the comments and yet another off-field incident from Thursday.

I’m hoping he doesn’t get mad enough to stomp somebody again.

Detroit middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch has helped the Lions to limit the traction of opponents’ running  games, keeping them to 4.1 YPC this season.  LeSean McCoy had just 53 yards on 16 carries in Pittsburgh but the Eagles have tried to use the run steadily the past few games (hurray!).  For Shady to have any success the Eagles o-line has to find a way to fight a boy named Suh up front, meaning that he will keep Evan Mathis and Dallas Reynolds’ hands full all day.

It’s been well-documented what Vick needs to do today in order to lead the Eagles offense–hang on to the ball.  If he can do that and get the ball to playmakers like DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek, and perhaps Jeremy Maclin will want to make some noise in an otherwise quiet season, we will see an end to the low number of points the Eagles have been able to tally this season.  The offense needs to strike first and strike often to show that they’re being all they can be.

Like Philadelphia, Detroit is struggling on special teams, with the Lions’ unit having allowed 2 kickoff and 2 punt returns for touchdowns already this season.  Will the Eagles decide to shake things up on their own return game and finally oust Damaris Johnson in favor for Jackson on punt return duty?

A young  Lions team on the road facing a mountain of criticism from folks ranging from their fanbase to executives of another team faces another young team in Philadelphia that seeks to start its bye with a 4-2 record that makes it harder to question the possibilities for their long-term success.  The Eagles last home game was a rousing win against the Giants and the fans will be hyped.  Prediction: Eagles 33 Lions 17

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

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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Black Protectionism Part 1 & 2

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

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It’s Time for the Andy Reid Era to End

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

Catch me on Twitter @Bashir28

Angry, shocked, bewildered, and befuddled are a few words to explain how I felt after I watched the Philadelphia Eagles blow a 20-point, 3rd quarter lead, and lose 24-23 to the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.  Yes I admit, I am a full-bred, Philadelphia-raised, 4-for-4 sports fan.  But as an aspiring sports radio host and sportswriter, I am also a non-homer and I break things down objectively.

When the Eagles assembled this current team during the lockout-shortened off season, I was excited about the pieces they added, especially on the defensive side of the ball.  On paper, bringing in corners Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, along with defensive lineman Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins, made this Eagles defense look like world beaters.  They also signed quarterback Vince Young as the backup to Mike Vick and late in training camp, former Giants wide receiver Steve Smith as well.  Young coined the phrase “Dream Team” in an interview with the Philly media and the whole city ran with it.  Even before the team had played a down of football.

I had thought there were positions that were left unaddressed before the preseason and after watching preseason games 2 and 3, it was obvious to me that the offensive line, linebackers, and safeties were going to be a problem.  When I let it be known on Twitter, Facebook, and in this article http://brandononsports.wordpress.com/2011/08/21/eagles-brutal-performance-onthursday-is-it-reason-to-worry/ , people told me “calm down, it’s only preseason”.  Well the only eye test I had was the Eagles’ starters against the opposite team’s starters.  I thought to myself, “the Eagles really need to do something about these linebackers with the scheme they are attempting to play”, but this is Andy Reid we are talking about folks.  He feels as though linebackers don’t matter and aren’t a factor in winning a title.

So here we are, after this first 4 weeks of the season and the Eagles stand at 1-3 and last in the NFC East.  Unable to hold 4th quarter leads, horrible play in the red zone on both sides of the ball, along with putrid coaching and philosophy are the main reasons why.  Oh, don’t let me leave out the protection issues with the O-line, Vick’s problems coughing up the ball, and the inconsistent play of DeSean Jackson.

I and everyone else have had it with Reid’s excuses right after games in press conferences and the day after.  The same “I have to do a better job” statements along with his pompous and smug answers to the reporters’ questions the day after a bad loss or when he has made mind-blowing mistakes in a game, just tick me off.  His inability to adjust on game day and his refusal to take value in certain positions is the reason why he hasn’t yet won a Super Bowl, and why this team has fallen flat on their faces after 4 games.

Early in his career, Reid refused to acquire any big-time wide receivers, even when it was obvious it would help Donovan McNabb and take the team to another level.  He finally came to his senses and in 2004, Terrell Owens was added to the team and the Eagles had its best offensive season in franchise history while making a trip to the Super Bowl and eventually losing to the New England Patriots.  He then drafted DeSean Jackson in the 2nd round in ’08 and Jeremy Maclin in the 1st round of the 2009 draft.  It took him a while, but he eventually figured out if he was going to be a pass heavy team, he needed stud receivers.

During Andy Reid’s tenure here in Philadelphia, he has refused to put value into the linebacker position.  When he came here in 1999, he inherited stud middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and in 2000 while Tom Modrak was the General Manager, they signed outside linebacker Carlos Emmons as well.  Trotter and Emmons played together for two years (2000-01) and when “Trot” was allowed to walk after the 01′ season, this is when I realized the Eagles and the front office undervalued the linebacker position.  Reid has gone year after year refusing to address this problem.  Gardner, Simoneau, Kirkland, Jones, Wayne, Bradley, Gocong, and recently Ernie Sims are some of the names of the mediocre players that have played here since Trotter and Emmons.  They also have never found a proper replacement for Eagles’ legend and future Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins.

So when I saw the Birds send out a starting linebacker core of Moise Fokou, Casey Matthews, and Jamar Chaney on opening day, I wasn’t surprised.  You would think since the team is using Jim Washburn’s “Wide Nine” set for the defensive line, which leaves the linebackers vulnerable to offensive linemen, the team would acquire bigger, more violent linebackers via free agency or the draft.  Instead they move Jamar Chaney from his natural position of middle linebacker and hand the job to a 4th round pick out of Oregon who can’t play.  The eye test doesn’t lie.  Anyone with football acumen would have told you that Matthews isn’t a NFL middle linebacker, let alone a starter.  How Moise Fokou owns a starting spot on an NFL roster, I have no bleeping idea.  The guy is nothing more than a special teams player.  I liked what I saw from Chaney last season, but the current scheme doesn’t fit his abilities. 

There are two other teams in the NFL that currently use the “Wide Nine” scheme with its front four, the Detroit Lions and the Tennessee Titans.  The Titans are in the top 10 in 3 key defensive categories in the NFL:  7th in yards per game (299.8), 8th in rushing yards allowed per game (87.8), and they have the number 1 scoring defense in all of football (14.0 pts per game).  Their trio of linebackers include:  Will Witherspoon (6’1′ 240), Barrett Ruud (6’2′ 241), and first round draft pick Akeem Ayers (6’3′ 254).  They all are players who attack the line of scrimmage violently and are big enough to take on and defeat blocks at the point of attack.  Will Witherspoon, who played in eleven games for the Eagles in 2009, is also excellent in pass coverage, especially against tight ends.

The Lions rank 11th in the NFL in yards allowed (334.3) per game, 20th in rushing yards allowed per game (113.0), and 8th in points allowed per game (19.0).  Of course any defense with a player like Ndamukong Suh is going to make it easier on linebackers to play because he draws so many double-teams.  But there’s no way you can tell me that Stephen Tulloch (5’11’ 240), DeAndre Levy (6’1′ 238), and Bobby Carpenter (6’2′ 249) aren’t a more credible linebacker crew than the crap the Eagles have.  Stephen Tulloch has played his whole career in the “Wide Nine” scheme and was a free agent during the offseason.  It would have made sense to take a look at Tulloch and sign him since he is a proven veteran playmaker, but no, this is Andy Reid’s regime we are talking about here folks.  By the way, Tulloch is having a Pro Bowl caliber season through four games.

Before I finish, let me address the safety position as well.  As I said earlier in this article, Brian Dawkins still hasn’t been properly replaced since leaving via free agency in 2009.  Nate Allen was having a good rookie campaign before rupturing his patella tendon towards the end of last season, and it wasn’t certain if he would be 100% coming into this season.  Kurt Coleman is a 7th round draft pick who outplayed his expectations last season, but that didn’t mean he was a NFL starter.  The Eagles drafted Jaiquawn Jarrett out of Temple in the 2nd round, which was a reach and he has dressed for one game so far.  When the Eagles realized they were in trouble during the preseason, they signed 6-year veteran Jarrad Page, who has started on some bad Kansas City Chiefs teams in the past and played sparingly for the Patriots last season.  To start the season, it was Coleman at free safety and Page at strong safety, but the both of them were exposed during the first 4 games.  Whether it was blown coverage or just plain missing tackles, they both proved that they shouldn’t be starting in this league.  Nate Allen was given a shot at starting this past Sunday against the 49ers and he was a non-factor.

What more can I say?  It’s the same sad love song with Andy Reid at the helm and running things around here.  The Eagles haven’t been back to the Super Bowl since the 2004 season and they damn sure aren’t [going back] this year or any with Reid as coach.  His message, coaching style, philosophy, drafting, and antics are all old and it’s time for new blood for this franchise. 

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, for War Room Sports

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Happy For Mike Vick the Man, Disappointed in the Philadelphia Eagles

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

By Bradley Anderson

I am happy for Michael Vick.  Everyone loves a “Redemption Song”.  From a limited vantage point, he seems humbled, joyful, reinvigorated, and most importantly, eager to really LEARN the game of football, as opposed to depending on his RAW, UNBELIEVABLE athleticism to wow spectators, make games exciting, endanger his career, livelihood, and life. 

I think Andy [Reid]; having endured the heartache and pain of watching his own sons reap some of the same ills Vick did from sowing bad decisions into the most fertile soil of bad intentions, saw the potential in him.  He knew it was worth the risk to put him in a nurturing environment which would grow him amongst a brotherhood of men.  And now, we get to the fork in the road…a bad managerial decision that could potentially negatively impact the Eagles.  But Vick himself, I hope above all, Michael Vick the man is ready for the return to financial excess.  I hope he can manage the excess to create wealth for his grandkids’ grandkids. 

But more than that, here are the obstacles and the reasons this contract isn’t the wisest decision for the Philadelphia Eagles:

1) Currently, the Eagles’ offensive line is in need of a SERIOUS upgrade.  I think we’d all agree that Vick is in the top 5 or 10 athletes to EVER play the game.  And even at 31, having lost a half step, he’s still elite speed, athleticism, and talent personified.  And if HE can’t avoid getting PUMMELED in the pocket, you need to invest SERIOUS $$$ in your fat guys, otherwise you risk sledge hammers and boulders smashing up the pretty race car you paid all the money for.

2) Besides the eagles O-line being in shambles, Vick’s style of play is “balls to the wall”, “hell or high water”, “win or die”, and oftentimes outside of that pocket, Vick is engaged in near-death experiences.  Because he is able to get on the edge and extend plays and make plays with his legs, the risk of injury is raised exponentially.  Vick is RARELY (if ever) going to be able to complete a full season, and at what point do the aches and pains become permanent injuries that don’t heal?  At 31, playing as a fleet-footed athlete puts your career in jeopardy more and more with every play.  So, as management, ask yourself if you’re going to get enough out of him to get you SB wins?

3) Has he developed enough over the last 2 seasons to warrant top 3-5 QB money?  This is open to debate, but for me I’d say absolutely not.  a) He is 10x’s better with reading defenses, understanding coverage, and going through his progressions, instead of scampering like a scared deer or a neutered cheetah.  However, he isn’t ELITE at these things after only one season of improvement.  He still holds the ball too long, he still forces things a little (I know, who doesn’t?), but most alarming…MOST ALARMING…and the biggest issue I have; b) He cannot identify the blitzes.  When blitzed from the right, into his left, he folds like a deck of cards with a picture of Donovan in the Superbowl on them.  GREAT…even just GOOD QBs LOVE the blitz.  They want you to blitz.  They identify it pre-snap and even when they don’t, they can quickly see it coming, adjust, and either hit the hot read, or they are in sync with their slot guy, who also sees the coverage and the blitz, runs the appropriate option route, and the QB hits them instantly.  The Eagles don’t run option routes with their slot men (to my knowledge) and while we [the Eagles] have “hot” routes, Vick is wrapped up in thinking about the pressure rather than seeing it and making the quick read and throw.  During the last 3 or 4 games of the 2010/2011 season, Vick was EXPOSED…not as a fraud, but as a 2nd tier QB.  He is and always will be a tier 1 athlete, a tier 1 talent, and a tier 1 FOOTBALL PLAYER.  But he is NOT a tier 1, $100 Million ($40 Million guaranteed) QB…yet (If? When? Maybe? Could he? Will He?). 

I’m sure the Black protectionist, fans, and “stans” will be hounding me for not celebrating my Philadelphia Eagles for frivolously and prematurely throwing Manning & Brady money at Vick.  But forgive me.  I want to see more.  I’m a fan and supporter.  I have to be.  But I haven’t seen enough, and the difference between you and I, is that I know if you don’t spend your money on the O-line and D-Line (which we did…but just not enough), it doesn’t matter how many great skill players you have.

Bradley “B. Austin” Anderson of The War Room, for War Room Sports

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If Kevin Kolb is Traded, Vince Young Makes Sense as Vick’s Backup

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

By Nairann Merceir

As a die-hard Eagles fan, I would love to see nothing more than Kevin Kolb traded once the lock-out is officially lifted, to the Arizona Cardinals for Rodgers-Cromartie (immediate upgrade at right corner) and a second round pick.  However, once Kolb is traded, that leaves the Eagles with a huge void at back-up QB, leaving only second year man Mike Kafka as Michael Vick’s primary back-up.  I don’t know about you, but I’m not comfortable with Mike Kafka having to start two to three games.  Hence the reason the Eagles must seek out a veteran back-up to Vick.  I’ve heard rumors of Brett Farve, Mark Bulger, etc. coming to Philly but I want Vince Young, and here is my argument now.

First, the offense that Andy Reid and the Eagles have installed for Vick fits the skill set of Vince Young.  Plus we know Andy has a proven track record of developing QBs who were labeled as underachieving passers, such as McNabb and Vick, so why couldn’t he do the same for Young?  Now let’s look at Vince Young the player.  Last season, Young appeared in 9 games (8 starts), and had the 4th best third down passer rating in the league, only trailing Brady, Roethlisberger, and Kitna.  At times in his short career, he has done pretty well, he’s had several come from behind victories, and he’s been effective in the short and long passing game.  According to NFL Films, last season Vince was the most accurate passer of balls that were thrown in the air beyond 35 yards and we know how that plays into Desean Jackson’s game.

Looking at Young’s first 4 seasons in the NFL, 2006 through 2009, he has amassed a regular season record of 26-13 as a starter.  That’s a .67 winning percentage for you math guys.  He’s lead 11 come from behind victories in his career, including 9 come from behind or tied performances in 2009.  That season, he started the final 10 games and led the Titans to an 8-2 record after they began season 0-6.  So the leadership skills are there.  He also made the Pro Bowl that season but we know that’s a bogus award/recognition.  

His career numbers through the first 5 years of his career are: 54 games played, 8,098 yards passing, 42 tds and 42 ints, with a 57.9 percent completion rate, 264 rushes for 1,380 yds and 12 tds.  If you compared that to Vick’s first 5 seasons, Mike played 58 games, threw for 9,031 yards, 51 tds and 39 ints, with a 52 percent completion rate.  There’s no need to even add rushing numbers, as they are not even comparable. However, as a passer, Vince Young is on par with Michael Vick through the first 5 years of their respective careers, with Vince actually being a more accurate passer.  So there is definitely something for the Eagles to develop here, and let’s not forget this guy was a top 3 talent when he came out of Texas in 2006.  If anyone has a better option out there to back up Michael Vick for this Eagles season, who may be called upon to start two to three weeks in case Vick goes down, I would love to hear it.

Nairann Merceir, Philly Sports Correspondent, for War Room Sports

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Hey Mike Vick…Can I Get Your Autograph?

Monday, December 20th, 2010

"Thank you Mr. Vick. Thank you Suh."

Tashard Choice…YOU my friend, are a noodle.  As a matter of fact, you are a wet, limp, ramen-style noodle.  Unless you have been hiding under a rock for the past week, you have probably seen, or at least heard about Cowboys’ Running Back Tashard Choice asking Eagles Quarterback Mike Vick to sign his gloves, ON THE FIELD, directly after a Sunday Night Cowboys loss to the Eagles, on national television.  Now judging from the opinions of many people on TV, radio, print, and even our own War Room Sports Facebook forum (www.Facebook.com/WarRoomSports), my disdain for this apparent act of extreme “richard-ridery” seems to fall somewhere in the midst of the minority….which is actually cool with me, because when my overall opinions begin to align with the masses, that is when I will know that I am slipping. 

Now back to this rather odd CHOICE by Tashard (pun intended).  I’ve heard all of the defenses… “Players do this all the time”, “it was a sign of respect”, yadda yadda woopty damn doo.  Well, obviously players don’t grovel for the opposing teams’ autographs ON THE FIELD, ON CAMERA, AFTER A LOSS, AT HOME too much.  If that were the case, this “all the time” occurrence would not have been national sports news in the days following the game.  So if this happens ALL THE TIME, make it happen ANOTHER TIME…not directly after a tough loss to a division opponent.  If this is a “sign of respect”, then respect that man somewhere else…not in the middle of your home field in front of 100,000 angry home fans…not to mention the millions of viewers watching on television.  Even his head coach remarked that “there is a time and place for that”.

The funny thing about this whole thing to me is that most of the people that I’ve had personal conversations with about this topic are Eagles fans.  None of them seem to have a problem with it.  To that, I say…FOH Eagles fans.  WE…and yes I say WE…were the same group of fans who took Donovan McNabb to the proverbial verbal woodshed EVERY time he made a boneheaded play and then left the field with a smile on his face.  Imagine if McNabb or any other Eagles player had solicited an opposing players’ autograph after a tough loss on national TV.  You Eagles fans would have lost your mother-loving minds.  So again, I say FOH Eagles fans.  It was a punk move…BOTTOM LINE!

It goes back to my co-host Jimmy’s “Pass The Rock” rant and subsequent blog about how sports are getting soft in general.  It is yet another occurrence that leads paying fans to believe that these spoiled millionaires just don’t care.  I’m pretty sure Cowboys fans would have rather seen him walk off the field appearing as if he was upset about losing yet another game, rather than chasing the opponent’s quarterback halfway across the field for his John Hancock and a fatherly pat on the head.  But if you all think this display of noodlery is okay in a “so-called” competitive environment, than more power to you and your cotton swab-loving tendencies.  By the way…I’ll be signing autographs for all my fans throughout the holidays.  Just send your valuables to the address listed on our website and I’ll get them back to you all signed up as soon as possible.  Fatherly head pats not included.

Devin “Dev” McMillan of The War Room, for War Room Sports

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