Posts Tagged ‘Mike Vick’

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Chip Kelly adds to swirl of DeSean Jackson trade rumors

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

by Brandyn Campbell

Brandyn Blog

 

 

 

Will DeSean Jackson continue to fly as an Eagle through 2014?

Will DeSean Jackson continue to fly as an Eagle through 2014?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will DeSean Jackson remain a Philadelphia Eagle through the 2014 season or won’t he? Getting a clear answer to this question is growing stranger—and more exhausting–by the day.

Reports of the Birds’ interest in trading the talented receiver, coming off one of the best seasons of his career, have not been clear or consistent. Jackson netted over 1300 yards in 2013 and pulled in 9 touchdowns. It is hard to comprehend, then,  why the Eagles would be so willing to part with such a valuable part of Chip Kelly’s offense.

Earlier in the week, Jackson tweeted that he spoke to Kelly, then told his teammates that he would remain with the team this year. But the head coach, speaking at the NFL owners’ meetings in Orlando on Wednesday, started the speculation afresh with his noncommittal words on the wideout.

In response to the question, “Will Jackson be an Eagle in 2014?”, the Birds’ head coach gave the following answer:

“I like DeSean. DeSean did a really nice job for us. But we’re always going to do what’s best for the organization.”

With Mike Vick now with the New York Jets, it makes sense for the quarterback to want to play with his favorite target. And the QB has said as much. But the picture of how much Philadelphia wants to part with the receiver—and exactly why—remains murky.

This story is sure to have more twists and turns over the coming days.

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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

 

 

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Nick Foles, Sports Illustrated Cover Boy

Wednesday, December 11th, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

Brandyn Blog

 

 

 

 

 

Whatever your position at the beginning of the season regarding who was the best choice to start at quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, it cannot be denied that Nick Foles has been good for the team. Great, even, as the team sits with an impressive 8-5 record . His numbers and performances have continued to astonish and the intrigue surrounding Foles has helped the Birds secure a spot in prime time, when their scheduled 1 pm game against the Bears on December 22 was moved to an 8:30 kickoff, overtaking the Patriots and Ravens for the coveted Sunday Night Football slot.

The NFL’s biggest story of the season is now also the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated.

Nick Foles, cover boy. (Image via The 700 Level)

Nick Foles, cover boy. (Image via The 700 Level)

 

The text surrounding the image provides a narrative for the Eagles’ season prior to Foles taking over for the injured Mike Vick.

“A dreadful start,  No home wins before November, another winter of discontent looming in Philly. And then Nick Foles happened.”

The striking image is, of course, from Sunday’s Snow Bowl against the Detroit Lions, a game in which Foles threw his first interception of the season. That INT was a mere nuisance to Foles’ season numbers of 20 TDs and 1 INT for 1970 yards and a quarterback rating of 120. Not too shabby.

The legend of Foles is growing, and as the Birds fight to maintain their top spot in the NFC East, if he delivers the team to a playoff berth his legend will continue to grow.

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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

 

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It’s official: Foles it is

Wednesday, November 27th, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

Brandyn Blog

Nick Foles is the starter for the Eagles (Image via PhiladelphiaEagles.com) Nick Foles is the starter for the Eagles
(Image via PhiladelphiaEagles.com)

It’s hardly a surprise at this stage. It was just a matter of time until it was announced.

After Nick Foles’ historic 7-touchdown performance in Oakland in Week 9, you knew that the Philadelphia Eagles could not return to Mike Vick as their starting quarterback. Foles was simply playing too well. You had to have him play for the rest of the season to see more of what he could do.

The subject was danced around each week following that early November thrill-ride, but on Tuesday Chip Kelly made it official: Nick Foles was the Eagles’ starting quarterback for the remainder of the season. Kelly wanted the matter settled once and for all so that Foles didn’t have to “look over his shoulder” for the rest of the season. This move was done to ensure that Foles’ focus is where it needs to be: Winning games for the Eagles.

Said Kelly of the decision,

“I said the other day, I think he’s done a great job of protecting the football and not putting us in bad situations.  When we have a shot and can take it down the field, he’s proven he can do that.  He’s got a great command of what we’re doing.  He’s a lot more comfortable in what we’re doing.  So it’s just kind of an ongoing process for him.”

The Birds come off of their bye with a winning record and in the heat of battle with the Cowboys for the top spot in the division. For a team that had little expectations at the beginning of the year other than that of a rebuilding squad, they suddenly find themselves in the playoff hunt.

Vick will be the team’s number two and Kelly says that the former starter is okay with that designation. He knew that Foles would be tough to unseat. What no one knows now, however, is what the future holds for Vick’s NFL career.

While sentiments are soaring for the moment with Foles, he must stand the test of the final month of the season and all of the stress, injuries, and playoff hopes this time of year brings. He has surprised us all with his poise under pressure so far this season. If he can continue his astonishing string of performances this month, the Eagles will find themselves in an interesting position when evaluating where they sit with finding the future QB of the franchise.

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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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The Eagles’ quarterback quandry

Monday, October 21st, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

Brandyn Blog

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday was not Nick Foles’ day. (Photo via the Philadelphia Eagles)

Sunday was not Nick Foles’ day.
(Photo via the Philadelphia Eagles)

Whatever Nick Foles had for breakfast on Sunday, he shouldn’t plan to have ever again on a game day.

In the absence of any other explanation for his awful performance at the Linc against the Cowboys, let’s just go ahead and blame  it on the Wheaties. Foles wasn’t available following the game to discuss what went wrong—he left the game in the third quarter due to a head injury. Chip Kelly couldn’t explain it either, but rather than laying the blame for scoring only three points in the game only at Foles, he pointed the finger at the entire offense.

The real pity of the offense’s failings was a strong showing by the defense, who held the Cowboys to just 17 points and grabbed two interceptions from Tony Romo. With a little help in the way of points on the scoreboard, the Eagles could have won this game. Or at least been in it. But that was not the way it was to be.

Foles’ numbers were as strikingly bad this week as they were good last week.  11-for-29 for 80 yards, averaging just 2.8 yards per attempt. Ouch. In fact, when Kelly was asked how the young quarterback could go from the NFC’s offensive player of the week to disaster in seven days, he didn’t have an answer. In fact, that was his actual response. “ I don’t have an answer for it.”

With Vick inactive for the game, when Foles left  it was rookie Matt Barkley’s time to make his NFL debut. It’s probably one to forget, but we all get it—he’s a rookie. The former USC quarterback made his best throws, unfortunately, to the Cowboys, finishing the day 11/20 for 129 yards and three interceptions.

Foles’ performance should put an end to the QB controversy of the past two weeks. But the Eagles face a bigger problem in determining what viable option they have if both their starter and backup fail to return to health for next Sunday’s game against the Giants.

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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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Strange week comes to a conclusion as Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers face off

Sunday, October 13th, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

Brandyn Blog

 

 

 

 

 

Nick Foles, the likely quarterback in Sunday’s game, will face Mike Glennon rather than Josh Freeman in his second consecutive year of facing the team.

Nick Foles, the likely quarterback in Sunday’s game, will face Mike Glennon rather than Josh Freeman in his second consecutive year of facing the team.

 

It’s been a strange week leading up to the Philadelphia Eagles’ game with Tampa Bay.

Mike Vick, still sporting a hamstring injury from the Week 5 matchup against the Giants, was limited in practice during the week. When asked if he would get the start against the Bucs, his answer was that he would play this Sunday if he “had to.”

Though Chip Kelly said he wouldn’t reveal whether Vick or Nick Foles would get the start in Tampa Bay, Vick’s answer said everything we need to know.

Expect to see Foles get the start.

Amid the nuttiness of non-answers to the questions of the extent of Vick’s injury and if he or Foles would be leading the team’s offense in Week 6, an issue completely out of left field: Issues with the drug-resistant infection MRSA at the Bucs’ facility. Despite two cleaning treatments from an outside company after two Tampa Bay players came down with the infection, a third was diagnosed with the infection. After a day of uncertainty, the NFLPA determined that there was no risk to other players and the game would continue as scheduled on Sunday.

The MRSA incident isn’t all that’s been odd in Tampa Bay. Josh Freeman was demoted from being a starter after subpar performance and, apparently, being late to a team picture. Then, he was made inactive the week of his demotion until, finally, he was cut from the team. Accordingly, the Eagles will face rookie Mike Glennon, who will be making only his second start in the NFL.  Does that mean that Philadelphia has the clear advantage?

Not so fast. The Eagles should and I believe will win this game, but it’s not going to be the cake walk some anticipate against the winless Buccaneers.  Tampa Bay is a team desperate for a win and coming off of their Bye. They have a stout pass defense. And I’m sure the team execs would like to hand Chip Kelly a loss after he denied their overtures last year.

Philadelphia’s still struggling defense should be able to rattle the rookie and Tampa’s awful offense. But the Eagles’ offense will see its star receiver, DeSean Jackson, face Darrelle Revis. Jackson said earlier in the week that he wasn’t ‘fraid of no Revis Island, but it’s going to be a stiff competition for both men. Foles will need to be on his game in order to combat a surprisingly effective defense that has only given up five TD passes this season. Thankfully, he has experience leading the Birds to victory over the Bucs, as he did it last year.

A strange lead-up will result in two teams desperate for wins. The Eagles seek to even up their record and further increase their confidence before heading into back-to-back division games, and the Buccaneers need to get just one “W” under their belts to get truly begin the Glennon era. Despite this being a matchup of two teams with losing records it will be a close game.

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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

 

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NFL: 10 Things We Learned From Week 1

Wednesday, September 11th, 2013

by Ricky O’Neil

Ricky O Blog

 

 

 

 

 

(Photo courtesy of HeavyInTheGames.com)

(Photo courtesy of HeavyInTheGames.com)

Week 1 of the NFL is behind us and there can be alot of things to be excited about. Rookies finally getting starts, players coming back from injuries, and one of the most outstanding single game performances we have ever seen. These are some of the important things that I learned while watching.

1. Peyton Manning is not human
Manning decided to open the season with an outstanding performance. SEVEN passing touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens. The addition of Wes Welker helped, Demaryius Thomas is still catching TDs, and also the Ravens not having Ed Reed or Ray Lewis could have played a role.

2. Adrian Peterson could very well break the single season rushing TD record
We all know what type of running back AP is, but did we really think his very first carry would go for a touchdown? 78 yards straight to the house on the first play from scrimmage for the Vikings. Even though he only had 93 yards, he also had 3 TDs. 25 more in 15 games is possible.

3. The Steelers defense is not what it once was
This being my favorite team, it saddens me to say this, but the years of the Steelers ruling the defensive side of the ball are over. James Harrison gone, rush defense not as good, but at least they’re still making some type of effort, only losing by 7.

4. Geno Smith Prospering???
Even though playing the Bucs, Geno Smith and the NY Jets got a victory in Week 1. Smith threw for 256 yards and one TD, and also rushed six times for 47 yards. Now let’s not look too far into it because they play New England this week.

5. Tom Brady is still Tom Brady
They played the Bills…The game should not have been close at all in my opinion, but it became interesting late in the game. Tom Brady put together a game-winning drive (like usual) and the Patriots won by 2 with a late FG. Brady threw for 288 yards with 2 TDs. “Brady being Brady.”

6. Chip Kelly’s offense is very exciting
The Eagles got a W to start the season off and Chip Kelly got the game ball afterwards. The fast-pace offense had a total of 77 offensive plays. It was great to see the “Oregon Style” offense in the NFL. Plus Mike Vick is the PERFECT guy to be running it.

7. RG3 was nervous stepping back onto the field
Even though the Redskins put up a fight late in the game, RG3 did not look like himself in the first half of his game Monday night. Scared to take a hit of any kind. But as he got back into the groove of the game, he started stepping up and rushing a little bit. The Redskins still lost by 6.

8. Philip Rivers can’t close a game out
The Chargers were winning ALL GAME… Philip Rivers was having a great game. The Chargers defense was stepping up, making all the big stops needed. Houston started a comeback, and all Rivers needed to do was hold on to the football. Of course, deep in his own endzone, throws a pick 6 and Houston tied the game up. After that, Houston ends up kicking a FG to win the game. SMH… Same Ole Rivers.

9. Carson is on his way back!
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying he is going to win MVP, but Arizona could be the best place for him. Not a bad defense, plus Larry Fitzgerald to throw to…not bad. Losing by 3 to the Rams isn’t a good start with a new team though.

10. Colin Kaepernick can throw the ball just a well as he can run
Playing the Green Bay Packers, Kaepernick stayed in the pocket more often than not. Throwing for 412 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, becoming the only 49ers QB (other than Joe Montana) to throw for 400 yards, 3 TDs, and 0 INTs.

Week 1 was very exciting and we have 15 more regular season weeks to go… And as for my Fantasy leagues, I went 4-1 so I’m a happy NFL fan
FOOTBALL IS BACK!!!!!

 

Ricky O’Neil of ITMORO, for War Room Sports

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Questions about the Philadelphia Eagles season begin getting answers tonight

Monday, September 9th, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

Brandyn Blog

 

 

 

 

 

Philadelphia Eagles football is back. It’s a celebration!

Philadelphia Eagles football is back. It’s a celebration!

It’s finally here. Game day for the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s like Christmas in September.

It’s a great matchup to launch the season’s Monday night games. Chip Kelly’s NFL debut versus the unveiling of Robert Griffin III following 8 months of rehab. Is he truly healthy? Who will prevail?

The innumerable questions about the Birds from the offseason finally begin to get answered tonight. How will Kelly’s offense transition to the NFL? Will the transition to a 3-4 defense serve to address some of the challenges the D has had the past several seasons?

Both the Eagles and Redskins had the other’s number last season when playing with a healthy starting quarterback. Will Mike Vick and RG3 make the difference this game or will Philadelphia need to rely on the yet-to-be proven defense?

Both team’s defenses will face significant threats from the air and the ground. LeSean McCoy remains one of the most significant weapons on offense in Philadelphia’s arsenal. And Washington has the talents of 2nd year breakout Alfred Morris.

One of the biggest questions that remains for the Birds is how Philadelphia’s secondary–underwhelming in 2012 and the 2013 preseason–will perform. Is the unit still a work in progress or will they begin to make a turnaround?

To be sure, one game won’t answer every question definitively. But it’s a start, and closer than we’ve ever been before.

A new era begins today in Philadelphia Eagles football. That’s no small fact. A new coach, new players, new philosophy.

Let’s get this party started.

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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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Eagles to face RG3 in Week 1 Monday Night Matchup

Wednesday, August 28th, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

Brandyn Blog

 

 

 

 

 

The Philadelphia Eagles will reportedly face a healthy and recovered Robert Griffin III during their season opener at FedEx Field.

The Philadelphia Eagles will reportedly face a healthy and recovered Robert Griffin III during their season opener at FedEx Field.

The Philadelphia Eagles have one final preseason game to put behind them before the 2013 season begins, but news about their season opener against the Washington Redskins is already making headlines.

Why? Because the dynamic Robert Griffin III, who will be entering his second year in the league and is recovering from an ACL injury, has been cleared to play and will be the starting quarterback for Washington come September 9, according to a report. Since we are talking regular season play, the test might as well be as challenging as possible in order to truly gauge where this Eagles team lies this season in terms of talent. The defense has much to prove overall this season, and it will be put to the test early on as it tries to contain the multiple threats that RGIII provides.

Griffin proved to be more than the 2012 Eagles defense could handle, as he led Washington past Philadelphia and into a playoff spot in two commanding performances in Andy Reid’s final season as head coach. Will he and the Redskins once again have their way with the Birds, this time in front of a Monday Night Football audience?

With Mike Vick named the starting quarterback for the Eagles, defenses of both NFC East teams will have their hands full with offenses lead by standouts who are proven threats on the ground as well as in the air.

Will Griffin face a sophomore year slump, and if so will it begin at the hands of the Eagles? That question is just one of many, many reasons why the 2013 NFL season can’t get here soon enough.

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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

 

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Mike Vick named Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback

Tuesday, August 20th, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

Brandyn Blog

 

 

 

 

 

Mike Vick, the Philadelphia Eagles’ starting quarterback for the 2013 season.

Mike Vick, the Philadelphia Eagles’ starting quarterback for the 2013 season.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a starting quarterback in Philadelphia. On Tuesday, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly announced what we have all been waiting to find out almost as soon as he took over as head coach: who would be under center come the start of the regular season.

And now we have our answer. Mike Vick will be the starting quarterback on Week 1 versus the Redskins and for the entirety of the season, winning the starting spot over second-year QB Nick Foles. Vick has looked sharp in the preseason and many have believed that the starting job was his to lose. Now that the spot is his once again, the pressure to eliminate the costly turnovers that attributed to the Eagles’ abysmal 4-12 2012 season is on as well.

Kelly’s announcement comes just in time for the spotlight to shine on Vick on Saturday when the Eagles face the Jaguars for their third preseason game, where he will see action perhaps into the third quarter.

Citing completion percentages from practices that were almost identical (Vick at 80% and Foles at 79%), Kelly feels that both quarterbacks pushed the other to strong performances this offseason. He came to Philadelphia from Oregon without “preconceived notions” about his quarterbacks. So how did he come to his decision?

“I think Mike is ahead right now.  I think Nick made it very difficult.  It wasn’t where one guy went north and the other guy went south.  I think both of them upped their games.  But at this point in time Mike’s ahead.

We want to move forward.  This is a one‑quarterback operation.  This isn’t going to be someone’s got to look over their shoulder or we’re going to alternate by series.  I think Mike is ahead right now.”

Kelly stresses that his plan on offense depends on his QB’s strengths, not who the quarterback would be. With two games remaining in the preseason, he is slowly beginning to reveal some of what we can expect to see in the regular season from the Eagles.

Now that the questions about the starter have been answered, it’s now time for Vick to show  on the field just what about his play lead him to gain his new head coach’s confidence.

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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

 

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Mike Vick on the Eagles’ QB battle: ‘I believe in me’

Wednesday, July 24th, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

Brandyn Blog

 

 

 

 

 

Mike Vick is ready to compete for the Eagles' starting job.

Mike Vick is ready to compete for the Eagles’ starting job.

As Eagles training camp gets closer to being in full swing, more players are appearing—and talking to the media—each day. Tuesday saw Mike Vick hold court with the press and talking about what will be the hottest topic this summer until the matter is settled—who will be the Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback heading into the 2013 season.

Vick now says that he’s all about the competition.

“I love the competition. I embrace the competition. I really do. It makes all of us better quarterbacks. It makes all of us better football players. It definitely pushes me.”

Vick went on to comment on the advantages competing will yield for himself and his teammates.

“If you get something handed to you, you could get lax in your approach. If you have it handed to you, you could take things for granted and not put in the work that you need to.”

Since his dynamic debut for the Eagles following the injury of Kevin Kolb in the 2010 season, Vick’s record as a starter has been decidedly disappointing. And he is very aware that fans are still waiting for him remain healthy throughout a season.

“I’ve been doing a lot of curls and a lot of bench presses [during] the offseason, just trying to put my body in the best position possible to withstand the hits.

Everybody says I’m injury prone, so I’m trying to fight that. … You have to stay on the field, and that’s what I’m working on.”

Should he be the starter, let’s hope this fitness regime works as the Great Sliding Experiment of 2012 was a complete failure.

Despite the unfamiliar situation for Vick—not entering camp as the named starter—his trademark confidence remains.

“I’m confident in myself. I’m very confident. That’s the only reason I’m standing here. I believe in me. I know what I can do. I know I’ve got a lot of years left to play this game. As long as I continue to stay in shape and continue to train and … take care of your body and give yourself the maximum opportunity to go out and be the football player that you want to be, then the sky’s the limit for me.”

With his quarterbacks at the NovaCare, Kelly is sticking to his script about the plan for his QBs: The best will ultimately prove himself through his performance and rise to the top. When asked how he will split snaps between Vick and Foles, Kelly said, “I don’t know until a starter emerges.”

When the subject of Barkley entered the conversation, Kelly continued,

“Everybody gets a chance, and everybody has an opportunity to show us what their resume is, and your resume is what you put on tape every day.  If somebody continues to make plays and someone doesn’t make plays, that guy is going to move up and the other one’s going to move down.”

As for a timeline of when a starter will be named?   Kelly said it will be more than a day before the Birds’ season opening game against the Redskins….but not by much.

“We’ll have a starting quarterback named before we get our game plan in for the Redskins.”

So there’s that.

In other news to get you excited: Pads and hitting will make their debut at practice on Sunday, just in time for the first open practice for fans. Oh yeah.

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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

 

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