Back to Practice Talk
Posted: July 31st, 2013 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 73 Comments »I’m done with talking about Riley Cooper for now. He spoke to his teammates. They forgave him, from what we can tell. We’ll need some time to really place this story in context. I don’t feel the need to obsess on every detail. I’d rather discuss actual football. If you don’t want an update on the Cooper situation, here is Sheil Kapadia’s latest piece.
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We have a new source for practice notes today…Eric Galko of Optimum Scouting. He shared this info on Twitter.
Ertz played a lot of “X” WR, as well as inline Y and some slot. Seems to be confident and catching on route-wise quickly. Subtle leader too
Polk had another really nice day. Showed vision through hole, 2nd gear, routes very well.
Formation today: Ertz at X, Celek/Casey in slot. Harbor/Casey at FB/HB. Same side. Loads of read-option and pattern combo options.
How’s Damaris Johnson looking at WR? Not bad in slot, well enough to get quick sep. R.Shepard playing better tho.
(Damion Square) Quickest of NTs at practice off ball. Gave Cs most trouble in run drills.
if you had to name starting qb today, who would be? From today’s practice alone: Vick. Foles missed too many reads/throws.
The no-draft rookie OT Michael Bamiro is raw, especially with hand positioning, but is certainly holding his own.Could be #2 RT soon
do you see Russ shep making an impact this year? Got work at Z today. Caught RZ TD. Next guy up if DJax goes down.
Barkley had few 3 step drop vertical throws flutter. Hasnt been great downfield. But showed touch in RZ, very efficient in curl/flat
Knott hasn’t been anything much in team/7v7 coverage…Sims got work with 1s, solid, but a few wrong steps…Poyer pretty ehh.
Eric certainly had some interesting things to say. He raved about Zach Ertz in another tweet and seems to think Russell Shepard is outplaying Damaris Johnson. Bamiro as the #2 RT ahead of Dennis Kelly?
I can’t vouch for Eric as a good source of Training Camp info. I’ve read some of his draft stuff in the past. This is my first chance to read his TC stuff. At the very least, this is a fresh opinion and definitely worth taking into consideration as we think about which players are going to make the team and how they’ll fit in.
It sounds like Eric may be at camp again tomorrow. Give him a follow to get more info.
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Here is Jimmy Bama’s take on Wednesday. He gave today’s QB edge to Vick. And he’s got some good hitting info.
• The Eagles have practiced in pads already, but they did some legitimate hitting for the first time today. Here’s some video of that. During those drills, Connor Barwin absolutely destroyed Brent Celek. Bearcat on Bearcat crime. Celek needed help getting up, and was holding his shoulder. He had to leave the field for a bit, but returned to practice. Celek is a tough dude.
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Sheil Kapadia posted some really good practice notes.
1:36 – One-on-one blocking drills. My favorite drill at training camp.
Zach Ertz has problems with Chris McCoy. Then it’s Trent Cole’s turn. McGovern doesn’t like what he sees at first and makes Cole go again. The second time around, he absolutely housesJames Casey. A straight bull-rush. I have no idea how Casey is still standing.
Ertz is up again. He has trouble with Everette Brown and unstraps his helmet in frustration. Tight ends coach Ted Williams tries to calm him down.
The rookie gets one final shot and shows improvement, earning a pat on the back from Celek.
Football’s a funny game. The players just spent about six minutes trying to violently knock each other over. Now it’s all fist-pounds and bro-hugs as the drill comes to an end.
One more note: None of the tight ends could handle Cole. We’ll see what the position change means for him in terms of matchups. But he’s gotta love getting a one-on-one shot at tight ends here instead of left tackles.
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Here is Zach Berman’s take on today’s QB play.
And Jeff McLane did say on Twitter that he thought Vick was better today.
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PE.com posted practice notes. Apparently Ernest Hemingway is now writing for them.
- Foles’ best pass of the day sublimely accentuated his feel for timing and accuracy. He lofted a beautiful touch pass over David Sims’ fingertips and in between a converging Mychal Kendricks and Earl Wolff to Jason Avant, who double-caught the ball but managed to tap both feet inbounds at the back of the end zone.
Sublimely accentuated? Who got the dictionary for Christmas?
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Last but not least (that’s what I tell him anyway), Brandon Lee Gowton of BGN.
• Brandon Boykin continues to have an amazing camp. He’s constantly all over the field breaking up passes. Per unofficial Eagles training camp rules, it’s 50 pushups for a defensive player if they break up the pass but don’t intercept it. So you can imagine that Boykin has been doing quite a few pushups. And that’s something to be excited about.
I hate to be critical, but it would help to know if he sublimely accentuated his ball skills by making a particular PBU today.
Hack.
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I was really surprised by the Square comment, but I can see the potential there if we went with a Wade Phillips like scheme (3-4 1 gap or the more accurate name 5-2).
I wonder about the Square comment. He’s 20 to 30 pounds lighter than the other NTs. That should make him easily quicker. Is that what we’re looking for, though?
Yea, I wondered about it too. By all accounts Kelly have said that we are moving towards a 3-4 2 gap (nobody does a true version of this), so a guy like Square is not really the proto type at NT in such a scheme.
Thats why I wondered if we might land at the Phillips 5-2 scheme.
I don’t think he said we are moving towards a 3-4 two-gap, not exactly. He said we were moving towards a 3-4. He never specified exactly what kind of 3-4. I think he wants that sweet spot where the guys up front can play either one or two gaps effectively and they can show that many more looks. But that isn’t going to happen overnight.
I still have a hard time believing the eventual 3-4 talk…It really doesn’t make much sense to me. Everything Chip stands for his common sense, versatility, playing to the strength of personel…well it would be an absolute Traves
Ran into this a couple of times in high school. When you consistently face 200 plus pound DT’s and then every now and then you would run into a team that didn’t have much size so they throw a 160lbs wrestler type out there to shoot gaps and crab around the line. Takes some time to adjust to the speed. However after a few drives you get the hang of it, and can make them pay. Granted slightly different but I would expect this more of a situation of Square just being a bit of a curveball for the interior linemen that they just need a few days to adjust to.
Wow, a Square curveball sounds pretty tough to handle.
What you are saying makes sense, and makes it sound like there is a risk to having him take over full time in case of an injury. On the other hand, mixing him in to give the starter a rest might preserve that change of pace effect.
Having a quicker guy can work in a 2 gap scheme though. The Steelers have McClendon listed as their #1 NT and he’s about 280 I believe. Big change from the mammoth Casey Hampton.
it’s definitely not the norm though.
thats a lot of push ups. for a small guy he does have big arms tho lol..
I think that it’s great that Polk is stepping up. It will really help all the runners stay fresh without losing production with either RB. I really want to see this offense play. I can’t wait to see a run after run and a chess match between Chip and DC’s. Safeties back, bubble screen and runs down throat. Press Coverage, and Desean will run a deep route and burn corners. 5 DBS? Ertz, Casey, Celek will make em pay. So many combinations. I really hope the winner of the QB can just get the ball in Playmakers hands without turning the ball over. Thats why I believe Foles will beat out Vick.
In terms of pure talent, the Eagles really have some of the best at the RB position.
Can’t put my finger on it, but for past couple days feel Vick will get nod. I’ve wanted Foles since mid of last season.
If Vick does get nod, hopefully new system takes pressure off, and he can just be the “point guard.” Maybe this sytem will suit him well. Gotta think if he holds ball too long or tries for too many big plays, Chippah will bench him.
I think What we are seeing rights means very little and that the test will be how we move the ball against the Patriots who aren’t used to our offense, and how we perform in the preseason
That Brandon Lee Gowton is a true hack if there ever was one. Don’t share any of those PBR’s with him until he learns not to half @$$ it. Btw Marcus called he wants a shipment by tomorrow, Mike cut his allowance off for the next week. Poor Marcus, he’s just misunderstood and why can’t people understand that he was hacked. 🙁
Marcus and I will one day drink beer and eat fast food together. His wisdom will rain down upon me like honey mustard on chicken tenders.
Or not.
His wisdom could but sublimely accentuate your own.
I sometimes think Marcus Vick, must be Mick Vick’s his alter ego or his fake trolling account and then I realize that it is just his brother.
I think he looks just like Mike but has an evil-looking mustache. And strangely, they’re never seen in the room together. I’m I’m not mistaken, Marcus never got any reps at VT until Mike left…
One of my closest friends, I swear you people can not fathom just how identical he looks to Mike Vick…you seriously can’t even go out with him because everyone stops to ask….It’s the craziest thing I ever witnessed
More likely, his wisdom will rain down in the form of the dreaded “Boeing Bomb” ala Joe Dirt. I only pray that you sir while towing it to Silvertown in your Radio Flyer, have the good sense to not eat your nuggets & honey mustard off the thing 🙂
UNLESS, that Brandy? Was it? Girl was hand feeding them to you. Then it’s an automatic pass. Heck, in my world it’d be an obligation/privilege 🙂
Not surprised Ertz is getting a lot of reps at the X.
Celek better stop dropping them balls..
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Love the attitude Barwin has brought to the OLBs “Rule #1: wood not allow TEs to block us”….Heard Cole looks unblock able rushing against TEs
Actually this helps Celek’s case, sort of… if Ertz is at the X and Casey as at the F, that leaves the Y to Celek. He has virtually no competition for that spot if Ertz is at the X.
YEah, but Ertz will still probably compete with Celek in single TE sets…although Celek would probably still enjoy a blocking advantage
subliminally accentuated is word salad from someone who can’t write.
Sublimely
and unconscionably.
Nah, I heard the back story on the phrase. All good. I just like to be a smart ass and poke fun that the different sources I use for practice notes.
I think you misread the coverage on that one.
Don’t sweat it, it is easy to get fooled when you see a new look for the first time.
So… does “housed him” = “owned him” or does it mean steamrolled him?
I think you can find all those words listed in the same area of your friendly phillyeighborhood thesaurus
Easy on the Vick stuff from practice. There isn’t a pass rush yet. Real game action will show the real Mike Vick soon.
Practice against the Pats will be important…Kelly gets to see who can run this offense against the defense that hasn’t been seeing there plays every single day
I had to take a timeout yesterday because I was so disgusted by the Riley Cooper Talk. Props to Mike Vick for how he is trying to handle it. I feel bad that he always has to address his retarded brothers comments….Personally I believe people should be secure to never allow a certain arrangements of letters hurt them, but I was disgusted because I knew the crap storm that it would bring to the team…Props to the players who handled a terrible situation with class…
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back to football we go….
GEagle, @ the risk of drawing the great Lawlors ire, I will only say this, I was so disgusted it was still the !St thing I thought of this am. I agree Mike handled EXTREMELY well. The thought that keeps gnawing at me is these guys are always talking of “going to war together” well, I was in ACTUAL combat for @ straight years & some of the very best men that served with me & had my back were, forget even putting them in a category, they are just MEN. Color meant NOTHING. Ihave ZERO tolerance for this b.s. I know we need receivers. But if this was my call, he’d already be on a plane out! Maybe Andy would take him back. Every time I see him or have to watch games with my buddies who have REALLY legit reason to take issue with this CHUMP (enough said) I’m going to feel embarrassed
I hear you man. There really is no place for it in civil society, and as soon as my eyes opened this morning I rushed to log on to read the latest development…and we shouldn’t have to be thinking about crap like this in training….I feel bad that Mike has to always answer for Marcus. Mike is just a class act, I have so much respect for that man(and it’s rare I get to sy that about a felon)…This is No ones fault but Riley’s. You really have to eliminate that word fm your vocabular completely, becaus as a public figure, if you use it behind closed doors, you are certain to mis speak at some point and it’s going to come out…Better off getting your self used to not using that word at all….it’s just not worth it.
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Like I said, no one is to blame but Riley, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little irked by the fan that decided to release the video. There is probably a better chance that it was a white person who captured the video at a Chesney concert…why wait til training camp to release it? You couldn’t have released this in June, or just destroyed the video? Heck, I would rather you blackmail Riley for Money, then to release this video lol…
Just as concerning, is why a Philadelphia Eagle is trying to fight, on the clock security guards?
Oh GEagle. Can’t even begin to explain how much I appreciate that you cracked me the hell on a morning I arose ornery as all get out! 🙂 blackmail, PRICELESS! I also agree with you in all the points you brought up. I hadn’t even had time to get angry yet about Marcus lol. I will submit this thought on him for your consideration: I cannot be certain what thing or circumstances cause him to sound like a horses ass every time I’ve heard him “weigh in” on a topic but I’m thinking all his electronic devices need an attached breathalyzer (including microphones I.M.O.) as well as before any statement he should have to demonstrate that his IQ is higher than his shoe size. On that front, I say it’s 6 to 5 and pick em?? Lastly, I’ve made it no secret that I am pulling for Files in this QB battle, but it’s absolutely fact that Mike handled this with absolute class so kudos to him for that.
Lol…Im not even sure he deserves the breathalyzer . Some people should have to pay fines in terms of: You are banned from twitter for 3 months, or your computer screen and keyboard shall be revoked for one year for repeated offenders(sort of like the steroid era in baseball)..Its gotta be embarressing to be fighting for your nfl starter life and have to address a Jack ass grown man of a younger brother. gotta give Vick his due…..Yeah I been team Foles for a whole, but Vick is one of us and deserves credit when it’s due..
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Let’s hope Eagles players can quickly forgive and we can get back to the coming together as a team…This is when we need our African American leaders to step up and set an example..Really hoping Avant, Jason Peters, Cole, Demeco, Sopoaga, Desean, step up and take a leadership role and start the healing process…There are a lot of new faces to this team that don’t know Riley that well. I don’t imagine a feisty guy like Cary Williams took this news well. Hopefully we have leaders equipped to handle this….as dumb as Riley is, the dude was practically in tears over Maclin tearing his ACL. A black man, just got hurt, opening up the opportunity of a lifetime for Cooper, and Cooper was in tears for his fallen brother. I don’t think Riley is a bad guy, just dumb alcoholic moment. Hoping it’s a long time before the Eagles ever have to deal with something like this again,,,
I hate to be discussing this again today, but I purposely avoided it yesterday because I thought this was one of those situations were its wiser to take a time out, sleep on it, and adress it calmly the next day
GEagle, I honestly think the breathalyzer could be rendered moot anyway if Marcus would just willingly submit to proving his IQ is indeed higher than his shoe size. I’d throw down a G on the footwear lol. If proven true, I say a lifetime media blackout would be sufficient. Again, thanks for cheering me up this Iggles AM my man……. 🙂
Slight amendment, I truly do want the best man for our team to win the QB battle regardless of whatever surname is stitched on his jersey. I just root for Nick. I don’t think I could handle another season of Vick’s style of “hold the ball like it’s money & worse all the belly flop fumbles that he refers to as “slides”. To me they are the equivalent of being the worm burners far more evil & dangerous cousin lol
Don’t need to appologize to me, I honestly just don’t enjoy watching Vick play the position. heck even as a kid, I didn’t play Madden the way Vick plays the position. I don’t like, and I honestly don’t find it enjoyable. I don’t get the least bit excited any more at his spectacular jaw dropping plays because I know there is a good chance there is a costly, boneheaded mistake right around the corner…I was born in 1982..
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This means, all I know since being an eagles fan are these mobile QBs who constantly broke my heart. I’m like a scorned Jilted lover at this point(great piece of American writing for those that don’t get the cultural reference, sorry I felt like acting snobby and regurgitating some crap I’m not even sure why I know lol)…After 31years of this style of play, is it too much to ask for that we try something different, and find a Big Immobile, smart QB who will just sit back in the pocket and chuck it accurately all day? I don’t know if it’s going to be Foles or not..I think he has a chance at developing..
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It’s important that Kelly prove his word in the locker room, and play the players who perform the best. do as bad as I want never to see Vick play again, if he plays better than Foles…he simply has to start. my desir to see what Foles can do, is less important than Chip keeping his credibility with his players…so if Mike wins, nothing to do put root like a wild man and waive the Vick banner for another season…but I’m really enjoying this HOPE of not seeing Vick that the offseason provides.
Tom: Any chance Bamiro or Dennis can turn into LTs? I would say NO to Dennis, but I have no clue how athletic Bamiro is, or isn’t
I love reading up on all the Training Camp notes, but I hate when national media guys show up. They’re there for 1 or 2 days and if a guy has one crappy practice, that player is suddenly terrible and in danger of being passed on the depth chart. I appreciate the information, but it never seems quite as accurate.
Yeah, I would probably just prefer they stay away completely. eagles will never be starved for publicity or in need of extra publicity, so there is t much to even gain by having them around..
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Btw, Holy crap we play a preseason game in 8 days!!!!!!
One thing about Cole… We often discussed the risk of the switch to OLB for him because of covering issues. But as mentioned in the article, we tend to forget that, as a pass-rusher, he will face lower opposition (TE vs LT)… And the Predator is asked to cover only on 10% of the snaps.
Could we see the switch to OLB as a big opportunity for Cole to reborn as a great pass-rusher? It’s what he seems to become when I read TC reports.
I been taking a lot of slack for my “Rosey optimism” regarding the front seven, but I think people are in for a pleasant surprise.
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the size of our front is No Joke. Every starter is 310 plus lbs. i dont care what anyone reports, our coaches keep saying the defense will be tailored to its players, so in 2013 Im expecting a 4-3U, util proved otherwise…and having Cox and the Predator Cole/Graham on the weakside could prove very difficult to block. Its tough to know right now how much Cox will develope this year, but I have no concerns about the ability of Cole or Graham to rush from the predator spot and abuse TE’s..Theweakside pass rush has potential to be ferocious, and on the strong side you have Barwin, who was a heckuva “Robin” to JJ’s “Batman”..If BARWIN isn’t getting the sack, he sure makes his presence felt, changing the path of a QB, often running him into the arms of another defender…Cedrick Thorton is an important X factor, who has potential to become a solid Darwin Walker type..
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soap won’t show up on the Stat sheet, but man he is strong, and should really help Kendrick’s and Meco stay clean and make plays.
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Who cares about Cole or Graham being able to drop, when you have two starters very capable of it? BARWIN and Kendricks
Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t see how Cole is going to be facing primarily TEs. If Cole is lined up on the same side as Cox (3Tech) then Cox is looking for a one on one matchup with the Guard. Doesn’t that leave Cole to rush against the RT? Now I get that if Cole is lined up on the stong side then Cox will face a double team, and Cole would be matched up solely on the TE. That has block 1 mississippi, 2 mississippi, release written all over it. I hope our safeties can come up and tackle.
No, Cole will mostly be facing OTs in that scenario, taking a similar angle as the wide 9…Unless the offense is in 2TE sets with one on each side of the LOS, and the guard is struggling with Cox and needs help from the Tackle(tough for the Center to help out on Cox because he has Soap or someone big in the gap, and the opposing guard has to deal with Meco Ryan….so you are right, but I also expect there will be times when the backup between Cole and Graham, rotate in for BARWIN, and that’s when they get to be a primary Menace to TEs..
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I’m so excited for all the defensive disguise, amoeba fronts, confusing we cause…Our returning pass rushers will feel like night and day compared to last year when we were so darn Vanilla that every opposing QB knew exactly what every single one of our defenders were doing on any given play. You have to be an Elite Technition, and supreme physical and talent advantages to play good defense if the other team knows exactly what you are doing…I don’t think we really know what our guys could do because of the mess that Juan created
O ok, I can honestly say for some reason I never imagined Barwin on the sidelin with both Cole and Graham on the field. I think my brain unconsciously blocked that scenario for fear that may leave one of them matched up aainst Vernon Davis (Shutter). I guess it’s a good thing we really don’t have any regular season games where we have to matchup against one of the top tier TEs in the league.
Kendricks is what will allow that scenario !! he has no traditional TE responsibility in this scheme, but last year was the first time the kid ever even played man defense, it’s scary to think how well he did, considering…doubt our coaching staff will waste a strength of his, just because it’s not his traditional role in this scheme…When BARWIN isn’t on the TE, I expect the coaches to figure out a way to put Kendricks on him…Of course you can always use a Safety
I can see that. Still, I hope we make some upgrades next offseason and find players who are better fit to play OLB. I am not down on this D as much as others. I just worry about our safeties, OLBs (in coverage) and depth. I think the worst of my fears is definitely depth. That being sadi, I commend Howie for being able to plug so many holes this offseason and he as much as anyone gives me confidence going forward.
So true…Depth is a major issue because we know all too well that guys go down. hopefully we have an unexpected Cedrick Thorton type who will emerge as a rotation guy out of nowhere like Thorton was able to do last year. lack of depth is scary, but Howie certainly deserves to be applauded for the overhaul…We all knew at minimum it would be a two offseason job for Howie, and phase 1, IMO was lights out..I’m happy with the meat and potatoes, we just need young guys that we draft to develope and emerge into those game breakers that will take our Defense to the next level…We already drafted some guys who could grow into that role, but it’s not a certainty(this year should be telling)….When we were doing our Mock offseason roster predictions, I doubt anyone had this secondary in their dream scenarios…Best case scenario are they are young guys who become better then we think, and the Sum is greater then the individual parts(that will require a cohesive accountable group that actually like each other lol)….Worst case scenario these guys become the eventual secondary depth players, and better guys are drafted and developed to make up the starting secondary….We took risks in the secondary on adding young players who aren’t yet finished products, either because of young age, or lack of significant game time. law of averages say 1 or two will develope into quality starers, but the guys that don’t can still help..
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take a guy like Chung. no one Rants and Raves about having Chung as your starting safety…But if he was your backup, and ST Ace, that’s exciting!! he also is a team guy who won’t make a stink about being benched!
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if someone better than Fletcher emerges, he has the ability to move into the Nickle. he also already was benched and proved to remain a good teammate, who came in and played when called upon.
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We aren’t there yet as a defense, but no one should really expect us to be…So considering Rome wasn’t built in a day, there is much to be excited about the diction of this defense. I’m excited because of my realistic expectations..not because I expect some Gang Green killer Defense in 2013
heck, I’m just happy to see multiple dudes that weigh over 300lbs lol, Andy taught me to appreciate the simple things in life
Speaking of simple things, how about the fact that I actually expect to see good things out of our first couple of picks from 2012 (Cox Kendrick, Boykin, and a dash of Curry). This is completely different when compared to how I just wanted Jarrett and Watkins to be credible enough to make the roster and not be a complete waste. I do think we have some young talent and I think more importantly the mindset will be different. We will have a coach who knows defense and players who will at least try to hit because they are either young and eager old know they aren’t elite talents and make up for it with effort.
So the definition of a tough dude is – miss the ball and get lit up? I must have the wrong dictionary. That article says there’s hitting and video proof. You go to the video and it’s a drill. Disappointing.
Vick had a better day than Foles. Vick didn’t exactly have a good day(according to notes). Vick runs the zone read and would have gotten flattened by Cox. I’m still not sure Vick is smart enough to run this offense, specifically the zone reads. Vick seems to think(as history shows) HE has to make the play and that’s just not true.
Fletcher covered Jackson? On paper, that should be a huge mis-match. Good sign for Fletcher I guess.
All good stuff. Love these practice notes….
There is no point in ever gawking over Vicks great plays. that’s not the issue with him, it’s the costly mental errors that repeatedly kill drives, leave points on the field and put the defense in a bad position….I have No interest in if Vick is making more plays then Foles. my Concern is that he makes less Bad plays than Foles….The skill players and RBs should be enough to where the QB doesn’t have to be spectacular. know where the mismatch is, read the defense correctly, take the defined throw our brilliant coach creates for you, deliver an intermediate pass in stride so a playmaker can YAC away at a defense…Take care of the ball and the points will come…
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So I guess for me I’m not so much concerned with who wins the job…I’m concerned with who doesn’t lose it!!!!
Everything you’ve said about Vick is what sticks in my head. No matter what he does in the pre-season. Once the season starts…I’m expecting the same ol’ Vick.
Is that really fair? He’s in a new scheme with a supossed good O line? Sure he will make some of the same mistakes, but do you not think that having a scheme that will run the ball more will help?
It’s more than fair. History repeats itself. Vick is no 24 yr where he’s going to learn. Vick will still make the poor decisions at the wrong time. Every QB makes mistakes. It’s when you make those mistakes. Even with a bad line last year, Eagles moved the ball … until Vick found a way…
Hey Tommy you might want to talk to Bama about his Foles bias and how it’s becoming more noticeable by fans. I get he’s reluctant to buy into Vick, but saying things like “I don’t think I need to see Foles improve anywhere” on the podcast, then making up excuses for Foles in his new blog are starting to make him a not so objective source of information.
RE: the podcast
I think I caught Jimmy off-guard with the question. Clearly Foles has plenty to work on.
I would be ok with that reasoning if you didn’t say beforehand that you were going to go through what all three QBs need to show. Then you started with Vick and what he had to work on. You both had plenty to say (there’s plenty to be said). Yet when Foles came up next, Jimmy started to sound as if Foles was a finished product with nothing left to work on until you brought up the obvious of just being able to get the ball down field. I’m not trying to bash him. I am a big fan of you both, but he has been coming off quite bias as of late, and it’s making me question if he is really an objective source when it comes to the QB competition.
I don’t think bias means what Jimmy’s critics think it means.
First, pointing out that Foles threw an embarrassing pick is not favoring him.
Second, the fact that he gave context to why it MIGHT have happened is not bias or excusing it – it is providing context. Context is a nice thing to have and shouldn’t be assumed to be insincere just because it goes against your preconceived world-view.
Third, even given all that, my first reaction to Jimmy’s “excuse” was that it was a bad read on the option route by Foles – defenders were in the area, so presumably the receiver made the right read (maybe not, but that’s at least as plausible as the opposite conclusion, and in my mind, the more likely explanation). Given that Foles’s strength is supposedly his ability to read the defense better than Vick, this is definitely something to watch, as he should (but not won’t necessarily) improve on this. If he doesn’t, he won’t be winning the job.
I am not just referring to this particular article. I wouldn’t fault any blogger for one article, which as you pointed out could be seen either way. The fact is he has made excuses for Foles numerous times while faulting Vick for the same thing. If you’re going to bring up context, be fair. He is quick to bring up how Vick threw a horrible TD pass, but said Foles threw a gorgeous bomb to Jackson, which I later saw on Birds 24/7 was a poorly thrown near pick that DeSean made a great play on. This is what I mean by him having a bias. I could cite other examples, but I think you get my point and can see I do in fact know what the word means.
This is the first time since 1999 where I’m literally expecting a bad team. Vick is the front runner at QB? No name guys on both sides of the ball battling for starter spots or spots in the slot? Transition for a 3-4 or whatever we’re doing? This season just has 6 wins written on it.
Very plausible…then again, I wouldn’t completely rule out a pleasant surprise either. the good thing about a young roster is it improves from year to year with good coaching..also last year, the environment was so dysfunctional, the coaching was pathetically predictable, not a single player was close to being put in the best position to succeed..so it is possible that we don’t even know how good our own guys can be at this point..
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Also, it gets difficult for an offense to practice against its own defense day in and day out. it’s a big time advantage for the defense(which does get balanced out by them not being allowed to hit)..But it is possible that opposing teams who only have a week to prepare for chips scheme, and pace could struggle against us…especially in year 1 when there is no book on chip Kelly yet…Being in better shape then your opponent will win you some close games….Of course, how bad can we really be with that Oline and Shady running behind it? Last time Shady and Jason Peters were on a field together, they were one of the nastiest forces in the NFL…If the 5 Hogs and Shady stay healthy, we are a Problem for anyone!! Being in better shape, plus a punishing dose of ground attack, makes you the much fresher 2nd half team..If we can avoid playing from behind, we have a chance to win some close games.
6 wins, with the ship pointing in the right direction? No issues from me. That’s tons better than what AR did to the team….
No one was expecting a 4-12 last year, still we had to watch that. On the switch from 4-3 to 3-4, the Texans did that during the Hold-out offseason, and the defense became great in a few games. I don’t say we will be great, but the last two or three seasons, many fans were expecting SB and we got nothing. Maybe this year, we can start to not expect the sky and be happy with the wins we obtain…
I think you have your history wrong. The Texans switched to the 3-4 and were one of the worst defenses in the league. They got REALLY good when they hired Wade Phillips. They also have a LOT of talent on that defense, unlike the Eagles..
A Clay Harbor spotting! Galko is the first person to mention him so far…