Things Change
Posted: December 23rd, 2020 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 13 Comments »One of the best parts of sports is getting to make judgments on teams and players. I remember the first time I saw Lane Johnson play at Oklahoma. I jotted his name down and noted that he had legit NFL potential. It’s fun to be right.
I remember watching Brandon Brooks at Miami of Ohio. He was big and athletic. Still, I had concerns. He wasn’t physically dominant, which I expected for a player of his ability playing against that level of competition. I could see potential, but the pre-draft hype seemed more based on workouts than tape. I’m happy that I was wrong in this case.
Johnson came into the NFL as a high pick and he’s performed at a high level for his entire career. Brooks didn’t start until his second year. He improved as he got more experienced, but I don’t think he became a top OG until he got to Philly.
Just because a player performs at a certain level doesn’t mean that player locks in and stays there. Johnson is special because he’s been so good for so long. Brooks developed over time. Both players will now start to decline at some point due to their age. Injuries have affected both, but they are still very good when healthy. Unfortunately that won’t last.
Things change.
Just look at Carson Wentz.
One year ago today, 12/22/2019
Carson Wentz and the Eagles hosting Dallas, on a national stage, in a win-or-go-home situation: pic.twitter.com/9Fte7zKJ3l
— Eagles Fan Problems (@EagleFanProbs) December 22, 2020
The confidence. The energy. Great throws. Making plays. That guy was the Eagles QB just 12 months ago.
For whatever reason, Wentz never got to that level this year. There were good moments and even good stretches within games, but he never played at that level for an entire game. It would be fascinating to study the situation if he played for another team. When it is your QB that has a historically bad drop in his level of play, that’s depressing.
Jalen Hurts has played well for 2.5 games, but his situation could also change. More than a few people have brought up the example of Bobby Hoying. He was drafted in 1996 and stayed on the bench as a rookie. He took over as the Eagles starting QB in the middle of 1997 and looked good for three games. The Eagles went 2-0-1. He threw for 835 yards in those games, with 6 TDs and only one pick. He even ran for 62 yards in one start. Hoyingmania took over.
You need some context to really understand that. Ron Jaworski was terrific in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Randall Cunningham took over for him and looked special until he got hurt in 1991. He was highly erratic after that. Eagles fans saw broken-down Jim McMahon do his best, but his body was a mess. Then came Bubby Brister. Gross, just gross. Rodney Peete showed a ton of heart and leadership, but limited talent. He got hurt and Ty Detmer took over. He looked great for a month, but then reality set in and he was just okay.
When Hoying took the field in 1997, Eagles fans had seen washed up or mediocre veterans for a long time. Hoying was young. He was talented and had a promising future. The team might have finally found a QB to run the show for a decade. Those three games were like a pitcher of ice cold PBR to a man walking in from the desert.
Unfortunately, they proved to be a mirage.
Hoying lost his final three starts. He accounted for 9 turnovers and only 4 TDs. Eagles fans told ourselves this was just the ups and downs of a young starter. That wasn’t the case. This was a QB heading downward for good. Hoying was ridiculously bad in 1998. He was 1-6 as a starter. He didn’t throw a single TD, but had 9 INTs. He was sacked 35 times. His QB rating was 45.6. Yikes.
Hoying wasn’t special in any way. He was propped up by a strong supporting cast and coaching staff early on. As teams got tape on him, they made adjustments and Hoying slowly fell apart. The three games were an anomaly.
Hurts was special in college. He helped Alabama win a national title in 2017. Hurts then transferred to Oklahoma and finished second in Heisman voting in 2019. He has had some special moments already in the NFL, mostly due to his mobility. He’s got a few very impressive runs and has made some terrific throws on the move. Think about the fact that Hurts first win as a starter came against the top-ranked defense in the league. I doubt many rookies can say that.
I don’t think Hurts has shown us anything that can’t be sustained, beyond the TDs on fourth down. That is somewhat of a fluke. As he progresses, hopefully the Eagles will score before fourth down. Hurts is playing well, but there aren’t a bunch of fluky, wild plays. He’s not spinning away from three tacklers and throwing a ball into traffic for a miracle catch. Hurts is executing the offense and getting the ball to open receivers. He makes plays with his legs when needed.
I don’t see Hurts falling apart this year. He showed the kind of mental and emotional toughness in college that NFL QBs would be jealous of. Hurst got benched at Bama and never complained. He didn’t transfer right away. He stayed. Hurts came off the bench in the SEC title game and led Bama to a comeback win. He then played at a high level at OU.
Oklahoma started off 7-0 in 2019. They were upset by Kansas State, 48-41. Hurts called a team meeting at the airport and told his teammates to stay focused. Their goals were still possible. They needed to focus on the next game and not dwell on the loss. OU then won the next five games, including the Big 12 title. They got into the college football playoff, where they lost to LSU.
Hurts is a gifted athlete, but he’s got the mindset of a grinder. He is a natural leader and he’s coachable. Look at this quote.
Jalen Hurts on blocking out the outside noise from fans, media, etc.: “It’s all about staying away from the rat poison.” #Eagles
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) December 23, 2020
“Rat poison” is a Nick Saban phrase for media hype and outside noise. Hurts hasn’t played for Saban in two years, but he sure as heck remembered that phrase. I’m sure Saban is proud to read that. His player listened and that’s also an important lesson. Focus on football, not outside stuff.
We’ll have to wait and see what the future holds for Hurts, both short term and long term. Barring an injury, we’ll see him for two more starts. There is a very real chance he’s going to be the starter next year.
His level of play isn’t likely to stay the same. Let’s hope it gets better and not the other option.
*****
Speaking of things changing, Brandon Graham is one of the most popular athletes in Philly. He is an Eagles lifer. He’s a Super Bowl champion. And he’s now a Pro Bowl player.
https://twitter.com/JClarkNBCS/status/1341389165901037568
This is Graham’s first Pro Bowl selection.
There was a time when Graham was hated by a lot of fans. They saw him as a huge bust. Graham had to live in the shadow of Earl Thomas, who many fans wanted the Eagles to pick back in 2010. Instead, the team went for Graham.
That looked like a bad decision for several years, mainly due to injuries and a scheme change.
Graham got hurt late in his rookie year. He only played three games the next season. He got back on the field in 2012 and seemed to be headed in the right direction. Then Chip Kelly was hired and brought in the 3-4 defense.
BG had to convert to LB and only started one game in 2013 and 2014 combined. He became a starter in 2015 and had a good year. Jim Schwartz brought the 4-3 defense back to Philly in 2016 and Graham has been the LDE ever since.
Graham hasn’t posted huge sack numbers, but he’s been a disruptive pass rusher and outstanding run defender. He’s also a terrific presence on and off the field. He has a permanent smile on his face and always brings energy to wherever he is.
It is great to see Graham now as a beloved Philly athlete. I desperately want him to get three sacks in the final two games so he can have double digits for the season. He’s never done that.
Graham is a great lesson to players, coaches, organizations and fans. Patience can be a virtue. If you have a truly talented player who is also a high character guy and they go through some struggles, stick with him as long as you can. They won’t all turn out like BG, but it is worth the wait when they do.
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[…] Things Change […]
[…] Things Change […]
[…] Things Change […]
[…] Things Change […]
[…] Things Change – Iggles BlitzHurts was special in college. He helped Alabama win a national title in 2017. Hurts then transferred to Oklahoma and finished second in Heisman voting in 2019. He has had some special moments already in the NFL, mostly due to his mobility. He’s got a few very impressive runs and has made some terrific throws on the move. Think about the fact that Hurts first win as a starter came against the top-ranked defense in the league. I doubt many rookies can say that. I don’t think Hurts has shown us anything that can’t be sustained, beyond the TDs on fourth down. That is somewhat of a fluke. As he progresses, hopefully the Eagles will score before fourth down. Hurts is playing well, but there aren’t a bunch of fluky, wild plays. He’s not spinning away from three tacklers and throwing a ball into traffic for a miracle catch. Hurts is executing the offense and getting the ball to open receivers. He makes plays with his legs when needed. […]
[…] Things Change – Iggles BlitzHurts was special in college. He helped Alabama win a national title in 2017. Hurts then transferred to Oklahoma and finished second in Heisman voting in 2019. He has had some special moments already in the NFL, mostly due to his mobility. He’s got a few very impressive runs and has made some terrific throws on the move. Think about the fact that Hurts first win as a starter came against the top-ranked defense in the league. I doubt many rookies can say that. I don’t think Hurts has shown us anything that can’t be sustained, beyond the TDs on fourth down. That is somewhat of a fluke. As he progresses, hopefully the Eagles will score before fourth down. Hurts is playing well, but there aren’t a bunch of fluky, wild plays. He’s not spinning away from three tacklers and throwing a ball into traffic for a miracle catch. Hurts is executing the offense and getting the ball to open receivers. He makes plays with his legs when needed. […]
[…] Things Change – Iggles BlitzHurts was special in college. He helped Alabama win a national title in 2017. Hurts then transferred to Oklahoma and finished second in Heisman voting in 2019. He has had some special moments already in the NFL, mostly due to his mobility. He’s got a few very impressive runs and has made some terrific throws on the move. Think about the fact that Hurts first win as a starter came against the top-ranked defense in the league. I doubt many rookies can say that. I don’t think Hurts has shown us anything that can’t be sustained, beyond the TDs on fourth down. That is somewhat of a fluke. As he progresses, hopefully the Eagles will score before fourth down. Hurts is playing well, but there aren’t a bunch of fluky, wild plays. He’s not spinning away from three tacklers and throwing a ball into traffic for a miracle catch. Hurts is executing the offense and getting the ball to open receivers. He makes plays with his legs when needed. […]
[…] Things Change – Iggles BlitzHurts was special in college. He helped Alabama win a national title in 2017. Hurts then transferred to Oklahoma and finished second in Heisman voting in 2019. He has had some special moments already in the NFL, mostly due to his mobility. He’s got a few very impressive runs and has made some terrific throws on the move. Think about the fact that Hurts first win as a starter came against the top-ranked defense in the league. I doubt many rookies can say that. I don’t think Hurts has shown us anything that can’t be sustained, beyond the TDs on fourth down. That is somewhat of a fluke. As he progresses, hopefully the Eagles will score before fourth down. Hurts is playing well, but there aren’t a bunch of fluky, wild plays. He’s not spinning away from three tacklers and throwing a ball into traffic for a miracle catch. Hurts is executing the offense and getting the ball to open receivers. He makes plays with his legs when needed. […]
[…] Things Change – Iggles BlitzHurts was special in college. He helped Alabama win a national title in 2017. Hurts then transferred to Oklahoma and finished second in Heisman voting in 2019. He has had some special moments already in the NFL, mostly due to his mobility. He’s got a few very impressive runs and has made some terrific throws on the move. Think about the fact that Hurts first win as a starter came against the top-ranked defense in the league. I doubt many rookies can say that. I don’t think Hurts has shown us anything that can’t be sustained, beyond the TDs on fourth down. That is somewhat of a fluke. As he progresses, hopefully the Eagles will score before fourth down. Hurts is playing well, but there aren’t a bunch of fluky, wild plays. He’s not spinning away from three tacklers and throwing a ball into traffic for a miracle catch. Hurts is executing the offense and getting the ball to open receivers. He makes plays with his legs when needed. […]
[…] Things Change – Iggles BlitzHurts was special in college. He helped Alabama win a national title in 2017. Hurts then transferred to Oklahoma and finished second in Heisman voting in 2019. He has had some special moments already in the NFL, mostly due to his mobility. He’s got a few very impressive runs and has made some terrific throws on the move. Think about the fact that Hurts first win as a starter came against the top-ranked defense in the league. I doubt many rookies can say that. I don’t think Hurts has shown us anything that can’t be sustained, beyond the TDs on fourth down. That is somewhat of a fluke. As he progresses, hopefully the Eagles will score before fourth down. Hurts is playing well, but there aren’t a bunch of fluky, wild plays. He’s not spinning away from three tacklers and throwing a ball into traffic for a miracle catch. Hurts is executing the offense and getting the ball to open receivers. He makes plays with his legs when needed. […]
[…] Things Change – Iggles BlitzHurts was special in college. He helped Alabama win a national title in 2017. Hurts then transferred to Oklahoma and finished second in Heisman voting in 2019. He has had some special moments already in the NFL, mostly due to his mobility. He’s got a few very impressive runs and has made some terrific throws on the move. Think about the fact that Hurts first win as a starter came against the top-ranked defense in the league. I doubt many rookies can say that. I don’t think Hurts has shown us anything that can’t be sustained, beyond the TDs on fourth down. That is somewhat of a fluke. As he progresses, hopefully the Eagles will score before fourth down. Hurts is playing well, but there aren’t a bunch of fluky, wild plays. He’s not spinning away from three tacklers and throwing a ball into traffic for a miracle catch. Hurts is executing the offense and getting the ball to open receivers. He makes plays with his legs when needed. […]
[…] Things Change – Iggles BlitzHurts was special in college. He helped Alabama win a national title in 2017. Hurts then transferred to Oklahoma and finished second in Heisman voting in 2019. He has had some special moments already in the NFL, mostly due to his mobility. He’s got a few very impressive runs and has made some terrific throws on the move. Think about the fact that Hurts first win as a starter came against the top-ranked defense in the league. I doubt many rookies can say that. I don’t think Hurts has shown us anything that can’t be sustained, beyond the TDs on fourth down. That is somewhat of a fluke. As he progresses, hopefully the Eagles will score before fourth down. Hurts is playing well, but there aren’t a bunch of fluky, wild plays. He’s not spinning away from three tacklers and throwing a ball into traffic for a miracle catch. Hurts is executing the offense and getting the ball to open receivers. He makes plays with his legs when needed. […]
[…] Things Change – Iggles BlitzHurts was special in college. He helped Alabama win a national title in 2017. Hurts then transferred to Oklahoma and finished second in Heisman voting in 2019. He has had some special moments already in the NFL, mostly due to his mobility. He’s got a few very impressive runs and has made some terrific throws on the move. Think about the fact that Hurts first win as a starter came against the top-ranked defense in the league. I doubt many rookies can say that. I don’t think Hurts has shown us anything that can’t be sustained, beyond the TDs on fourth down. That is somewhat of a fluke. As he progresses, hopefully the Eagles will score before fourth down. Hurts is playing well, but there aren’t a bunch of fluky, wild plays. He’s not spinning away from three tacklers and throwing a ball into traffic for a miracle catch. Hurts is executing the offense and getting the ball to open receivers. He makes plays with his legs when needed. […]