The Philadelphia story " who didn't see this coming "

The Philadelphia story " who didn't see this coming "

A 1 & 3 start, coaches taking the blame for team's bad play, and players calling each other out to man up. And that folks give you the Philadelphia story. Now I ask you, " who didn't see this coming "? After in my opinion making the biggest free agency haul in NFL history And having fans and media putting them in the NFC championship game and the super bowl with all the moves they made; the Eagles have started the season by falling flat on their faces.

The Eagles had a 50-50 chance at best putting theses peaces in place with little time to prepare for the season due to the lockout. And now that we see the defenses around the league being the side of the ball most affected by the lockout, Andy Reid and his Eagle's team are left now answering question on why it is not working out for their dream team. With football being all about timing and chemistry and needing time to put the two element together, I ask my question again " who didn't see this coming "?

The biggest obstacle the Eagles faced going into the 2011 season was how were they going to make theses parts fit without destroying the team chemistry they'ed built with Mike Vick's coming back party of 2010. That bring me to timing which in the case of of pro football is everything. While the Eagles as everyone knows did pick up some very talented players to fill some holes on defense, as we now see theses guys needed more than 5 weeks to get their timing together. Your asking players who have been playing in other teams system's for a few seasons to come in with limited time to practice; your also asking them to work with a rookie defensive coordinator who has never coached the defensive side of the ball in his NFL career. ( " who didn't see this coming "? )

An NFL season ( 16 games ) give teams very little room for mistakes, and this season in particular because of the lockout has magnify defensive shortcomings with all 32 teams in the NFL. But unlike the other 31 defenses in the NFL, the Eagles put the self proclaim dream team tag on themselves and with that a huge target on their backs for everyone in the football world to see. Now a quarter of the way into the season the Eagles find themselves in last place in the NFC east looking up at the Redskins and Giants with the pressure mounting to right their ship before it sinks. Eagles fans will find out in the second quarter of the season ( games with the Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, bye week, Dallas Cowboys, and the Chicago Bears ) what 200 million dollars buys you, as of today it's last place.

Brought to by: AJ Jones from Cambridge
"Let's Talk Football" Visit- www.ajstakeontheNFL.blogspot.com

Has there's ever been a better time to play quarterback in the NFL?

Has there's ever been a better time to play quarterback in the NFL?
( is the game to one-sided? )

With NFL quarterbacks putting up passing numbers at a record pace this season, one has to wonder why on earth anyone on the offensive side of the ball would have anything to say about QB protection. There has been much debate this season on if the quarterbacks in the NFL are being over protected by the league and my answer is an inflated YES!!!

After Michael Vick's post game rant of a need for more protection by ref's against late hits, the debate heated up between media members as well as fans. In my opinion, there's is no better position to play at this time than NFL quarterback. With all the rule changes lately in the NFL siding toward the offensive side of the ball, there is no wonder why even average QB 's in the league are lighting up defenses with record numbers.

Not even can you not hit a quarterback legally, DB's can't put big hits on Receivers to separate them from the ball anymore. Talk about making the game one sided. Defenses in the NFL are clearly behind the eight ball this season trying to defend offenses without the ability of actually playing defense. Football is all about hitting and intimidation, so without hitting there is no intimidating which is not football.

So let me know what you think. Is NFL football becoming to offensive? Great Time To Be A Quarterback!!

Brought to by: AJ Jones from Cambridge
"Let's Talk Football" Visit- www.ajstakeontheNFL.blogspot.com

Has Andy Reid tied his-self to the right guy?

Has Andy Reid tied his-self to the right guy?
( Is Mike Vick a Super Bowl QB? )

The Minnesota Vikings did it, the Washington Redskins did it, and now Andy Reid and the Philadelphia Eagles are doing it. It cost Brad Childress his job, it cost Mike Shanahan a ton of respect, and now it has put Eagle's coach Andy Reid in the unenvious position of having a very big part of his coaching legacy tied to a quarterback choice. Brad Childress tied his-self to two time Super Bowl quarterback Brett Favre. The Vikings got one year of production out of Brett ( just missed going to a Super Bowl ) then went to the well one to many times with Brett and Childress go's down with his quarterback.

You might think Mike Shanahan would get a pass ( because of his two Super Bowl wins with John Elway ) but I say not so fast. Shanahan was in a prime position to veto a trade for Donavan Mcnabb, but signed off on the trade and tied his-self to Mcnabb. The 2010 season turn out to be a total nightmare for not only the Redskins, but maybe one of the most embarrassing moments in Mcnabb's great football career. His coach not only called him lazy, but also dumb. One would think before this trade would be made coach and his quarterback should have sat down and talk about the offense his new QB was going to run. And if this was all Owner Dan Syner's idea to bring in Mcnabb, than Mike Shanahan is not as smart as people think he is.

Now in my opinion Eagles coach Andy Reid has the biggest and brightest spotlight on him in this coach-quarterback situation, because of the way it came to be. I mention the Redskins in this blog because it was Andy Reid who traded Mcnabb to Washington to make room for his quarterback of the future Kevin Kolb. After trading Mcnabb coach Reid came out and all but gave the starting quarterback job to Klob knowing he had Mike Vick on his roster. There was no talk of a battle at the QB position to see who the starting quarterback would be. Andy Reid tied his-self to Kevin Klob though-out the hold off season and training camp and even the preseason football games. Now bad things happen to good guys, for Kevin Klobit was the Green Bay Packers. One hit by Packer's pro bowl linebacker Clay Matthew turn a dream of being a starting QB in the NFL for Klob, into a season of you've got to be kidding me for the young QB.

I want to state Mike Vick did nothing wrong, he was the right guy in the right place. He work his tail off to get back into the NFL and with the help of former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy show Rodger Goodell and the Eagles he indeed had reformed himself and deserved another opportunity to play in the NFL. Mike Vick had a great season in 2010 ( made the pro bowl ) but this is about a coach tiring his-self to the right quarterback for his team. I'm not in Andy Reid head, but you have to wonder how a guy go's from being his QB of the future to trade bait that a minimum of 5 teams in the league wants as their guy. I can't figure out how a team can invest a second round draft pick for a pretty highly touted college QB, groom him for three years give him the keys to the car and than take them away after one game.

Coach Andy Reid has put his-self in a tough position, this quarterback-coach situation has to have a happy ending. Because with the immanence departure of Kevin Klob and his tie-ing his-self to Mike Vick this has to work. If Kevin Klob take his new team to the NFC playoffs or may I say to many playoff games over the next few seasons; the Reid-Vick combination needs to have at least one or two real shots at going to the Super Bowl in order to keep Eagles fans who already think Reid been there to long happy. Or Andy Reid will go down with a long list of coaches who tried theirselves to the wrong guy.

Brought to by: AJ Jones from Cambridge
"Let's Talk Football" Visit- www.ajstakeontheNFL.blogspot.com