When Kevin Kolb takes the field on opening day, he will be well prepared by the coaching staff and will have a strong supporting cast.
The luxury of having three full seasons to learn the Eagles system, together with a set of strong offensive weapons at his disposal will make Kolb’s life a lot easier. Assuming the Eagles come up with a fix for the offensive line, Kolb will have the best supporting cast, at least on offense, of any first time starter in memory.
The biggest challenge for Kolb will be reading NFL defenses at game speed, and avoiding costly interceptions. Kolb threw 7 interceptions in his limited playing time in 2008 and 2009. In his two starts last season, Kolb threw 3 interceptions (all in the blow out loss to the Saints).
Kolb was the first quarterback in NFL history to begin his career with consecutive 300 yard games. However, those big numbers came against the weak defense of the Saints and the terrible defense of the Chiefs. When Kolb goes up against the better defenses the yards may not come so easily.
We haven’t seen enough of Kolb to know how he will react to a strong pass rush.  Against the Chiefs, Kolb had lots of time and a large comfortable pocket for most of the game. However, he did make a couple of pressure throws in the face of a fierce pass rush. Whereas McNabb could always buy time with his mobility, Kolb cannot because he does not have that weapon at his disposal. But Kolb does have a quicker trigger, a more accurate arm, and maybe just a little more patience. He will have to rely on those strengths, rather than his legs, to avoid the rush.
Kolb’s situation is strikingly similar to Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, like Kolb, waited 3 years on the bench. The Packers dumped Brett Favre in order to promote Rodgers, just like the Eagles have dumped McNabb in order to promote Kolb. Rodgers was promoted with a strong supporting cast in place, just like Kolb. Rodgers threw for 28 TD’s and only 13 interceptions in his first year as a starter.
However, to expect Kolb to perform at Rodgers’ level would be unrealistic. The Eagles would be ecstatic if they got that kind of performance from Kolb, but history tells us that is the exception, not the rule.
We must remember that this is Kolb’s first year of starting. We should expect flashes of good play, but also growing pains, interceptions, and a fair share of losses. The Eagles know this will be a transition year. The entire offense will be young, learning, and growing. The Eagles hope to set the stage for future seasons with this one painful but necessary year.
If we go back to McNabb’s rookie season, recall that Reid protected McNabb by starting Doug Pederson for a number of games. Most did not understand how not playing McNabb was going to help him. Reid did that because he was thinking of McNabb’s career, not the results of the 1999 season.
He had to be sure that McNabb was ready for a productive career, not just his rookie season. The same is true here. The Eagles need to be sure that Kolb is ready for a long and productive career. The real goal for this year is to get Kevin Kolb ready for next year and beyond. Unfortunately, achieving that goal may not translate into wins in the 2010 season.
I don’t know how the season will end for Kolb and our Birds. I can see less pass-pass-pass-punts though. I can see him extending drives simply by completing the necessary pass plays called. That would translate to the Offense being on the field more than the Defense, obviously a good thing. I would say this year anything above 8-8 we could consider a success with a first year QB. I’m curious to see how this kid reacts under extreme pressure and adjusts after making a mistake.
As far as the OL, the players are there, it’s health that’s the issue. The Defense is a different story and will only be rectified by a new infusion of talent via the Draft or trades. More players are needed on that side of the ball.
I get the same feeling, but I am ready to take those lumps with Kolb. Get the offense on track this year, draft some studs for the D and get them on the field this year.
I know one thing. If Kolb and Baskett and develop a Manning to Burress type fade play I will laugh my balls off that’s for sure.
bottom line: We’ll see. Humans suck at predicting future NFL seasons. Only time will tell.
With Donovan I would have predicted 11 to 12 wins, with Kolb, I predict 12 wins – three reasons 1) Why would you make a change that would LOWER the expectations for the team, if you make change, it should make the team better 2) Flacco and Ryan showed what rookies can do, Kolb is a 4rth year guy – no reason at all for him to need ‘time’ he has the entire off season to prepare 3) Kolb has a gret skill set for this type of offense. Quick release, quick decisions, nice movement in the pocket, good ability to throw while moving, good accurate arm. Early Paulman type prediction – one of the top 5 QBs in the NFC.
navyeaglefan….I agree.
The thing that we have to watch are the INT’s. I expect them to be a little high and for this reason. Kolb has such a quick release and makes quick decisions that he overlooks some coverages. Go back to the New Orleans game and looka the INT he threw to start the 2nd half. The ball was right on the money. He made up his mind so quick that he didn’t even see that linebacker in the lane.
Again, this can easily be fixed with experience and playing time. I think this offense is going to work great with Kolb under center. Top 5 QB in the NFC may be asking a lot
But despite what some of these fans think, this kid is going to help us more than he will hurt us.
Navy and Believer – I am also on board. This guy will make this offense hum and D Jackson will look like Jerry Rice Jr and the rest of our skill players will be improved and just as deadly to opposing defenses. We need to get some defensive talent this year and…………Watch Out!!!!!!!
We are the Green Bay Packers of the NFC East.
Kolb to me is most comparable to Chad pennington accurate short to medium passes but lack arm strength to make defense defend the whole field. Most of kolb ints came on pass attempts longer than 20 yards. I’m not sure kolb arm is strong enough to hit djack or maclin when they get behind the secondary 30 plus yards down field. You can’t win consistenly in NFL with a qb who turns the ball over.
How can people say how accurate kolb is when he has more ints (7) than TD (4)
Navy-
I agree with you about Kolb however, point 2 that you make, Flacco and Ryan had/have better Defenses to back them up right now (well the Ravens DID have a better D until Rex Ryan scuttled it)
t2p – So you think you have Kolb all figured out? How? Give him a season as the starter before you claim you know what the man can do.
T2P – and going along with Schiller – go look back at Kolb’s college stats and his two starts, I see positives. Its kind of like when Justice gave up 6 sacks in one game and got shackled with that rap until he broke out as a starter this year – there just is not enough data to say he is good to go or bad at this point. I base my opinion on 1) what I seen during the pre-season games when he plays, 2) his two starts and 3) his college passing stats and games. You can see that all as negatives, that’s OK. As for accuracy, have many of those throws were INTs becuase the ball did NOT go where he wanted it to go – basically the difference between a bad throw and a bad decision. I am willing to bet on almost every INT the ball went exactly where Kolb wanted it to go, and he just didn’t read the defense correctly (note comment from eaglebeliever above) and that will come I think with a full camp/preseason to get ready. As for the arm strength comment, again look at some of Kolb’s film from college, the dude can let it fly when he wants to. I will agree with triple W above – need to get the D back up to snuff – that will give Kolb a chance to breath a little and settle in
At least I have intrigue for the upcoming season.
can somebody name a eagles QB who hasnt done well under andy reid????? QB’s flourish in this eagles system. jeff garcia was widely considered to be garbage before mcnabb got hurt, yet he came in and flourished, and if you all remember, there were some people wondering if he should have been the starter from then on…aj feeley? koy detmer? all did above average in philadelphia. why would we predict kolb to be any different???
Please stop it with the Flacco, Ryan and Sanchez comparisons. All 3 QBs had great runnings games and 2 of the 3 had great defenses and Atlanta’s D was very good the year before last as well. Kolb’s success will depend on the rest of the team. Period. I hope everything works out great, but I’m not going to say this guy is going to be like other QBs when everything isn’t equal. Maybe if we had McGahee, Ray rice, and Leron McClain running the ball 30-35 times a game and had a defense that didn’t allow over 17 points then I would agree. Until then I’m expecting Kolb to throw for a lot of yards, decent amount of TDs and INTs. I can easily throwing over 3000 yards with 18 TD and 15 INT his first year. Not too bad but one year has nothing to do with the next so I’m not sure what that does for 2011. Some QBs never progressed and some do. Only time will tell.
Scorp – I think everyone is taking that into account when they make predictions. Those three teams also had records of 9-7. I think the comparison is in the skill set, the decision making and (hopefully) the ability to come in as a first year starter and do well. I think if Kolb plays all 16 next year he will throw for over 4K, 20-25 TDs and around 10 picks. I base that on his stats from college which was the last time he was a full time starter, Guess we’ll see here soon enough as every ime he throws the ball in mini camp it is probably going to be hyper analyzed. More important to me if the new QB is your concern is getting the O Line right and settled early in the year – not having to have one guy start 3 different positions (not anyones fault, just happens)
Scorp, why dont you please stop with your negative posts about Kolb. The battles over and you lost. Get on board or get goin. You keep saying shit like ” only time will tell” but then annoyingly jump all over posts that suggest Kolb might have a breakout season. Your a bitter prick and your posts are all constantly like a child whining.
With McNabb I would predict 11 to 12 wins and with Kolb I’m expecting 5 to 7…Typical “ReBuilding Team” type record. The unfortunate part is that I expect Reid to try to force the issue of starting Kolb until the season really is a lost cause.
there was a great article in Philly.com about the average age of the atarters and how next years team will be on average older then next years. You are just looking at the QB – but look at all the other O starters (just talkin O here) everyone else is a year older, hopefully better – maybe we get Ingraham back – what a find that would be. I think we all are in agreeance that the D needs to be stronger, but that really has nothin gto do with Kolb other then if he can get a bunch of scores early the other teams O becomes much more predictable. Pick on whatever parts you want, the Eagles have always done a good job of rotating new players in for veterans – Brown and Sheppard for Taylor and Vincent, Westbrook for Staley, didn’t always work great (Harris for Dawkins) but they have managed to stay at a high level.