Eagles new offensive line coach Howard Mudd is changing the way the Eagles pass block. He’s changing the schemes and he’s changing the methods and technique.
Mudd is talking about simplifying what they’ve been doing here for years. It sounds good but I don’t think the timing is good considering that the lockout is erasing all OTA’s, mini camps and training camp. Does it make sense for the Eagles to go into the start of the season with the quarterbacks and offensive linemen trying to learn a new blocking system?
I’ve talked a couple of the current offensive linemen and former Eagles “O” linemen about it and they say this system requires Michael Vick to get rid of the football very quickly. He will try to emulate Peyton Manning this season, but you and I know that Vick is not that type of quarterback. He likes to hold the football and throw the ball downfield or go even further downfield on deep routes.
I had already be told before and had in confirmed by a number of people with knowledge of the change in the blocking scheme that Vick was going to be asked to assume more responsibility in recognizing the blitzes. No longer will responsibility be shared between the quarterback and the center.
Yes, he can probably learn to get rid of the ball sooner, but that’s not the strength of his game and he won’t have much time to adjust. He’ll need to improve dramatically in his ability to read the blitzes, then it’ll be up to him to get rid of the football before the
pressure gets there.
This is a lot for Vick to deal with after an offseason without any work with coaches. In addition, we can’t forget that he hasn’t been in the offense 14 years like Manning. Plus, he’s not a one-two-three and the ball is out of there type of quarterback.
Here’s how Mudd put it on Philly.com.
“There’s some stuff we need to clean up. Including Mike’s understanding of who’s not blocked; that, if there’s a guy who’s not blocked, get it out of your hand,” Mudd said. “We want Mike to live to play the next play.”
“The guys who don’t do what they’re supposed to do up front, they’re not going to like coming over to the sideline. It’s going to be ugly with me,” Mudd said.
Vick might have two weeks to learn this system before playing the season’s first game.
This could be a problem. What do you think?
The Entire Team needs to inprove and yes that includes the O/Line and QB Vick and the RB’s & Receivers.. Vick must improve on his blitz recognition and check-downs quicker, the OL must improve in it’s pass protection and the Receivers need to improve in recogzining Secondary coverages & Schemes so they can hit the open spot quicker nad be looking for the ball…
This is not going to be unique since every team and QB/OL and Coaches are going to have limited practice time due to the Holdout..
I think the owners and players get something done and training camp is b.a.u.. I know im being too positive but im tired of thinking there will be no trip too Lehigh….its one of the highlights of my summer.Tired of thinking about no football at all.
And Paul…before you talk ish…i know there might not be camp up there this year.
Garry, so you think they should stick with something that was broken and worked poorly, as oppossed to risking a change that might not work too well? I say, the risk is the same either way, worst case it won’t work. Old system, with a different coach and (granted) one better guard, doesn’t seem to have any upside – at best it will work slightly better than last years failure. Mudd’s system, while sure, won’t likely be great from the first snap, has upside. I’ll take upside over ineffective status quo any day. Any day.
I think Vick would be fine…… This guy is use to turning Lemons into Lemonade…….. He’ll be ready…… What Howard Mudd is doing is making Vick’s job a bit more easier……. Learning to protect himself for one……. And helping A.R. and company to prevent the corner blitz that we were so dismal on…… With the speed of this receiving core and a great backfield we’ll do good within this new scheme……
If Vick is really serious about learning the QB position, he needs to adjust to new techniques. Personally thrilled to see a Mudd and Washburn holding linemen accountable for sloppy play. The only way I see Vick here extended time is by adjusting his play… he has the physical talent to make the change, but he’s got to commit mentally to get the ball out fast instead of trying to extend play with his legs and run risk of serious injury. I hope he does it. We’ll have no capable backup QB once Kolb is gone if he goes down; pickens are slim among older experienced QB’s. Kafka will never be a regular starter. Mudd is going to push Andy to change also, and that’s every bit as critical; he won’t stay long if philosophy doesn’t change. I think the OLine will change drastically, but will take half of reg season if settlement doesn’t come soon to get in a full training camp.
Lets see, this system requires Vick to get rid of the ball quickly? In Andy Reids offense? seriously?
Andy Reid likes for big plays to develop down field….Interested to see how this is gonna work out…possibly we’ll see more screens, cross routes, short in/out routes etc than the previous season…..Reid will definitely have to open the play book up a bit more…
Reading blitzes, coverage, making quicker reads is something that Vick said he needed to improve upon months ago….Am I experiencing Deja Vu?!
This makes no sense; first, allowing the o line coach to determine the game plan and second, devising an offense to the strengths of the quarterback you are trying to trade and to the weaknesses of the starter
Jake, it is not that simple. The O-line was horrible last year and so changes need to be made in order to put the offense in a position to succeed. More shorter passes would be great for this offense to open up the big plays. This new blocking scheme will keep Vick on the field because he won’t take as many big hits.
As far as he goes, he is a pro QB, so he should be able to develop and read the defense. That should make him a better player because he will be prepared before the play. You won’t have him missing as many wide open WRs. It may not be his strength, but his strength is what gets him killed.
One thing to keep in mind about the COlts PAssing System that Coach Mudd has coached in for the last 10-12 Years
They run a lot of quick slants/bubble routes.. The QB get’s rid of the ball in
less than 3 Seconds.. The OL and OT in particular hold their blocks for about 3-4 seconds then release down field to try to block LB/Secondary players to help make a short pass into a possible big gainer.. (the key to me are the less than Physical WR’s of the Eagles in D-Jax/Maclin) able to run these routes as effectively and fearlessly as the Colt WR’s have for years ????.
Many of the other passing routes are based off the play-action, deep crossing route across the field and formation which the Eagles do themselves already with D-Jax
No need to overanalyze Mudd before he even gets to coach here. I think it’s silly to think that he will try to force a line system that was right for the colts on this team/OL. He’s an OL guru, period. He did what he did for Payton Manning and the colts because that was the context. That doesn’t mean that he’ll try to just put the same thing in for Vick.
I think the timing is bad, but the idea is good. I especially like that it will be on Vick to recognize the blitz. He’ll have to learn to get rid of the football. If he doesnt? he’ll be doing alot of running and he doesnt want to simply run alot..
He has to learn this new scheme and it will be tough, but the everyone is locked out, not just the Eagles, so there will be a curve
Mudd’s pass blocking scheme requires offensive lineman to protect a spot where the QB is supposed to be. When has Michael Vick ever stayed in one spot?
The truth is – Mudd’s pass blocking scheme is a bad fit for Michael Vick no matter how much time he has to practice behind it.
Irish – do you think there’s an OL coach who’s scheme would be GOOD for Vick? And if not, isn’t it best to have a guy who’s great it OL coaching anyway? Just saying
Eagles ranked #5 out of 32? Is this guy on drugs?
5. Philadelphia Eagles: 53.5
Owner: 9.5
Quarterback: 8
Coach: 9
Front office: 9
Coaching staff: 9
Intangibles: 9
Andy Reid, Joe Banner, Howie Roseman and Jeffrey Lurie are excellent and united. Reid scored a coup when he hired Howard Mudd to coach the offensive line and Jim Washburn to coach the defensive line. The Eagles’ public relations staff just gets it when it comes to the media, fans and players.—Adam Schein (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Courtesy of FOXSports.com
I’ve saidit time and time again…The guys rushing against these guys could care less who the offensive line coach is.
The defense will contniue to put their best rusher against Winston Justice and we all know he is too slow compared to most edge rusher’s first step in this league.
Mudd, will make little to no difference if we strut out the same blockers,so let’s hope Jamaal Jackson is ready to go for the center to anchor the line.
“Cement Feet” Justice will be what we all know he is.
So what? The way I figure it, if they blow up the season, I can leave the money with the Eagles for my tickets. That way I am covered for 2012. Then I pocket everything I would pay for parking, food for tailgating, away game trips (flight, hotel, chow, tickets, etc), a new jersey and everything else. I am going to Disney World on the NFL’s dime. Both sides in the “labor issue” can bite me.
anderson silva ” I am going to Disney World on the NFL’s dime”
It’s your money your using, not th NFL’s. That new jersey, will it be a mickey mouse original?
That money was all but spent on the NFL, it will be them refusing to take it if they don’t play. Seeing as how I consider that money spent already, yeah, I kind of am going on the NFL. Might just come home with a Mickey shirt, they are making some cool ones that look like Affliction/Silver Star etc.
If this is not settled in 3 weeks Time, This season will just become an ugly display of Football with so many Teams with New Coaches and Players that it will make for some mistake full football, I say if no settlement by June 20th, Then just go ahead and cancel the Season or start the “Open Tryouts” That I have been talking about and field teams with players who want to play for the enjoyment of playing Football.. In the End, I will have a hard time feeling good about any outcome since these Owners & Players are crying and complaining about how to share $9 Billion…
and you can bet your bottom $$$ that the NHL and NBA are watching very closely to what’s happening with th eNFL LAbor problems.. Both the NHL & NBA have their “CBA” agreements due to expire with their respective Players Associations.. Maybe there will be no Pro Sports next year at all… I wouldn’t mind that one bit and COllege Football and Basketball are just around the corner.
schiller
No, I don’t think any pass protection scheme would be a good fit for a QB that moves around and holds on to the ball as much and as long as Vick does.
Yes, I agree, we are lucky to have Howard Mudd as our OLine coach.
If our O line coach doesn’t succeed his name wil be mud.
Paulman is right, this will be a disaster of an NFL season, especially for the eagles, Vick needed this time to get better, to adjust to apparently new schemes as dictated by mr mudd, new coordinator, new players, same result for the eagles, Vick will make it interesting in the regular season, but next year at this time we will be reading schiller saying we don’t know what the the future holds and songs will be preaching the malaise, paulman is correct about eagles, songs too, Schiller is banner’s boot lick in’ bimbo
Vick said hes been working on his blitz recognition this offseason and said too that he has to get the ball out faster. But what has been a huge problem with the eagles for years now is that weve had wrs that have had difficulty getting off the line and getting open quicker, alot of that involves having football I.Q not just natural ability. The wrs need to notice when the play is breaking down and to come back to the ball not to just continue running their routes, thats been a glaring weakness for awhile, lets hope they sure that up..
Also i dont see the addition of Mudd and his philosophy being a huge problem, every coach and player in the league are gonna be affected in some way bc of this lockout but for the eagles, the simplier the better,,,i think theyll take more of a Juan castillo approach lol Simple simple simple…
Gcobb I think you and the rest of the these writers are getting ridiculous in your constant criticizing of Mike Vick, I have never seen so many people that want him to fail. He can’t do this he can’t do that. Michael Vick can do whatever he puts his mind to, he can do it and all you doubters will be put in your place again,. You said he would never be a starter in the NFL again, you said he would never gain his speed back again, you said he would never be a pocket passer, I will put my money on MIke Vick mvp season and you doubters and haters not being right again. Do what you do Mike Vick and let all the doubters explain away.
good analysis Jon Hart it is good to see somebody knows what they are talking about. This needs to be a team effort, Desean Jackson needs to stay focused and not half run routes. You can tell when the ball is not coming to him he does not run his route. The WRs have to understand the play is never over with Vick and be ready to make a play.
Jmt8251, i dont even read half of the stuff these guys write on here bc they dont make any sense, they worry about some of the dumbest things and rarely if ever get to the heart of the matter, now there gonna try to criticize vick like they did mcnabb, being critical of everything he does on the field when his qb play last yr was the best weve seen here in years!
Your right it gotta be a team effort, you look at the sb champs the packers they are a flat out team… they had injury after injury and didnt miss a beat they just plugged in whoever was left, unreal. Thats how the eagles gotta be if they wanna win a title. The coaches, players and front office have to be on one accord…
I had already be told before and had in confirmed by a number of people with knowledge of the change in the blocking scheme that Vick was going to be asked to assume more responsibility in recognizing the blitzes….
– Come on G… I know that your better than that. I have already been told before… Do you guys read the 10 second article before you post? This isn’t a facebook status.
Team effort, huh? This is going to come from the “team” that had 4 guys show up to practice today? On top of that only 2 of them were Eagles. The team led by the qb who has returned to Virginia? The fast little wr who is chilling in Cali? The tight end who is quoted as saying the lockout isn’t so bad until the players start losing checks? Yeah, this team is coming together just fine, group effort going on here, glad these guys are here to represent my city.
50 players showed up for the Panthers Players only work-out this week,,
Now I know they are a bad team and proababy have a lot of open roster spots to compete for, but the Eagles with Coach Ar and now down to the players have it too easy, are too comfortabl;e in my book.. which is why they are laeague leaders in Penalties, failure in short-yardage and stopping teams in the Red-Zone.. It’s about discipline and picking your teammates up.. I don’t sense this with the Eagles anymore and really haven’t since TO/Kearse came on the Scene in 2004 or so…It’s a shame, but I rooted for the EAgles more when the were a lunch-pale carrying tough-hardnosed Football team, they have become soft and everyone does their own thing (Samuel, D-Jax and even Vick to a point ) I hate it…