If you look at the talent the Eagles have assembled, they’re an impressive football team. If you look at them player by player separately they look better than they are as a team. Individually they’re impressive but as a football team, they’re not impressive.
Good teams don’t look as good separately but they look better together. They’re greater than the sum of their parts. Their stars help to make their teammates better.
So far this year, the star players on the Eagles roster haven’t been able to make them better. On Monday night, there were a couple of times when Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson or Jeremy Maclin needed to take over and they didn’t.
Now you’re starting to hear the charge that this football is emotionally soft. If that means undisciplined I would agree. Vick defended the football team against the charge today.
“When certain things happen in a game, we kind of go into a panic’, Vick said today. “You can’t do that; you’ve got to keep pushing forward, stay confident, and keep a (winning) attitude. When we do that, we’re one of the best teams in this league, I think, when we don’t, you see what happens, we don’t win football games.”
“I think it’s just a lack of focus”, LeSean McCoy said. “You have an attitude to finish games, to finish runs…. I think it’s more mental”.
This team isn’t a tough team from a mental standpoint. They make too many mistakes when the game is on the line. We saw that on Monday night.
“Honesty, I don’t know,” Jackson said. “I think in our powers and in our mind, we want to go out there and succeed and do everything the correct way, but at the end of the day it’s human nature. Sometimes things don’t always go the way we plan or the way we practice.”
How many times have you read an article where I’ve talked about the importance of them securing the football?
Jackson was holding the ball out like a loaf of bread when he fumbled on the punt return which cost the Eagles seven points. The Birds had momentum as the game approached halftime, but they lost it with that sloppy undisciplined way of carrying the football.
We’ve seen Jackson, Maclin and Jason Avant cost the team a game with a fumble, I think before the season is out, McCoy will cost them a game as well. They’re a cocky group which thinks their talent can overcome anything and we have seen that it can’t. Still at 3-5 they strut around like they’re Super Bowl contenders.
I will state for the umpteenth time,
This team is a reflection of it’s Head Coach and leader Andy Reid.. This team is now comprised of only Coach AR players as the old Ray Rhodes mentally strong players are long gone..
I would even debate the great talent that everyone continually talks about ..
Yes they have talent at the Skills position in terms of speed, but not smarts, not toughness and most of all, little heart to get it done when the going gets tough and especially when the games reaches the 4th Quarters..
It was pretty obvious 2 weeks ago that when the Eagles jumped out to a nice 1st Quarter lead that the Cowboys packed it in, (they are mentally weak too), but when they play well-coached, disciplined teams like the Falcons, 49ers,BIlls,Bears and upcoming teams like the Cardinals,Giants,Patriots,Jets, these teams are not going to fold up like the Cowboys did, and will come to play abndn do battle for a full 60 minutes .
I think this team lacks maturity, focus and real leadership to play a full 60 minutes.. Even VIck’s statesments after some losses are getting pretty annoying and condenscending.. He is supposed to be the leader that the young guns are to follow, and he’s not playing well, making mistakes and worse, not leading, not grabbing a guy by the facemask (d-Jax/ or Maclin) and get in their face once in a while..
Coach AR for far too long has been too loyal to his Coaching Staff and Players and unfortunately, this laid back,it’s all on me tyope of atttitude makes too many players over time get too comfortable, there is very little player accountability and too many players are far too comfortable in their Status as Startes in the locker room.. Talent is not measured by Speed Alone and all those other attributes that really determine Champions like Discipline,Strength, Fortitude, Focus, Heart, Self-Confidence, Sense of Urgency are missing from this team and really have for the last couple of Seasons if you ask me.. This Team will end up with about 7-8 maybe 9 Wins and fall short of making the Playoffs as they will watch them from home like the rest of us.. They have no one to blame but themselves..
I remember when Pinkston talked about losing focus when a defender bore down on him and he also had short alligator arms like Jackson. I saw Namdi frozen when Forte ran by him. He is a terrible open field tackler. The plan in assembling this team, as I remember it from the FO, was to beat the Packers by having a pass rush and cover guys. The only thing they forgot is that they have to beat a lot more teams to get the opportunity to beat the Packers. The Eagles as it stands now are a big fraud and a joke.
They forget to secure the ball and to focus but I bet they never missed getting a paycheck or putting on their diamond earrings.
There are people who make $250. per week who take more pride in their jobs and work harder to improve than these overpaid underperforming so called professionals.
Buddy Ryan teams may not have won playoff games or the super bowl but they had no quit or fear in them. They weren’t wimps afraid to get hit or hit someone.
Lurie should just sell this team to Los Angeles Investors for their Roster seems full of Hollywood – wanna be types if you ask me… Palyoffs, Playoffs.. are you kidding me, Playoffs… as Coach Jim Mora once lamented..
Desean dropped in the draft because he was seen as a “me first” diva player with attitude. He still is. Reap what you sow.
Vick has always been a “me first” fist pumping kind of guy. (and I’ve posted plenty of evidence of this). 30+ years old and he’s still pointing at scoreboards like he’s on the playground. Not professional.
“Me first” bullies always have difficulty with adversity.
I really think that the attitude has trickled down from these 2 superstars. I am surprised that Maclin seems to have been affected. He seemed like a pretty classy guy coming out of college. Same can be said about Avant, with the whole, “us against the world” business.
These guys are who they are. I fear the “superstar” status of Vick and Desean rubbed off on some other players. (honestly you just couldn;t avoid press about these 2 in the offseason) They don’t seem to understand the effort that has to go in to prepare for an nfl season.
We were told that Vick has ‘changed’. Really? Then why the interview last week with Morningwheg saying that during this training camp he had to basically force Vick to the film room every day. Vick saying that he “hated it” but of course now understands why. (sure)
Where were Desean and Vick during the offseason? Team working out every day sans these 2. Here are the 2 biggest stars on the team. Nowhere to be found. What message did they send?
These guys still think they’re unstoppable…that they only need to “make a play”. I’ve said before that the worst thing that could have happened to these guys (and Desean and Vick in particular) were the WSH and NYG games. They think they can just show up and its clear they do not understand why they are losing. They are still clearly unwilling to change their ways (team hammered by turnovers all year. No doubt coaches emphasizing it every day – and from whom did the 2 killer turnovers come from Monday? (should have been more)
Personally I think a solid 4-12 season long ass kicking might do some of these guys a lot of good.
D-Jax dropped to a 2nd Rounder because of his Marijuana and Theft instances while in College, He also was deemed “Uncoachable” from his Offensive Coordiantor and had many run-ins with his Head Coach while at the University of California.. It would be a huge mistake in my opinion to sign him to big $$ $for a long-term deal.. I’ve stated a numerous times over the last 2 Years that he was a short-termer and probably had a 4-5 Career Window.. He’s about to finish Year 3 and his upside is already gone and maxed out. Teams that are Physical know how to play him, have a safety up over the top and have the CB pressure him at the Line of Srimmage and you basically take him out of the game.. He’s is not a very good route runner and is afraid to catch the ball in the middle of the field or in trafic so he’s contribution has basically come down to being a speed decoy to drag defensders out with him.. Well how is this working… You are not going to pay a WR $7-8-10 MIllion per year to be a friggin decoy and since he can’t play the slot or go across the middle, I am not so sure what he really adds to this Offense at all to warrant a Top #10 paid NFL WR Salary-wise ..
I’ve stated many times for 2 years that if you played him 25-30 SNaps a game and send him deep (Which is what he does best) he will make you some big plays.. But to me, he has never been and never will be an everydown WR.. There are just too many things he can’t do to be out there every snap.. and when you talk about the Red-Zone, he’s invisisble and I believe he actually hurts the team in theRed-Zone.. Teams don’t double him since there is only 20-25 yards of field to cover and end up doubling Maclin or the TE’s who have the size to be seen amongst all the players in a limited space… and one of the things that pisses me off the most, is that he will give up on a ball very soon.. I’ve seend him countless times where he has held up and basically stopped running when the ball was slightly overthrown or about to be intercepted … I’ve have never been a D-JAx Fan from Day 1 and yes he’s a very exciting player.. but He head is not on right and he’s afraid of contact.. so I just don’t understand why he even plays football when he;s afraid to get hit.. Football is a contact sport, if you don’t like it, don’t play.. and I see no reason to have him return Punts for he loses yardage, tries to make a big play and runs aoround for 30 yards to gain 4 yards, Catch the ball and go striaght ahead and amke a cut or 2 and get some positive yards to give the team better field position, that fumble before the 1st half was ridiculous and this is where a Head Coach has the pull that player out and sit his ass on the bench.. Did anyone notice Bears Coach Lovie SMith sat RB Forte down for a series or 2 after his 2nd Fumble (and remember that Forte is 48% of the Bears total offense) but Coach Smith is sending a strong message to the other 52 players on the Roster, that mistakes, lost of focus and poor play will have you on the bench.. Does anyone every envision Coach Ar having the balls to do that with one of his “star players”.. absolutely not… and noe I am so pissed that I can;’t even comment about the poor play of QB Vick and his sulking attitude… It started about he whined about getting hit and not getting penalties in the beginning of the Season and has gotten a little worse with each defeat.. He still doesn’t get it and never will.. I would send both Packing if I was the Coach and I will leave with this, Signing Vick to a 5-6 Deal for $100 Million was the worst Contract Decision this team ever made and will literally set this Franchise back for the next 2-3 Years.. They shouldhave Franchised him and overpay him for this season, but see how he plays over the course of an entire Season as the #1 QB before committing all the $$$ to him.. remember that Vick played in 10 games last year after not playing for 2-3 Seasons… He got a great deal and congrats to him and his agent.. But I would never commit that type of $$$ for a player with a great 1/2 seasons of work… What’s Vick Record at the Linc… What’s Vick’s record sinnce last mid November..It’s not very impressive… I wouldn’t mid seeing a little QB Kafka over this last month as the EAgles are out of it now and need to take a loko at some of their younger players to decide if they can play at the NFL Level
More of Clayton Harboe, why not get him some reps at the FB position too so he can stay in and block and be that emergency receiver when VQB is ni Trouble, Play Steve SMith some to see if he can play anymore, Play WR Cooper to see if he can actually play at the NFL Level, at least in the Red-Zone to utilize his 6-4″ Frame instead of disappearing 5-10″ D-Jax..
Defensively, they have to see if players like T Laws, D Tapp, B Grahah as he builds his stamina can really play in the NFL, same with some DB’s B Hughes, C Marsh and Safety Jarrett (who looks way overmathced and not physically ready at the NFL at this stage of his development.. He’s only about 5-10 and 190 lbs and will never make it in the NFL at his size..
Bottom line to me is that it’s much more important for the Eagles as they make future plans and roster decisions and need to get some real assesments and good looks at some of their younger players.. What’s the Difference if they finish 9-7 with the same line-up and status quo for they are not making the playoffs anyways, I would rather them start playing some younger players and finish 6-10 but get some real answers on some of these players so they can plan accordingly and prepare for the Off-Season,Next Year’s Draft and even for Free-Agency purposes.. Even if they finish winning 6 out of their final 8 games and would have them finish at 9-7 .. That’s still not going to be good enough to win the NFC East or to Qualify for a WIld-Card so they aren’t making it bottom line..
Donte Stallworth released by the Redskins today as well. The Eagles could bring him vack next Season to simply run those 4-5 Deep Fly routes a game and maybe hit on one them for a big Play for about $1 Million a year.. What would be the differnce of having Stallworth be the deep WR on the team or retaining D-Jax besides saving about about 6-7 million and the $20 Million in a bonus, up front $$… You can get 1-2 Lb’s and a Safety for that $$$
How about when Eagles losing and Vick keeps getting shown on TV standing on sideline, arms folded with the patented scowl on his face.
How about looking at some pictures? Coverages? Talking with WRs. Coaches?
Nope. Just stand and scowl. “Me against the world”
Vick really showed some glimpses for about 3 months Last Sep/Oct & Novmeber then he bought back into the Hype and has reverted back to his usual old ways on how great and untouchable and unstoppable he is.. He’s a career .500 QB and a marginal Leader at best.. and being surrounded by a lot of young, cocky players (who still haven’t won anything in my book) is not a healthy situation at all.. This Franchise will be doomed and set back for a few years as long as both Vick and D-Jax remain as Eagles..
Ahhhh…it’s just a game. Im used to the Eagle’s letting us down. Not even phased or surprised by this latest chapter in the book of failure that is the Eagle’s history…and yes I’ll still watch whenever their own proving that Eagle fans are better than the Eagle’s themselves.
The HEAD COACH is not Mentally Tough…So why would you expect the players to be??
Andy Reid
Has a hard time with challenges…
Managing Time outs….
Managing his fitness…
Managing his childred…
And look at his 2 choices to replace Jim Johnson….
A kid he could control…
A Clown who begged him to let him coach who would do anything Andy said…
Andy Reid has wasted 13 years of Eagle fans time with his BYU offense.
He has the hottest runningback in the league he gets 16 carries.
Everybody on offense carries the ball like a loaf of bread.
Maybe they should have Tiki Barber teach them how he learned to carry the football.
You have mediocre players like Avant speaking out about the fans, when he should be focused on doing his job.
I blame LURIE for letting this thing go for as long as it has.
Nobody in the modern era gets 13 years to win a superbowl.
Andy is running out of people to blame this failure on.
“Crystal Ball” ANDY tried to be special and hire an Offensive line coach as defensive coordinator. He wanted to be remembered like Bill Walsh as a genius. Instead he will be remembered as a bufoon who ruined the Eagles season.
Juan should just head butt somebody without a helmet again and remove the remaining 2 funtioning braincells he has left.
Since Andy Reid wants to be so special, they should pick one of the media, and give him an evelope with a note from Lurie that he’s fired. The have the reporter hand it to Andy Reid during a press conference. As soon as Andy Says “Times Yours” the reporter says no Andy…The time is Yours. Take your fat rear out and do whatever your want. Your Fired. And the time really is yours.
Paulman you wrote a treatise there but you make excellent points about Vick and Jackson, next time keep it short
Sorry Jake, brevity is not one of my strong points and I need to work on that.
thnx