Michael Vick’s main job this week especially will be to follow the script as much as possible. The Browns don’t have the defensive personnel to stay with the Eagles receivers. If the Birds offensive line can give him the time he will savage the Cleveland secondary for big plays.
Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg do a great job of game planning and creating that script for Eagles quarterbacks. They tell him which receivers are probably going to be open and where he should go with the football. I think they have a strong game plan for the Browns this week.
They’re going to stress the Cleveland secondary with different personnel groupings which will create some serious mismatches. There will be receivers running wide open. Vick must focus on simply executing the game plan.
More times than not, Reid and Mornhinweg are right. I would love to see Vick focus on trying to limit his improvisations as much as he can, especially when the Birds are superior to their opposition like this week.
He needs to play more Clark Kent and less Superman than the game requires. He needs to go into this game with the goal of not adlibbing unless the game situation demands it. Get the ball in the hands of the playmakers and let them make plays. Stay away from taking chances with risky throws and all or nothing decisions.
First of all he needs to get the call from the sideline; call it properly in the huddle; then get to the line of scrimmage; make whatever protection adjustments need to be made; then be conservative with his decision-making.
Start out the game taking whatever they give you. Take the short throws with Brent Celek working against the linebackers. Get the ball out of your hands, so that you establish your rhythm.
Starting opening things up after that by looking deep for the big plays, when the opportunities present themselves. Don’t try to force it. Be patient while knowing that the opportunities will come.
Vick has to go into this game know that he doesn’t need to do anything great or amazing for the Eagles offense to light up this Cleveland defense.
If a play starts out poorly, then abandon the play by throwing the ball away or getting on the ground. He’s got to have the confidence that the big plays will come, but don’t try to turn a rescue a bad play because that’s when he gets in trouble.
At times a I feel Reid should be tougher on Vick about improvising so much. I would even threaten to sit him down if he continues to take unnecessary risks because it’s going to eventually cost him his career in one way or another if he doesn’t play in a more disciplined manner. It may too late to change him now, but you’ve got to demand that he stay on the script in a game like this.
Im pretty sure the Q.B. controversy starts this weekend.
Doesn’t he have to know how to read the script before he can begin following the script.
Ziiiiing!
It’s a shame that Coach AR & MM have to continue to stress this to a 10 year Veteran QB which should be a given for any QB after a couple of Seasons in the NFL. I believe the seed has been planted and that this will be Vick’s final season as an Eagle
Paul that is no prediction anyone that follows the team believes its a great chance this is it for Vick. Every guy on WIP, 97.5 etc has stated this.
So when it comes true don’t crow about being right. Still want you to admit you totally blew the art Modell thing
Garry states in the article that “If the Birds offensive line can give him the time…” But what if Vick simply throws accurately and quickly, without sitting in the pocket so darned long? I think that is more the question he has to answer this season. Drop back, quick scan, throw the ball to the open guy withut letting the pressure come charging upfield. Play like a Manning, Rodgers,or Brees, etc. You know, the guys with Super Bowl rings.
A freaking men joe. That s what good smart QB’s do
Eagles 27 – Browns 13
Well hopefully there wont be a blown protection assignment that leads to Vick getting hurt again. That said, Vick’s skitterish pocket awareness leads to him putting himself in bad situations. After what we saw in the preseason with Foles, Vick should know that he is one hit away from relinquishing the starting job for the rest of his time here in Philly. AR and MM must pull their hair out knowing they have one of the most gifted athletes running their offense but plays the game like he’s Superman while having the constitution of Mr. Glass. The story that i see developing is that either Vick’s unchecked ego gives way and he plays the QB position with restraint, or it opens up the door to The Nick Foles era. Which I think is the greater point that G is making without explicitly saying it. This offense has enough talent to win games but they need a trigger man who manages the offense efficiently and decisively. They don’t need the QB position to carry this offense but rather to stay out of its way and let it do it’s thing.
I remember…one time, there was a team, called the New England Partriots, who were led by agy name Drew Bledoe….cannonarm, but just couldn;t get it dne. Every ear he showed promise, but very Pats fan knew, deep down, that he wasn;t going to led the team to a SB….
….and then one day…..he took off down down the sideline…coulda stepped out, but tried for one more yard….and some forgotten New York Jet blasted him into tomorrow and put an unknown Tom Brady into the Hall of Fame……
Sound familar?? Could the narratve be repeated??
This game is a cakewalk…we’ll win this easily and lose the next 2d ue to poor run defense.
1-2
I’ll do my next prediction in 3 weeks.
Agree with Gary here. I think the tape shows that the Eagles game-planning has changed since Vick has been at the helm. AR and MM have gone for the “Shock and Awe” approach early in games and when it works we hop out to leads early, but the rest of the league caught up, playing the 2-deep S early to prevent big plays and capitalizing on the fact that Vick flat out refused to check down (run-on sentence).
We have seen a shift away from that approach in the preseason with a focus on the run and short/intermediate passes early in games. The team/scheme is not built for long sustained drives, but we need to pick and choose our battles (slow-developing plays) a little more carefully in the reg. season as our fate is tied to Vick’s health. He will never be a Brees, Brady, Manning who will have the football out in < 3 seconds so they should continue to protect him with play action and roll-outs.
I want to see a continued effort in the screen game play calling, but (as has already been said a million times) vick has to embrace the checkdown safety valve, throw the ball away or (worst case scenario) get down and take the sack and live to play another day. After re-reading this comment I realize it brings next to nothing to the table…for that I apologize and may God have mercy on my soul