When LeSean McCoy was drafted by the Eagles I considered him a good back but I didn’t think he could be a a great back. I was wrong. If he were featured in this offense and playing behind a good offensive line, he could come out each week and effectively run the football against the best defenses in the league.
When I say run the ball, I’m talking about consistently getting four yards on most of his carries. Getting four yards on a consistent basis allows an offensive coordinator to sprinkle in pass plays, and control the football. If the Birds were to center their offense around McCoy, it would force defenses to decide whether to game plan to stop McCoy or Michael Vick and the passing attack. Vick hasn’t proven he can carry the load and not turn the football over.
I think the quarterback’s job would be made much easier if they treat the passing offense like the second fiddle rather than the first. Right now Andy Reid has to take the pressure off of Vick and put in on McCoy in order to eliminate all the mistakes. If they don’t quickly eliminate the turnovers, Reid will be forced to sit Vick down and give the ball to rookie Nick Foles.
I knew McCoy was very good at changing directions and making people miss, but I didn’t know of the level he could take things.
McCoy is so adept at shaking people in the holes and finding running lanes where there seem to be none, that he’s worthy of building this offense around. This offense should be built around him because he could be the one constant that they need. Vick and the passing game can’t be a constant, if they turning the ball over so often.
Shady could get you four yards on first down or four yards on second, which would keep you out of those third and very long situations. The key to being a good NFL offense is finding something you can do virtually all the time against an NFL defense. You must have a constant, which allows you to set up the other things you do.
Oh yeah, you’ve got to be able to throw the football in the NFL, so Vick will have to throw the ball effectively this week without turning it over, even if they were to feature McCoy in the game plan.
During most of Reid’s tenure with the Eagles, he relied on Donovan McNabb throwing the ball short to receivers like Chad Lewis, James Thrash, Todd Pinkston, Torrance Small and Charles Johnson on first down or second down to keep the offense in manageable third down situations.
The key to McNabb’s success was the fact that he could run the offense without turning the ball over. All those throws in the dirt which were made fun of, are a lot better than all those turnovers which Vick has gotten from making high throws over the middle that are tipped by defensive linemen, or deflected by linebackers and then intercepted. Turnovers kill you in the NFL and despite not being especially accurate, McNabb was smart enough to be wild low rather than wild high, thereby avoiding the turnovers.
You can’t build an offense around a mistake-prone quarterback like Vick has been. I think starting this week with a game plan to feature McCoy and work Vick’s passing in after that would make this Eagles offense less turnover-prone and that’s something they must achieve immediately.
Unfortunately, the Birds are missing two of their best offensive linemen in Jason Peters and Jason Kelce. They each have superior athletic ability for their positions and that allowed the Birds to be a great outside running team as well as a great screen team. Once they got McCoy out in space behind Peters or Kelce, a big play was getting ready to happen.
Now they must ask McCoy to accomplish great things behind the likes of Demetress Bell and Dallas Reynolds. It’s a lot to ask, but Shady has shown he can create running lanes where there are none. I’ve seen him make three and four unblocked tacklers miss.
Still they must feature McCoy in the offense in order to allow Vick to establish some rhythm against Jason Pierre-Paul and that New York Giants defensive line. You’ve got to make them worry about number 25, so they won’t destroy number seven.
Anybody notice how many passes Rodgers threw in the first half of that Monday night game
Put Reid to shame
But he did mix in the run in the second half
And he was sacked 8 times
And Rodgers was also sacked 8 times
@rcp on this site it doesn’t matter because it’s an Eagle site it’s okay to rip our QB’s and not pay attention to the same things around the league and oh yea Rodgers has won a Super Bowl. LOL, you’ll never win on this site too much anti-eagle for a Eagle based website, but hey it’s easier to be a negative expert sitting on the computer.
Evan Mathis playing between Peters and Kelce is worth a 5 year -25 Million dollar contract. Mathis playing between Bell and Reynolds is the guy who the Panthers, Dolphins, and Bengals didn’t want. Danny Watkins was the worst Eagle Offensive lineman entering week one and now he is the Birds 2nd best lineman and he hasn’t improved at all.
Yea and how many times has Rodgers fumbled or thrown interceptions on those sacks genius? No one is telling Vick to not take a sack when the pressure comes. If anything thats what we are preaching for him to do when the pressure is in his face. Go down or throw the ball away and live for the next play. Instead he is turning over the ball at record pace which is a total game changer. Or he runs around like a chicken with no head and next thing you know we have a huge yardage loss. When he could have easily just thrown the ball away or went down from the beginning.
Yea Biglion, so many of us are all anti-eagle on this site. You totally get it. NOT. Just anti-vick like you are probably anti-Reid or someone else on the team. But i guess thats make you different right? So keep being a hypocrite because comments like yours amuse the shit out of me. They are hilarious. And I do pay attention to the rest of the league more than you obviously do. I know based on the numbers we have the worst QB in our own Division. A freaking rookie is outplaying him by far. He also has one of the worst passer ratings in the entire league and is the worst when it comes to turnovers. You can go on and on…Again your comments are full with stupidity and make me laugh. I’ve said it many times that this Eagles team is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. However our QB and Coach blow which will ultimately cause the Eagles to not win the SB this year.
But hey when they are both likely gone after the year I will continue to come to this site just like a bunch of other Eagles fan sites while you and some others will be rooting for the next team that decides to sign Vick as their QB.
Hey Pheags88; that rookie down in DC hasn’t been just statistically outplaying Vick, but has been the top-rated qb in our division period. new poster boy for turnovers belongs to Romo. Never has a qb who’s had so much choked away so much. Vick will be fine as long as the two idiots on the sideline continue to have a clue.
Eagles need a 3 Headed Monster Approach…
They need to activate and play all 3 RB’s (McCoy,Brown and POlk)
Release Dion Lewis who does nothing for the Team and isn’t used on SPecial Teams or the Return Game.. Buy using the 3 Backs, then McCoy will be the one in passing routes for Screens,etc,etc so whats the point of having Lewis tie of a Roster SPot when you have a a Top 3 RB who does the same things… I would like to see Brown/Polk get about 15-18 RTOuches between them and run right at the GIants nad wear them out and then use Shady of Draws,Swppes,Screeens,outlet routes and have McCoy get his usualy 20 Touches or so…Be Physcial, Shorten the Game, Limit Vick’s opportunities to make Turnovers/Negative plays and allow the Eagles OL to get into a rhythm and play the agressor and pound on DL/LB’s instead of the Eagles OL catching Pass Rushers all game long… This should be the Strategy moving forward
STOP! just friggin’ stop with the Reid outta run crap! EVERYONE knows he should run more but EVERYONE also knows Reid won’t. He’s a pass aholic and, like he’s done before, that part of the game is going to go to waste. We’ll get a consistent, reliable running game when Reid is run outta here and not before. I just pray thats before McCoy is past his prime…
ake a look at left-side of Eagles OL
Demetress Bell making $9 Million in 2012($4 Mill in Salary & $5 Million as a Sign-on Bonus) and then Mathis at $5 Million, Wowo, that’s $14 Million for 2 Players on the left-side of the OL that probably wouldn’t start for the Top 1/2 Teams in the NFL..
I am convinced that most of Evan Mathis’s success last year was directly attributed to the play of LT Jason Peters who was one of the Top LT’s in the NFL last year if not the best..
Again, the Talent Evaluation/Roster MAnagement by Roseman and his Staff still leave a lot to be desired
Biglion you twit.
RCP was not writing those posts to show that Rodgers stinks like Vick (as you interpreted it)
He was pointing out that GB called the same game as Reid does, pass all the time, that Rodgers was under pressure as much as Vick was….and yet he still doesn’t make the mistakes Vick does.
Dispite running for his life, Rodgers was 67% and 0 turnovers…not a great game, but he didn’t unravel like Vick would have.
After Rodgers was Sacked 8x’s …What did his Coach Do ?
I was very worried about Mathis…..you’re right about his sudden improvement from journeyman to all-pro perhaps being because of Peters.
But it was also his last chance for a good contract. And we’ve all seeen over and over how some players suddenly have amazing career years in their contract year only to fall back off again the moment they get their ca$h…………*cough* MikeVick *cough*
The potential big contract after this year, disappear next year candidate is DRC btw.
There a number of reasons why the Pack offense is built around the pass. 1) They have one of the accurate passers in the league. 2) They have a mixture of excellent athletic WRs. 3) They have a dominant (although he has a case of the drops) TE in Finley. 4) They don’t try to get the ball deep on every play instead Rodgers spreads the ball around in a lot of short routes letting the WRs work. 5) They don’t have LeSean McCoy.
The Eagles don’t have one of the most accurate passers in the league. They don’t have nearly the talent in their WRs and they don’t seem to have any plan on offense except trying to get the ball to DeSean deep,
Pman… smartest thing youve said in ages. Ive said on here since the day Vick was named starter that the best thing they could do would be to put a formation in for him like he had in atlanta that features 2 backs and him in the run game. IT WORKED with atl’s crap of an O. Scare teams with that run game and work the pass from there. Imaging what this team could do if teams had to worry about a run game. WHY WOULD A TEAM NOT BLITZ US AND DROP THE OTHER 5 INTO A COVER 4?????
Eagles should trade the following Players while they retain some of their Value
CB Asmo to the NY Jets who wanted him as a Free-Agent and lost Revis
DE B Graham to the Patriots who still think he has a chance to be a good player or even to the Ravens who need some passs-rushers
WR J Avant to Colts to help give QB luck a reliable slot target (they lost WR Austin COllie for the Season and possibly his career)
QB M Vick to the Seattle Seahawks for QB Matt Flynn and Draft Picks
These moves should allow other younger players more playing time to develop and return the Eagles some solid High Round Draft Picks for next Year while clearing some Cap Space for next Season which the Eagles are presently about $17.5 Over the limit for 2013.. By doing this, the Eagles
can then sign Young Contributing players like Maclin & DRC to long-term Deals
and move forward pointing to the 2013/2014 Seasons
Flat out Release RB Dion Lewis, LB Casey Matthews JR
For the record Vinnie….. i dont disagree with you about Vick… he clearly has had the same issues for years…. but i stand on what i have said from day 1…. it was our best option of the 3. Can you agree with me on the fact that our play calling plus this crap oline is not doing him any favors?
The Eagles should put the Vet at Center and move Reynolds off the field…period!
Move Bell to guard and the fireman to Left Tackle…He can’t be any worse than Bell there and he sucks at RG.
It doen’t matter though….
Teams will keep their cover to shell blitz packages coming and our Eagles will be 2-3 after our home embarassment against the Super Bowl winning Giants and the Multiple Superbowl winning Steelers.
Paul, eagles are 2-1 and are playing for 1st place in the Div this year. What the $%#&@ are you talking about with these trades? Sky falling a bit early even for you.
also…. Paul…… you “didnt waste time” watching the game on Sunday because its beneath you and yet you spend time writting these silly trades? Yikes bro.
Play calling is an issue….but I don;t think that’s going to change…..besides as I have pointed out many times…..its was a huge portion of teams are doing nowadays.
EX)
After calling only 4 runs in the first half and having their QB under seige, the conventional wisdom is that the Pack went all run-crazy in the second.
Gotta Luv it is so convinced he says…..”After Rodgers was Sacked 8x’s …What did his Coach Do ?”
I’ll tell you what he did……he ran a bit for 1 drive. Then back to business as usual. Remember this is a game when they were never far behind.
His first drive in the 3rd he went run, run, pass, run, pass run, run, run, pass, run, pass, pass…..7 runs 5 passes.
But how long did that last?? One drive. Then is was pass-fest again.
Next drive was
run, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, run, run, run, pass, pass….7 passes 4 runs
And the winning….er…go ahead TD drive…
pass, run, pass, pass, pass, pass, run, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, one yrd run for a td. 14 called passes 3 runs.
65% pass….35% run
GB, Det, NO, NE, NYG, Pitt, and several others all ran about the same pass/run ratio as the Birds this weekend…..
Do I like it? No. But I don’t think its going to change either….nor do I think a new coach coming in isn;t going to do the same…..this was started in S, moved to college and now big in the NFL….maybe it’ll change back in 15 years or so, but I doubt it.
The oline is a serious issue (as I said it would be when Peters got hurt). I hated the Bell signing…(where I live most local sports stations concentrate on the Bills as they are the closest NFL team + we get Detroit and Buffalo tv affiliates on US stations) So I knew he was a terrible tackle.
I was also wary of the one year wonder Mathis. Now a backup centre….trouble
That being said….history tells us that oline performance usually improves pretty dramatically when you know who isn’t under centre and deteriorates when he is.
So I’d like to see how they do without Mr. 5 seconds taking snaps.
Vinnie, what happened to all the little screens we used to run that reid used to say were “runs”? Thats what we need. Its so clear that the D’s are sending 6 or 7 guys on every play and that the flats are WIDE open. But we arent sending anyone to the flats. its Djack deep, BC to block, and on and on.
the game is changing away from the pocket passers the defenses are too fast and too strong … guys are getting killed all around the league
as i’ve said from the start…. if its not working… go with the backup. I would root for him the same way i rooted for kolb (although i was never sold on kolb). I however think the oline is our biggest issue. I’ll gladly eat my cap tho.
real refs will back on Sunday it seems….. maybe this helps us… prolly not tho.
What happened to the screens? Well, I think MM and AR got tired of watching one too many screens get knocked down.
I don’t think screens are the best play for a guy who’s 5′ 11 (if that)….that being said, I’m not sure which plays are good for a guy that tall…..
Bring back Kevin Kolb oh he sucks until he took the Eagles apart, @Pheags how’s those stats helping out the rookie in DC? And Vinnie the mind reader who knows what other people are thinking when they type, LOL you guys are hilarious watch the games root for the Eagles then bitch to your friends about who did or didn’t do what and then come on G Cobb and argue and insult anyone who has a different opinion then you and to show everyone how much you know about football. LOL
You guys have to love REAL!! Hilarious! Do you think when he is looking up at Vick while on his knees he tells him he is better than Brady and Manning?? Just wondering. Vick could have 15 picks and Real would say he was great. But seriously Vick is mostly the victim of poor game planning and two passaholics. They literally have a problem. I watch these games sometimes and say to myself, “Joe Montana could not run this offense!” He seriously could not. Way too predictable.
Three things you would get from Foles. First, balance. Its that simple. They wouldn’t throw forty times. As stupid as they are, they aren’t THAT stupid. So right there you are better. Could he actually be more clueless at picking up the blitz and reading the defense?? Could he make MORE mistakes?? I don’t think he will turn it over four or five times a game. It cannot get much worse. Its not like you are bringing in Kolb and now you can’t go long. He has a cannon too. And he appears from scant evidence to be fairly accurate. His main trouble was under throwing the long ball. That’s just a rookie not being used to the NFL speed. He would adjust that quickly.
Second, the line would play better.
Third, what ALWAYS happens when you put in the back up?? The defense shows up bigger. What is the best defense the Eagles played last year? Vince Young’s first start. What carried AJ Feeley? The defense. With no QB whatsoever what made the 1991 Eagles one of the greatest defenses ever?? The fact that they had no QB whatsoever!! They had to be that good. Time is yours.
@JBirdchest – come out, come out, wherever you are!!!
Considering I never posted on this article, its crazy that your punk ass would talk about me, knowing I’m not on this thread…What a bitch move, if you ask me! you dumb ass, you silly simplistic little shit! dont know bout being on my knees, but I’ll take a squat and shit all over your dumb ass!
Foles over Vick, really? your points have no merit! How do you know Foles will give you balance? How do you not know? Your second point, the line would play better? again no merit, no explanation of why you think that would be the case…just the line would play better! yea OK! ha! Third point the defense has been showing up every game this season!
How did Vick look against the blitz this past weekend..? 8 for 12 with a TD, that’s how he looked! so you talk all the bullshit you want, the fact of the matter, is REAL, talks REALTALK, and you simply cluck just like a Hen! You waste of an Egg!
@Birdchest – you say he cant get much worse…Well guess what it could get worst! What if you put the backup in and he simply doesn’t move the ball down the field! Then guess what, you’re fighting field position because the offense can’t move the ball. How about repetitive 3 and outs, that he won’t get if WR’s are covered and O Line breaks down……We seen Vick get 1st downs with his feet in those cases? how would that work out for Foles? Vick has had turnovers, but the Eagles are 3-1, and they Eagles still moved the ball better than 25 other teams in the NFL. In which 3 wins, Vick led 4th quarter game winning drives…something that a lot of his critics said he can’t do!
When Drew Beldsoe went down in 2000 and the Patriots put in a backup that was a sixth round draft pick, who thought, “Wow! I bet they win the Super Bowl now!” No, they were doomed. When Big Ben stepped in for Pittsburgh in 2004 as a rookie out of where-did-he-go? Northwest Central Ohio Tech? Did people say. “yeah I bet they go 15-1 and get to the AFCC.” No, they didn’t. When some kid that was the sixth QB taken in the 1983 draft came in midway through the season for the Miami Dolphins, did the Phins fans think well he will play great right away and take us to the playoffs, shatter every passing record in his SECOND season and get to the SB with no defense or running game?? On his way to the HOF on the first ballot.
The point is this. You never know. There is a 50% chance that Foles could be the next Bobby Hoying. But there is also that one in a thousand chance he could be the first HOF QB in Eagles history. You cannot assume failure. We have seen too many rookies and backups do great things. And don’t you think it might be time the football gods finally smile on the Eagles after all this time?? Just maybe.
I like your thinking jbird!!!!!
about screens….. Wrong Vinnie.
What do you do when a team is blowing up the Oline sending 6 or so guys? The answer is SCREENS.
What do you do when a team is dropping the other 5 guys into deep zones?
SCREENS!!
This is basic stuff guys. Believe me… im not defending the QB. Im just pointing out that there HAS TO BE CHANGES MADE DURING THE GAME. Clearly it wasnt working…. do something different.
I get it. Screens good.
But you can’t run screens when your 5′ nothin’ QB backpedals and can’t see over the DE that the oline has let thru….tries to lob it up and it gets batted down.
Andy Reid used to love the screen. It was to the point where if I heard Moose Johnston or Aikman rattlin’ on about how “the Eagles run the screen game better than anyone in the NFL…” line again I was going to lose it.
Coaches are creatures of habit. Reid didn’t just stop running them without a reason. He doesn’t run them right now because – for what3ever reason – he doesn’t think they will work. IS it the RB? Doubtful….I don’t think he believes Vick is a good screen QB…..if that’s the case…I agree.
@ Jbird says “Three things you would get from Foles. First, balance. Its that simple. They wouldn’t throw forty times. As stupid as they are, they aren’t THAT stupid. So right there you are better.”
1. why would you get balance when the #2 plays ?
2. why wouldn’t they throw 40 times ?
3. why WOULD they throw 40 times
4. WHO makes these decisions and why ?
they fell in love with vick ability to throw 80 yards so that all they do and teams know it
I’ll tell you this..Foles can’t be any worse than what Vick have shown this season so far.
i’m about the 3rd biggest vick critic on this site and the songs comment is completely assinine. I don’t think they can win long term with him but he absolutely gives us the best chance to win. what can you possibly base the ‘foles can’t be any worse than our 3-1 qb has shown this season?” that is the ghost of bobby hoying, aj feeley, jeff garcia’s past… just complete angelo cataldi blow hard nonsense.
Such garbage coming from you dudes anymore about the qb. he’s the qb of our 3-1 team. WTF are you crying about? He’s made mistakes…but when we needed plays to win games…he made them and we won. I dont really get the whole angle of ripping him form week to week when we’re in the lead of our division.
Something tells me you dudes want him to fail and have the team go in the tank.
He played a great game Sunday night…audibling out of plays…patient in the pocket…didnt make the crucial eror that Manning did….and Manning almost made one in the end…had the wide not pi’d Nmamdi its a pick ,game over.
@haveacigar….i dont think we win longterm with him but he gives us the best chance to win?WTF does that mean?Its the 2012 season …who care about next year until next year.
@songs….your that much of a Vickhater to think Foles makes those runs for 1st downs when nothing was there and the run lanes open?
Cowboys,done…Giants,reeling and have serious issues if Hicks injury is as bad as some think up there…Skins,stop….so whats the Vick baching about anymore.
STOP SOUNDING LIKE OVER CRITICAL SENIOR CITIZENS AND GET BEHIND THE DAMN TEAM!!!!!
What kinda moron is talking about Foles as a better option at starter when were 3-1? Think of it this way,not one gm,scout or personel guy would agree with that. if you think so then its time for you to turn in your knowledge card.
Even Foles would tell you Mikes a better qb . Get over the turnovers dudes….he’s gonna go on a roll. If im wrong ill eat crow. If your worng you’ll say he got lucky and the Steelers stink.
Erock… im with ya man. I dont get the crying when we are in first. Eagles D will bring the noise this week. Count on it. btw… are you “the erock” that has the birds man cave and stuff?
long term was not a good choice of words, my comment should have said DEEP into the playoffs
3-1=division lead
Vick+Shady attack =unstoppable passing game
Foles+qb controversy =your a moron
**EAGLES NEWS**
Today Andy was asked whether they expect Jason Peters back this year and his reply was “Hes making progress. He’s healing fast.” They have not ruled Jason Peters out for this year at all.
My Thoughts– I’m not a betting man but if I was I’d put money on J.Peters returning this year and making a huge impact like last season. You know hes iching to play. I can’t wait for his return just before we go on our playoff run. You heard it here first!
Not to bust you bubble JH, but I stated this back in August that Jason Peters was shooting for November Return.. There are some new ruiles in the CBA about players that have already been on the IR List from before Camp being able to return that same season as opposed to before when once you were paced on IR, your were out until the next Season..