Can The Eagles Keep Their “Passaholicism” In Check?

Now that the Eagles have played four games, in two of those games Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg were able to stay disciplined and successfully restricted their “Passalc0holic” ways and call a balanced game plan.    I’m talking about the Baltimore Ravens game and of course the New York Giants contest.

They came into those games knowing that the opposing defense could put pressure on quarterback Michael Vick and possibly pressure him into making mistakes.  The Eagles featured LeSean McCoy and ran the football and decided to go with passing plays which allowed Vick to get the football out of his hands with quick throws.

At times, I think all that passing and the deep routes to DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin are an addiction for Reid and Mornhinweg, much like alcohol is to the alcoholic and the way gambling is the gambler.  They have a very difficult time saying no to the “Passaholicism” approach to play calling, but we must help them keep it under control the rest of the way.

Feature McCoy, and design pass routes which allow Vick to get the ball out of his hands.  The running game and the short passing game take pressure off of Vick and the Eagles offensive line.  If we want to eliminate the turnovers and give the football team a chance to win every week, we must resist the temptation to throw the ball too much.

This is going to be an ongoing battle.  At times during the season, Andy and Marty will look at NFL highlights and see other teams throwing the ball for over 300 and 400 yards.  They’ll start shaking and sweating with thoughts of throwing the football play after play, but we have to give them  a hug and tell them no, the answer is not giving into “Passaholicism”, in fact the answer is never to give into “Passaholicism”.

The entire Delaware Valley needs to work as a group to make sure that Andy and Marty are attending their “Passaholics Anonymous” meetings, so we can keep them encouraged and believing that there is life after “Passaholicism”.

We must remember that in two of this season’s first four games, Cleveland and Arizona, Reid and Mornhinweg couldn’t overcome their desire to throw the football.  In the first game of the season, they started dropping Vick back on play after play because they felt the Eagles passing game could torch Cleveland.  He threw the football over 50 times in the Browns game and McCoy ran the football only four times in the first half against the Cardinals.

We can’t let that happen again.  I feel we’ve let Andy and Marty down during those weeks because we didn’t keep idea of running the football in their face enough.  A “Passaholic”  has to fight the temptation to throw the football on every play.  They wake up in the morning thinking about throwing the football and they go to sleep at night with dreams of throwing the football floating in their heads.

Now looking ahead, remember once a “Passaholic”  always a “Passaholic”.   They might not say it but Reid and Mornhinweg are crying out for our help as they fight the debilitating disease of “Passaholicism”.