We got the second edition of rookie Bryce Brown and again the youngster put on quite a show. The kid was exploding up the gut and around the corner on the Cowboys, while running through arm tackles like they weren’t even there.
I don’t think Brown has clear understood yet how important it is that he avoid fumbling the football. They’ve got a find a way to get that through to him in much clearer way.
When he’s in a crowd he’s got to have two hands on the football. Brown must also carry the football more securely when he’s out in the open. He must understand that fumbling can ruin his career in much the same way that it’s ruined the first two games of his career.
He’s not a dancer like LeSean McCoy he’s slasher, who hits the hole and explodes. Teams are getting their first look at him, so expect them to make an adjustment, which will give Nick Foles more opportunities to throw the football.
Brown has more straight ahead speed than McCoy, but isn’t as effective when that initial hole isn’t there. Let’s not get anything twisted around here though, this is still McCoy’s job although, Brown has played himself into some carries now and in the future. He’s another weapon which can be utilized to give a defense something else to prepare for.
The Eagles have done a good job of designing some run plays which fit him. The outside runs give him a chance to use his speed to get outside the defense or cut it back when the defensive line and linebackers get out ahead of him. I like the way he’s utilized his eyes to find the hole by either cutting back or taking the play outside.
I like the way the defensive line was out there fighting in front of him.
Amazingly in the last two games, Brown has run for 100 yards in the first half. He ran for 169 yards last night and 178 yards in the previous game. That’s a total of 347 yards in only two starts and is the second-highest total ever by an Eagles back in consecutive games.
Hall of Famer Steve Van Buren combined for 379 rushing yards on 11/20/49 and 11/27/49.
I have always preferred the one cut and go rushers to the dancers. I think McCoy has become a bit of a dancer the past 2. I think Brown could play his way into a major role on the Eagles coing forward…perhaps even into the featured back spot….with McCoy becomning more of an “ort of the backfield – Dave Meggett type”
However….two things bothering me about Brown – and I think they’re related.
1) TD showboat. Does he really have to put the ball down on the turn right after crossing the goalline? Humility please. 3-8. Bounced through multiple colleges. Low draft pick. And still pointing himself out to the world. Why do I care about this? Because it leads to….
2) Carlessness. After last week, you know the coaches were hammering him about ball security. You know they spent time after practice on carrying the ball properly. YOu know he was told 50,000X. And what did we see on the very first running play? That arm swinging wide. Collinsworth pointed it out 50x by the 3rd Q. ANd then boom…inevitable happened.
So I’m concerned that he didn’t take anyting his coaches told him to heart over the course of the week….and this ties to the first point I made. Guy might think he’s a little too big for his britches as my grandfather used to say.
agreed. I do not want this guy too be the featured back next year. He does not seem stable enough to run the show AND…. i want no more of this me first crap that is all over this team.
That being said….. last night i have seen a great blueprint for the next coach. Run the damn ball.
Im watching the Vikings do something good out here (i hate the vikes…. i hate that i like what they are doing)… against throw throw throw teams… they are running the ball. They have no QB. BUT….. they have an Oline and a RB and they are ramming the ball down teams throats.
A running game and a better coached D can carry us for a while. Lets get on this.
“Bryce Brown Puts On Another Show, But He Also Fumbles Again”
So what?…He’s a stud and has heart…’Bad Newz Kennels’ D lost the game…Tony Romeo exposed them.
Vinnie you wrote:
2) Carlessness. After last week, you know the coaches were hammering him about ball security. You know they spent time after practice on carrying the ball properly. YOu know he was told 50,000X. And what did we see on the very first running play?
In my opinion I dont necessarily believe he was told that many times. Coach Reid has a proven track record of not doing what he is supposed to be doing so who knows.
Andy Reid’s last days in Philly will be running the football with a power back — too funny
Bryce Brown has no big head… he “quietly” laid the ball down… he wasn’t doing any dances and high 5’s.
All through training camp/preseason you could see flashes but he was trying to relearn his instincts. He went 4 years with no college RB experience so he lost that as a training ground. He was the top RB prospect out of HS for most… he is still operating on his natural HS instincts and he was literally blowing by all those defenders.
That’s why he has carried the ball loosely and not protected it in tight situations. Give him a few more games and he’ll get it. Look how many times Peterson was fumbling for the Vikes in first year. Brown has very high upside; let him learn to protect the ball this year. Nothing is really “lost” this year because we need to lose out and get highest picks possible in a draft which isn’t abundant at positions we need to fill.
Say what you want but Bryce reminds me alot of how Peterson looks. Their running style is almost identical.
Lets hope Bryce can get to anywhere close the running back that Peterson is.