Asking Vince Young learn the entire Eagles playbook after only three practices is too much to ask. Andy Reid wasn’t sure he wanted to play Young last night, but the former Texas great took over after Michael Vick played and Young did a good job for the Birds.
On one 3rd down play, Young dropped into the pocket eluded the pass rush by escaping to his left. It looked like he was going to be sacked but he used his speed and athleticism to buy himself some time. At the last second with the pass rush closing in on him, Young spotted a wide open Chad Hall in the middle of the field and got the ball to him.
This is the part of Young’s game which you can’t coach. It’s the part of his game that wasn’t seen at training camp because it wasn’t a game situation. Young took off one time on a scramble for six yards. He’s big, strong and fast, so it’s not easy to sack him even when a pass rusher gets back there.
Young led the Eagles on a nice scoring drive during his time in the game. He completed three of his five passes attempts for 45 yards. He was called for intentional downing when he threw the ball into the ground after being pressured by a blitzer.
The former Texas Longhorn was able to get the offense in and out of the huddle with ease. One of Young’s challenges is to learn all of the verbiage in the Eagles playbook and be able to spit it out quickly in the huddle.
After Young was removed from the lineup, third-string quarterback Mike Kafka took over. He showed his mastery of the offense by 
getting the ball out of his hands very quickly a few times versus the blitz.
For the most part Kafka was on the money with his decisions and his throws, but he made one costly mistake and it resulted in an interception. On another play, Kafka floated a blind pass outside to one of the running backs. He was fortunate that the defender didn’t see the throw and pick it off for a long interception return.
You can’t help but be impressed with Kafka’s touch on some passes. He’s very good at what are called sight adjustments, where he’s got to get rid of the ball before a free blitzer gets to him.
The former Northwestern quarterback is a good athlete, who was able to escape the pass rush and scramble for yardage. He finished with 13 completions out of 19 attempts for 132 yards.
I saw quite a few things about Kafka’s game that I liked but his lack of arm strength to make the deep throw will limit him in this offense which is called a west coast offense but is really a downfield passing game led by the speed of DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. I will give Kafka credit that he has strengthened his arm since being drafted, but I’m still not sure if he can make the deep throw.
I think kafka had good command. Its a correctable mistake he made on the INT you watch film and he’ll be fine. Without a doubt he is our number 2.
No, Vince Young is our backup QB.
It’s not a debate nor a knock on Kafka, but it is black and white.
I don’t care if you like Vince Young or not, that’s just your emotions.
Vince Young is 31-17 in this league, and has Andy/Marty to help him grow behind the scenes (And Vick)
Like with anyone, it takes time to show what they can do with a 2nd chance/fresh start
Give the guy time to learn the playbook and improve his mechanics, because he is not our starter he is our backup
On a team that he starts, you can criticize away, but then you would be like the media/press
In his defense, Fisher never wanted him to play over Kerry Collins and Young is still maturing as an individual.
It won’t happen overnight, but he is here with us and in a good situation.
I hate how everything has to be a negative or debate, it’s either jealousy because you didn’t make it, or hating out of ignorance.
Concerning Kafka, he looked good. I like how we got him reps and how he got the ball out of his hands.
Young guy with fire, reminds me of a former Jeff Garcia (not every little thing but he seems like a good player for Philadelphia and with his style)
He is definitely in his playbook and working with Doug Peterson, and I liked what he did overall.
To sum up Kafka in a nutshell per “Tolly”: “That was a great pass by Kafka, he just didn’t see the safety there that picked it off”….
to wmonell,
reminds you of Jeff Garcia, really,, I don’t see that at all and feel like Kafka is much more similar in style and skills like AJ Feeley was… Tall, good knowledge of the system but a dink and dunk kind of passer who can have success running this offense but with a limited arm to be able to get the ball down the field and make any big plays and we all know that to win in the NFL, you have to make big plays or at least have the threat and opporutnites to make the big plays.. .
Kafka has an inadequate arm
Just like Kolb,Feeley,Detmer, Garcia and a host of Eagle Back-up in recent Seasons.. What made Garcia so effective ws his ability to scramble and throw on the run.. I have stated this a 100 times,but in Coach AR/MM system, you have to very athletic since you pass so often and with as many as 3-4-5 Receivers going out on pass routes, the QB (whoever he is) will not get a whole lot of time to throw and must be able to make plays with his feet..
D McNabb was able to do this earlier in his carrer, but not so much during his last couple.. Vick can do it now, Kiolb could never do and I am afriad the Kafka is not they type of athlete either to have th ability to make plays with his legs..
Young did nothing impressive, and Kafka played well, with third stringers, although he tried to get too cute on a couple of occasions…It was only the first pre-season game however, and nothing to get excited about…Vick played well, but, baby, he better get some good protection this year because he cannot take the beating he took last season…At least Young has some bulk to withstand a beating…Kafka looks like he has bulked up, too…Running game will be of importance, and if Andy Reid cannot overcome his pass happy ways, there will be no Super Bowl for the Dream Team.
Kafka is more athletic than you think. Mobility right below Kolb…no as mobile as Garcia but he has Garcia style command. AJ was just a good guy and another player that wore green. I think Kafka could have a chance at starting at some point. Now, I didn’t say be a reliable starter or pro bowl did I? No, but the kid can play and he is still learning. You just want it all in one day/week/month. As a former player/coach/ref/scorekeeper/trainer/you name it…I’m glad you have ZERO say in what the Eagles do and they know what theyre doing. Its called player development.
If Reid believed that Kafka was ready, Young would not have been signed.
Kafka, will be goo in time ..But we’ll need Young in case Vick gets injured. We have a proven pro bowl veteran, behind Vick that’s better than Kolb. “Gravy”
Problem is VY probably can’t pick up the Eagle Offense in time to run the entire package if needed in the first 4-6 weeks of the Season..It will have to be dialed down big time for VY.
For whatever it’s worth .. Browns QB Colt McCy goes 5-5 in his opening drive vs the Packers and throws for 74 Yards with a TD and has a QB Rating of 148
(Should be the Browns fans be thinking about Super Bowl.. )
I am tuning into the Giants/PAnthers game and will give my analysis of both teams .. Curious to see how CAm Newton and the Panther’s D looks with DC McDermott calling the shots.. Also want to check on the Giants OL/LB for I believe they are weaker at those positions than last year which they weren’t to good in either..
Aaron ROgers goes down and is 6-8 for a 75 yards and a TD and has a QB Rating of 153 as the Packers tie up the Browns 7-7..
To anyone that’s interested
I just finished watching the 1st Half of the Panthers vs Giants game
Both teams played Starters for the 1st Quarter
#1) The Giants are in worse shape than I thought. Their O/Line looks very poor and has been dominated by the Panther 1st String Defense (by the way, DE C Johnson, MLB J Beason and OLB T Davis are not even dressed for this game which are probably their best defenders)
Giants has rushed 14 times for 53 Yards (3.8 Average)
QB E Manning was 4 for 9 for a measley 36 Yards in the 1st quarter and did not look sharp at all.. and finished with a QB rating of 55.8 was sacked 1
The Panthers Started QB J Claussen who was up and down, and threw an ill advised pass to the falt which was picked off and returned for a TD by Giants LB M Boley.. but then he settles down and completed 4 out of 7 passes for 99 yards and nice TD pass to new TE G Olsen for 18 Yards
Giants DE J Pierre Paul had a very strong 1st half and finished with 2 sacks and at least 2 other hurries and will be a force this Season and beat an All-Pro LT Jordan Gross off the ball on most snaps..
I am not a fan of players being hyped up, but let me say this for the record, Cam Newton is the real deal, he played the 2nd Quarter and led the Panthers to nice drives leading to 2 FG’s.. He was 5 of 13 for 106 Yards and no turnovers.. He has a calmness and prescence about him that you usually don’t see in a rookie QB.. He did miss some passes and tried to force a couple of passes into the end-zone when they were in the red-zone, and the biggest thing that surprised me was that he didn’t scramble 1 time or even appear to want to scramble, he was under pressure and sacked 2.. There is little doubt that he will be the starting QB when the season starts (barring injury) and he reminds me a lot of a young D McNabb/D Culpepper but is much further advanced than those 2 were coming out of College..This kid will be around a long time and will be a Top NFL QB in a few seasons
On a side note, Safety Sean Considne played a lot on the 1st half and has 4 Takcles and OLB O Gaither played most of the 1st half and had 2 tackles and was active and around the ball
The Giants defensivley still have issues at LB and their Safety play as the Panthers TE’s combined for 4 Catches and 75 yards in the 1st half and the middle of the field appeared to be open and easy targets for the Panthers to attack..
Panthers Armanti Edwards had 2 nice punt returns and a 35 yard catch from Newton.. The Panthers also did not play their 2 top WR’s (Steve Smith and Dave Getties who are out injured)
2 things I learned from this game so far
The Panthers will be a much more competitive team than I thought
and the Giants have some serious problems along that OL (Which is also what I thought, Their Starting LT (Beatty who was a 2nd Round Draft pick out of U Conn 3 Years ago looks overmatched and T Cole or D Tapp will have a field day versus hime) Their new Center D Bass got beat at least 3 times by DT’s and were in the backfield begfore Manning was even able to hand the ball off.. The Giants DL looks very strong but their LB play is over agressive and not a very good tackling bunch.. I don’t see the Giants winning 8-9 games this Season