Tanking, giving in, or going belly-up. I’m not in favor of this strategy. I expect everything to be left on the playing field. Unfortunately I don’t expect that from the Eagles, maybe some individual play, but no longer is this viable from a team standpoint. Looking at the future by accepting defeat on a weekly basis is the course of action that many professional franchises elect to take when encountering the “rebuilding” phase. Like it or not, we have crossed into the “rebuilding” phase, much different than “retooling.”
A game out of first place and already I’m hinting at justifying this season as being over? Some would say that Nick Foles could easily return to form in Oakland and the Eagles could climb to one game under .500 and only a ½ game back behind the idle Dallas Cowboys. Yes this is a fact, and this is what many fans will want to focus on. Chip Kelly sure made it clear, he wants to beat Oakland, and nothing else matters. Chip; there is a major issue here. Your football team is flawed and in serious trouble. The Philadelphia Eagles are worse than their 3-5 record. Zero offensive touchdowns the last two games.
There have been ten consecutive defeats at Lincoln Financial Field. Quarterbacks decided weekly by health status. The defense is looking better than the offense. Do we even trust our field goal kicker past 40 yards? You want to look at the positives to make it all seem better than it really is? Not for me, I’m stripping this negative, rusting season layer by layer.
Are you going to feel better if we beat Oakland? What if we win the NFC East? Making a trip to the playoffs gives us an extra week of football in Philadelphia, but we are not contending for anything this season. Is there some sense of satisfaction for achieving this level of above average but far from being good status?
If you really think the future quarterback is on this team, I praise your devotion to the Eagles but question your football I.Q. Now I don’t think Chip is doing an admirable job preparing each quarterback to showcase their strengths, in addition to running the read-option with anyone but Vick. Too many in-house questions on a weekly basis, a distraction from what is most important, and that is answering what your opponent is attempting to do.
Just lose Sunday, and as many other games as you can this season. Put us in position to move forward after this season, and not add to the backwards steps we continue to take. Be true with your passion as fans, be upset with how this team has looked and will continue to appear. At the same time, think about the future, even though the current is what the focus should be on.
The Eagles are not good, that will not change. They will have better moments then what we have seen the last two weeks, but in the end, we are nothing more than a medicore football team with a few superstars and some good young talent. It is what it is; take it for what you can. 3-13, trade what you need to and move up to get the #1 guy that Chip envisions as “his” QB.
Getting to the playoffs should never be underestimated. This “pitiful” division produced the SB winner a few years ago after a 9-7 season. No team should pass up the playoffs for a better draft position.
It’s not like drafting high gaurantees you an eventual SB, even if you get a franchise Qb.
“Be true with your passion as fans, be upset with how this team has looked and will continue to appear.”
How exciting will it be to watch them lose? As a passionate fan I can’t say I approve of just hanging it up at this point in the season.
With the high number of first round busts, especially at the QB position i think you try to win every game. Try to build a culture of winning with your young guys…
We think about the big picture. We think about what might happen if the Eagles get to seven wins and all the really good quarterback prospects are gone by the time they make their draft pick. You may assume that Foles isn’t the quarterback of the future for the Eagles. Kelly knows only fools assume such things. His focus is narrowed not to Sunday’s game, but to Thursday’s practice.
No u don’t tank. Nfl teams just don’t do that. Nobody in this years draft is even worth tanking for – Boyd, marriota or bridge water aren’t guaranteed star qbs not even sure any of them are likely. U play the games to win then draft best available this upcoming draft see what happens next year then in the 2015 nfl draft u do whatever it takes to get jameis Winston.
This notion of playing for the “future” is ridiculous! Tanking games is ridiculous! You play to win now. There is no Andrew Luck or RG3 in the upcoming draft! Let’s stop the desperate assumption that a franchise QB will automatically be there in the draft! It’s a shot in the dark, a hope and guess that maybe a QB will be there for us. We are one game out of first place…the offensive line has to pick it up. The defense is playing well. If the O-line can establish A running game they can take pressure off the Qb
RG3 may be about as franchise as Vick. He is too small and frail. His career will be plagued by injury. He is talented but I am not sure he is in Luck’s class right now. It is already obvious Luck is HOF if healthy.
A different approach was launched Wednesday when the 76ers opened their season against the Miami Heat. The Sixers have willingly admitted difficult days lie ahead, and they are pinning their hope for the future on a prized lottery pick. Football is not basketball. One player, not even a quarterback, can turn around an entire franchise.
You do not tank games. You may need to play some younger players to help you decide whether or not they are worth keeping or not, but you do not tank games. You play games to win every week, and you play the best players you have, provided they are healthy.
Making the playoffs cannot be underestimated. Even with the pathetic state that the NFC East is in these days, you push as hard as you can to make the playoffs. Remember, this team was 4-12 last year, making the playoffs would be an excellent step for Kelly in his first year.
Tank games, no way. Lurie and Howie can talk about those hypothetical situations up in the owners box, but Kelly and his coaches need to be going all out and improving every week. This is a rookie coach who has shown that he has alot to learn in this league, tanking games is the last thing he should be thinking about and I am sure that it will never be brought up in the offices at NovaCare.
the eagles tanked last year – no doubt they pulled the plug —
No need this year — At best the eagles repeat their 1st half record of 3-5 meaning best case scenario the eagles are a 6-10 team. most likely they finish 4-12 or 5-11.
“losing begets losing” said someone, somewhere
The Only way to change a losing culture is to stop losing and start winning
The Only way Chip Kelly and Coaching Staff get a complete buy-in from the Players is to compete each an every week and to Win some games..
Now with all this being said, you do want to look at some of the younger players to see what they have and also finf out as a Coaching Staff who the future Core is .. If Players like a Herremans,Celek,Trent Cole, Brandon Graham, etc,etc do not figure in part of the Future Core, then start PLaying some younger Players to replace them to find out about the Alan Barbree’s, Dennis Kelly,James Casey, Vinny Curry, Chris McCoy, etc,etc
eventually one of the Eagle offensive lineman will miss at least a game to injury – to think this group of five starts every game is unrealistic. i can’t believe no one on the roster is capable of stealing Trent Cole’s snaps at this point in his zero sack eight game season. there has to be some OLB on someone’s practice squad who can get at least one sack in the next eight games?
Go ask the players do you tank another ridiculous article. These guys are playing for their professional lives. There are no sure things or saviors just play to win.
GM and owners can request lesser talented players on the depth chart get playing time because of youth or draft position at the back end of a losing season, which can be construed as tanking.
Do I think Howie would force Babin out of the rotation and remove a Jim Washburn to accomplish that, yes. Do I think Howie would fire a Sean McDermott for not replacing a Dimitrie Patterson with his draft pick Trevard Lindley, yes.
Unless the Eagles pick top three or want to give up 2015 and 2016 first round picks they are wasting a pick on a QB. They just need to keep seeing what Foles and Barkley can do and keep Vick on the bench.
Usually Andy would bench someone right around now and give someone else a shot. Barbre should replace Herremans from here on out. It will make the other guys tighten up their game and get rid of the dead weight out there with a guy who is looking to earn a job for next year. If he plays like he did in preseason he is a definite upgrade from Herremans
Evaluating the young guys you have while trying to win is different than “tanking”. By intentionally tying to lose, you create a culture of losing going forward. IMO evaluating your young talent while trying to win should have been the manta from the beginning of the year. Now, if your young talent is progressing, you may make the obligatory playoff game and be the start of better days to come. If your young players regress, your going to be 3-13 anyway and get the high draft pick. I agree with Koolbreeze, not only are none of the QB’s in this draft surefire bets, having watched this coach so far, I don’t trust he’d draft the right one anyway. He’s already shown he’s married to a non-traditional offense (that I don’t believe in) and than moved-up to draft a QB last year that can’t run it.
Exactly! Which is why Vick should have never been playing. He was made the starter on two good drives with no turnovers. BFD! The FO wanted to win now and they thought they could give it YET ANOTHER SHOT with Vick. It was short sighted and stupid.
Yup been screaming it since well forever.
Last year Foles turned the ball over and had a bit of a noodle arm. This year his arm looks stronger and he has been avoiding the turnovers. He is improving and you can’t discount his head. Smarts is the most important aspect of being a QB. I think people are writing him off way too fast. I keep saying, no one was ready to put Montana or Brady in the HOF during their second season when they took over. And I am sure people said they were trash. Brady less so because they were winning. Lack of supporting cast and lack of pass rush are bigger issues than the QB right now anyway. Still no return game. Can we sign a GD return man in FA this year for God’s sake??!!
FA wish list.
FS
KR/PR
LB
OG
Draft wish list
1st Rd-WR
2nd Rd-NG
3rd Rd-OT
4th Rd-OLB
Who’s your QB jbird? Depending on where we are picking, we have to get a future franchise QB, now! If we have a chance, to get Bridgewater, Mariota, Hundley, or maybe even Manziel lower in the 1st, we have no choice right now! Vick blows. Foles IMHO, isn’t a starting QB for this system, maybe can be somewhere else, & Barkley flat out blows!
FA should be-
In order of high priority, & ease of signing- SS, FS, CB, OT, OLB, NT
Draft should be-
1st round- QB
2nd round- WR
3-7, In no particular order- OG, OT, DF, DF, DF, DF!
The biggest failure on this team has been the offensive line! The substance of Chip Kelly’s offense is the running game! This is a fact the the Vick haters have persistently overlooked! The injuries to both Foles and Vick are directly related to the inability of the offensive line to open holes for shady and the running backs which led to Vick running too much in the Giants game and Foles dismal performance in the Dallas game where he had no help fr om the running game! Thus, for Chip Kelly’s offense to work the priority is NOT the Quarterback! It is the Offensive line ability to dominate and establish the running game!
By young talent, I’m not just talking about the QB either. Graham should be playing over Cole to see what he is. Ertz over Celek. V. Curry should be playing. Wolff is playing now as well as Boykins and both seem to be incrementally improving. Can they be starters on a perennial play-off team? Only way to find out is to let them play & let the “chips” fall where they may. Pun intended.
Every year I hear fans talk about tanking games.
Enough games in the NFL are fixed already.
You don’t tank games you don’t have to.
Draft wish list:
QUARTERBACK
Like it or not, you only win in the NFL with an elite quarterbacks. You may not like Eli or Flacco, but Flacco is a guy thats consistent and turned his game up big time come post season. Eli is an avg regular season guy. Come playoffs, he turns his game up.
You don’t win in this league without the elite QB. You don’t win superbowls. Plain and simple. Its a chance when you draft a qb. If he fails, you fail as a coach. But if you dont take that chance, you automatically fail.
Neither Eli nor Flacco are elite Qbs. How is Flacco consistent? His numbers were worse than Vick or Foles last year. He went on a good run. He’s back to where he usually is this year.
And Eli only had to score more than twenty like once in the two SB runs the Giants had. If anything was elite it was the defensive line. Eli made more panic throws in that first SB than I’ve ever seen. His teammates stepped up to help him out.
You don’t win in this league without a good overall team. An good qb on a good team is good enough.
Lets see-
2012 stats
Flacco- 317- 531 59.7% comp. 3817 yards. 22 td’s. 10 ints. 9 fumbles. 7 lost. 16 games. SB win.
Foles- 161- 265 60.8% comp. 1699 yards. 6 td’s. 5 ints. 8 fumbles. 6 lost. Only 7 games.
Vick- 204- 305 58.1% comp. 2362 yards. 12 td’s. 10 ints.11 fumbles. 7 lost. Zero SB. 1 playoff win.
Oh I hate Sheli, but he has 2 SB’s in which he drove his team up & down the field for the wins. The only panic throw he made, was the catch by Tyree. So again, you are factually proven incorrect, & are showing the hater colors. Yes, a great TEAM, usually wins the SB, but get your fact/ stats right, before making stupid comments, bruh!
It took almost 5 years for Flacco to develop into who he is now.
Remember that it is not where you start but where you finish that matters
Flacco is so overrated… he got hot at the right time and won a SB… then got overpaid and will never win another one for the Ravens.
The Eagles will be picking somewhere around 10-15 and have a legit shot at QB Johnny Manziel or Taj Boyd if they prefer to get a QB.
Neither of which (Manziel & Boyd) are NFL Caliber QB’s..
Franchise, elite Quarterbacks are very hard to come by! The desperate obsession to acquire what you imagine to be an elite Qb can set this team back even farther! Teams have one SuperBowls with average QB’s …once again…the Eagles offensive is designed to emphasize the run! We need to focus our attention on how to improve the offensive line. We should grab the best offensive lineman in free agency…we need nasty, vicious big offensive guards that create running lanes…It is pure delusion to believe that Nick Foles is going to beat a good team with his ‘smarts’ or his ‘arm’…that will not happen…he is just not good enough!
Wait, weren’t you the writer saying Vick shouldn’t play another snap as QB? Now you are moaning that we haven’t scored an offensive TD in the last 2 games?
Yes, it would be beneficial to loose, if we had a GM that was able to judge talent, draft the right players, sign the right players, & actually spend the cap $$$$ allocated to them! Does it really matter right now? If we win enough to squeeze into the playoffs, we are 1 & done with this garbage roster, & get a worse pick, & if we loose out & get a great pick again, we still have, Mr. Eyebrows the owner, Weaselman the GM, & the Genius coach, making the calls! Damned if we do, damned if we don’t! I don’t know WTF else to say!
Next year’s draft should be
1 – OT (to replace Peters)
2 – OG – to replace herremans
3 – OG/centre – to replace Kelce and as a backup plan in case 1st OG fails
4+ Defense
Then its Foles/Barkley behind that young jelling line (with Johnson) all season.
The following year
1 – QB if required (Foles and Bark not getting it done)
2 – WR to grow with QB
3 – TE to grow with QB
The following year
Defensive players early + a RB with a top 3 pick (but never ever 1st round)
It takes at least 2 years for a young Oline to start coming together. 2-3 years for a good qb/oline to really work well together. Takes time.
Defensive players. Esp CBs and LBs can get up to speed quicker, thus they should be drafted later in the rebuild process.
Also, the average careers of good QBs and Oline is much longer (often 10-12 years) than other positions like LB, DL, RB who all (usually) have shorter careers. Its only logical to draft the guys who can have longer careers first.
This plan allows for either a newly drafted QB or a Foles/Barkley twho are entering their prime in their 4th seasons to settle in behind a good oline in 2015.
Of course, this process should have begun LAST season, instead of this season….
Playing/developing young talent is not ‘tanking’ its rebuilding and moving forward. It is a process that every team that hits the bottom should go through.
The Eagles’ didn’t. They went all haphazard, again mistakenly under the shortsighted (and entirely wrong) “win now with Vick” plan.
An OT (good pick) a TE (good pick only if playing a young qb to grow together) then a DT, then…well I can’t remember what came next…..picks at all positions….that’s just putting fingers in the dyke like the little boy.
Never solves the problem…..never realizing the only way to stop the leaks is to tear the thing down and rebuild it.
That’s a 3-4 year drafting process…..should have started last year…hopefully will begin this offseason.
Hate to rain on anybody’s wish list but given Howie’s track record it senseless worrying about who to draft and what we need it will just be 7 more reaches and the same nonsense.
2012 – Fletcher Cox, Mychal Kendricks, Nick Foles and Brandon Boykin
2013 – Lane Johnson, Zach Ertz, Bennie Logan, Earl Wolfe
Eight draft picks will be on the field against Oakland this sunday — maybe Vinny Curry and Bryce Brown also —
Howie’s boys will be starting whether they are long term winners is yet to be realized.
In terms of production what has that list of young gentleman accomplished? Don’t confuse being on the field and being successful with the exception of Cox there isn’t 1 sure fire player on that list. Please understand I am a life long Eagle fan but I don’t wear green colored glasses.
Fletcher Cox? he is not having a better 2nd year than rookie year. Fletcher Cox has been the end rusher opposite Trent Cole all season who can’t get any pressure. I have 4 of those draft picks playing better than Fletcher, I wouldn’t separate Cox as an excelling exception. The Eagles last 2 drafts are successful drafts. The big contract players on the Eagles roster are reasons for concern with Howie Roseman not his last 2 drafts. Howie’s contracts to Herremans, Cole, Ryans, Peters, Vick, DJax, Sopoaga, Williams, Chung can be reasons to fret about Howie not his draft picks.
Nice plan Vinnie and I endorse your idea!
but I believe Jeff Lurie and Howie/chip draft QB first and might use other draft picks to move up and ensure they get the guy they scout best fit for their system next draft.
I wish the Eagles went your route though.
If the Eagłes and Jaguars don’t start winning at home soon,
Word is that Commisioner Goodell will merge the 2 Franchises to field a more competitive brand of Football..
Eagles/Jags will play 3 Home Games Each in their reapective Stadiums
and play 2 Games in London
The other Open Spot will go to Los Angeles as the 32nd Team in the NFL