A Target On Vick?
A funny thing happened on the way to the end of the exhibition season Thursday night in Giants Stadium. Somewhere along the way in the second half, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan broke the rules.
A Target On Vick?
Bob Ford, Inquirer Sports Columnist
A funny thing happened on the way to the end of the exhibition season Thursday night in Giants Stadium. Somewhere along the way in the second half, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan broke the rules.
The rules are unwritten, but they go something like this: In the preseason, don't be a jerk. Just play basic defensive formations, don't blitz, don't get anybody on the other team hurt in a meaningless game for no reason -- unless you'd like to have that happen to your team, too.
By the end of the game, it got a little silly. On the next-to-last Eagles' drive, the final one with Michael Vick at quarterback. Ryan's defense used a stunt blitz to send third-string linebacker Larry Izzo and pancake Vick. Tsk, tsk, Rex.
At some point, Andy Reid had his team retaliate a little, but not much. The Eagles were just trying to get out of there in one piece and put their hectic little training camp and exhibition season behind them.
Afterward, Ryan made a big joke of it.
"We were playing vanilla defense, both of us, until it got real competitive at the end. A call or two slipped in there on both sides, them as well as us," he said.
But who started it?
"I think they're going to say I did, but I don't believe I did. We ran a four-man rush and I don't think they did a good job of identifying the fourth guy. That's what led to the fumble for Vick. Then they started to blitz," Ryan said.
Oh, that's a kneeslapper. "Didn't do a good job of identifying the fourth guy." Of course, it's tough to identify him when he isn't a lineman. Vick was sacked by linebacker Marques Murrell on the fumble play, but whatever.
The question is whether this is just gamesmanship and trying to win (?) an exhibition contest and getting a little competitive about it, as Ryan said happened, or something more. Maybe it was just those old Ryan genes coming out. The crazy apple doesn't fall far from the crazy apple tree and so forth. If Buddy was watching back on the ranch, I'm sure he loved it.
The other possibility is that Vick's presence on the field might bring out a special ire in opposing teams and coaches. We've thought about hostile reactions from the stands on the road, but not much thought has been given to whether there's a few Cocker Spaniel lovers in the NFL coaching ranks, or guys who passed on taking a chance with Vick and would like to prove themselves correct.
That will be worth watching. Because in the regular season, there are rules, too, but "no blitzing" isn't one of them.
(Inquirer Staff Photo by David Swanson)
Comment removed.
What else would you expect from Buddy Ryan's kid. Let's see how long he lasts in the NFL as a Head Coach. He needs to go back to he horse farm with Daddy.— annec- Give me a break, what is this midget football? Your telling me the Eagles don't blitz in the preseason? Vick is a loser. The Eagles are in trouble, their line looks poor/hurt and their D looks average at best. Fingerpointing will start around wk 6 or 7, Eagles will be lucky to be .500 this year.— cogs_bars
- Ryan was just trying to do a favor for all sentient Eagles fans and put Vick out of our misery.— joe$
- I have to agree with most of the comments here. The Jets didn't do anything out of hand. And if they pressured the quarterback, so what? It's the Eagles job to stop them. In my humble opinion, I don't think the pass pressure had anything to do with Vick's crime. It had to do with 2 teams that got a little competative last night and young guys trying to grab one of the last roster spots. The Jets played their second and third quarterbacks extensively and if Vick is the Eagles third quaterback he'll have to deal with playing in situations like that.— steve53
- Hey Bob, how bout watching some other football games instead of only the Eagles and you will see that EVERYONE blitzes. How do coaches analyze their 2nd and 3rd sting guys if they aren't running a real defense. If you don't think Philly blitzed in every game this preseason then you are an idiot. Write an article about how bad the defense and offensive line looked and who should/shouldn't be cut like real writers do on cut day.— epbowls
- Great to see Vick sacked!!! Vanilla defense? Jets played rough? Sounds like sour grapes. Eagles call foul on some tough offense, but they sign a player with so much baggage he needs a porter. Vick abused, tortured and killed innocent animals. Hey, and what about all of his other antics?????? **Ron Mexico incident**bankrupt**failed drug test**muder of Bud Melton**gambling**kids no wife**first stop after home detention was strip club**and he isn't even bright enough to know drinking beer at a local hotel bar doesn't sit well for him. Put him on the field, I would like to see some bone crushing sacks. Sorry Vick, you get what give!— sjr
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- This is not unfair. It's the fourth game of the pre-season. Don't you think the Jets might want to work on their blitzes. Bob Ford is a wimp.— ALJ
- WAY TO GO JETS. HOME EVERY TEAM TARGETS THAT SLIME.— tellsitlikeitis
- Zeb...I can not even fathem the notion that people would seriously enjoy another human being hurt that badly. You are the sick one not Vick— samjacobs
- vick looked like he lost a step or 2! just me?— socalbirdsfan
- ALL OF YOU STFU! Vick admitted that he didn't mind getting hit last night. He said he wanted to get a real feel for the game. He isn't scared......like half of you punks posting on here.
- WAY TO GO JETS. HOME EVERY TEAM TARGETS THAT SLIME.— tellsitlikeitis
