Donovan McNabb on Michael Vick, Eagles' playcalling
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Donovan McNabb on Michael Vick, Eagles' playcalling
Zach Berman, Inquirer Staff Writer
Former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was on the NFL Network's NFL AM on Monday and discussed the Eagles. He did not say anything inflammatory or that wasn't true, but considering McNabb's history with the Eagles and specifically with this current regime, what he says carries validity. Here are his unedited comments on the Eagles:
On Vick's performance: "I just think it's a bad day at the office. If you look at the preseason, he wasn't able to get into a rhythm and get his feet up under him. This was another preseason game for him. I think Marty Mornhinweg will do a great job for him of getting his feet back under him and getting his confidence back. I thought he lost his confidence throughout that game. Walking off the field with his head down, that's just not like Michael Vick. Michael Vick's a guy who keeps his head up, continues to motivate the rest of the guys. I thought he lost his confidence early, which led to more and more turnovers all throughout the game."
On Vick throwing 56 times: "I think that was just a bad decision overall. I thought they should have ran the ball a little bit more. Shady McCoy did a great job of running the ball with over 120 yards rushing. And whenever you get in that position, you got to take the ball out of his hands and put it into the guy that's hot. If you run the screens, if you're running the ball or if you throw the shovel pass, do something just to get that confidence for Michael Vick. Continue to throw and throw and things aren't going well, you put your team in a bad position."
On whether Vick's performance was a cause for concern: "I don't think it's a cause for concern. I think the most important that we need to focus on is what's going to happen next week. They're playing a tough team with a tough defense next week, and I think now you go into the gameplanning, are we going to throw the ball 30, 40 times, or are we going to set it up with running the ball now. Because I think it's important you find out the mental makeup of Michael Vick this week. You're coming off a four-interception game, now what are you going to expect? Are you going to come back and think you're going to throw your way out of a slump, or just kind of get into a rhythm. I think it's important that Marty Mornhinweg and Andy Reid do a great job of getting his confidence by doing a three-step to five-stop game to get him back on course."
Vick makes McNabb look like Brady by comparison -- maybe Eagles "plan" is to let Vick get clobbered and when he gets his next long-term inury simply start the Foles era without an official "qb controversy"... obviousy Eagles will never get anywhere with Vick— warbiscuit- The one thing I don't understand is Reid made the same mistakes of wildly over passing through ALL the years McNabb was here. Why didn't he speak up then or confront the coaches then? Why did he LET Reid not give him receivers for years?
It feels hypocritical, even if correct, coming from him now.— kenkap - Eagles should have done like the Skins or Broncos to do whatever it took to get a guy like Manning or a young franchise qb -- after 10 years it's time to say that Vick will never be a competent NFL qb or even able to stay on the field so for better or worse it's a guarantee that we'll get to see if Foles can indeed be one— warbiscuit
- Whoever is calling the plays should be repalced! If it's Andy give it up to Marty~ If it's Marty, replace him. RUN THE FRICKEN BALL, see what happens. Couldn't be any worse!!!— Beagle Fan
- Is Ed Reed still playing Safety for the Ravens? If he is, chalk him up for 2 or 3 INTs on Sunday.— SteveS11
- Lot of haters for the guy that brought more success to the franchise than any other QB.— bobf876
- McNabb sounded forthright and honest in his assessment of the team. His comments here gave more insight on his take of the game, more so then any comment he gave before or after any Eagles game in his entire tenure here. I was not expecting this from him, but better late then never. He just might be a great NFL analyst given time and more comments like this.— DelawareRiverRat
- Donovan McNabb holds just about every Eagles career and season QB record; his career interception rate is the 4th lowest in NFL history (behind only Aaron Rodgers, Neil O'Donnell, and Tom Brady). In fact, of his eleven seasons with the Eagles, in six of them he had less than ten interceptions. He had zip talent around him other than Brian Westbrook and TO (for one fabulous year). Yet you hater/losers still are all over him. He didn't win a Super Bowl...just like every other QB in Eagles' history; maybe it was something more than him?— chesapeake
- Gotta take the haters with a grain of salt. Sure, McNabb was more interested in inflating his numbers and extolling that squeaky clean image of his than winning the big one. At the same time, it's not all his fault...look who is coaching, and still coaching though he should not be.
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Reid has not learned one damn thing; Marty won't question him, no one there will question Reid because as underlings, they are beholden to Reid for their jobs. Even if they believe in what Andy's doing, it's no use.
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Okay, I said I wanted McCoy to get 20 touches, and he got them. Great; they needed to do more as the game unfolded and got to the end of it all. Keep the ball on the ground and in the hands of someone who won't cough it up or try a triple backflip and land on his index finger while flinging the ball into the stratosphere hoping Maclin will catch it.
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Figure it out yet, folks?
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I did see some good things from the defense, and I thought on the whole they didn't do too bad a job. Youth in abundance, but they'll improve.
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Meanwhile...Reid is going to give away game after game with this idiotic offense and Vick at the helm. Foles might make better decisions, but he's still a rookie.
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This is gonna be bad; I'll let the rest of the "Iggles" fans (LEARN HOW TO SPELL, YOU ILLITERATE JERKS) talk about how great it's gonna be...— MidStaterUXB - no player did more for a franchise then Mcnabb...From qb, to LIncoln financial field worm exterminator. Has their ever been a better leader then Mcnabb? hahaha...of course Mcnabb never threw a pick, how could he? he never took a chance in his entire career.
As for vick, Im tired of the video game QB. Even when I play Madden, I know that If I pass the ball every single time, the defense catches on and it doesnt work any more.How doesnt andy realize this lol? In any battle, you attack your opponents weakness...and when you got shady who chews up 5-12 yards every single time he touches the ball, and the opponent is weak against the run..how is yesterdays gameplan acceptable? it was honestly borderline MORONIC, and Im an Andy reid supporter. It feels to me that yesterdays gameplan was a total disrespect of an opponent. I feel like they treated the game like a preseason game to get Vick ready. My gameplan would have honestly been: Pound shady on 1st down, pound Bryce on 2nd down, pound shady on 3rd down (if its long then give shady a screen)...rinse, wash and repeat! and after a little pounding, the play action deep ball to desean becomes utterly unstoppable and they can score with it at will. This looks to much like a video game offense, with no rythm. I feel like I want Foles in there for the simple fact that andy would actually change the gameplan so that it helps the rookie...which means a balanced attach. Its obvious, he wont do that with Vick...so get the rookie in so that we can atleast get real football from the QB and the coach. Props to George Lopez for running a good defense yesterday— johnGiam - Did McNabb talk about how RG111 succeeded yesterday under Shannahans system in Washington, and own up to the fact that he didn't play well in his short stay in Washington?— watsonmr
- I am happy to see McNabb has a job. He did make a few good points. I could see the game was not a thing of beauty, just like some other posters. The thing is, they WON...it's the NFL, the other teams have players, and coaches who can do some things. I am happy to see the Ravens are coming. They won't run the ball well, they can't protect Flacco vs the Eagle rush. With Nagata missing and Lewis getting old, Shady will run all over them. Vick wasn't ready, he didn't play in the preseaon much. He still hung in there and led them on the last drive to a win. I expect he will be much better in the weeks to come. It would be a good idea to protect him better. Mudd needs to coach Bell up, and fast.— Paul SoTX
- McNabb was a better QB than Vick has ever been. As a person Vick isn't good enough to lick McNabb's (or any other average person's) shoes. Vick was 1 and 4 against Jim Johnson's D (0-2 playoffs) with McNabb under center (1 and 5 overall (Matt Ryan lost one).— KINGOFZED
- Whoever is calling the plays is awful. No focus on exposure to hits and no getting Vick to protect self, Slide? 20 carries for one of the best backs in the league.— LaCroix,Nolet,Gendron
- McNabb is a classy guy. All of this hateration is unnecessary. He was objective and he could have brutally negative, but he was not. This man gave us 5 NFC East Championships. He did not win the superbowl but tried to represent Philly in a positive way. When I travel to other cities during football season, football fans are not putting down McNabb; they criticize the fans how they treat their star players.— rev
