What they're saying about the Eagles
Here's the weekly roundup of what the national media are saying about the Eagles as they prepare to close out the regular season against the Cowboys.
What they're saying about the Eagles
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
Here's the weekly roundup of what the national media are saying about the Eagles as they prepare to close out the regular season against the Cowboys.
And in case you missed it, on Thursday night, I took a look at the Eagles' chances of getting to the Super Bowl as a three-seed.
SI.com's Don Banks bumps the Birds down to No. 7 in his power rankings:
So much for the notion that the Eagles are the NFC's most explosive team heading into the postseason. Philly looked out of sync and uninspired in the Tuesday night loss to the 6-9 Vikings, and if Andy Reid rests most of his starters in Sunday's home game against Dallas, the Eagles will enter the playoffs having played about a half-quarter of quality football in the final three weeks of the regular season. Could it be that Philly already has learned to lean too heavily on Michael Vick's heroics, and when they're not there, they're just an average team?
Banks names Vick his Offensive Player of the Year:
Vick has undoubtedly electrified the league with his renaissance season for the Eagles, and in the process given us some breath-taking performances. Like that tour de force 59-point destruction of the Redskins on Monday night, and a comeback for the ages against the Giants two weeks ago. He's a quarterback and a runner this season, consistently bedeviling defenses with both his arm and his legs.
He has Vick as a runner-up for MVP and Comeback Player of the Year.
Jack McCallum of SI.com provides guidelines for covering the Vick story:
In short, the Vick story has to play out over time. It's his first season in the glaring spotlight -- he was a poorly utilized wildcat-back nullity in 2009-10 -- and we don't know if he's truly a changed man. The only thing that has changed for sure is his ability to play quarterback, that he has somehow become a read-and-react guy rather than a react-and-rarely-read guy, that he's seemingly figured out how to play a position that once seemed to be playing him. That's a storyline that must be told, and if you don't want to read it, turn the page. Perhaps there will be a story reminding you of what Vick once did. Just don't expect it every day.
ESPN.com has the Eagles ranked seventh in its power rankings:
There is no way Michael Vick's body can take playing three games in as few as 12 days.
Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com lists his 10-most fascinating people in the NFL from the past year. He's got Vick No. 1:
With his speed back to pre-arrest levels and his throwing accuracy much improved, Vick has reestablished himself as the NFL’s most exciting player.
And besides an off-field hiccup at a birthday party celebration gone awry during the offseason, Vick has stayed away from trouble as he tries to rebuild a reputation marred by his dogfighting past. He keeps in regular communication with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and can even count President Obama as a fan. Only one more achievement is needed to complete this storybook comeback: a Super Bowl ring.
Adam Caplan of FoxSports.com has the Eagles fifth in his power rankings:
The Eagles will certainly be challenged by the short work week. They could really have used a bye week, but they won't get one after losing to the Vikings.
Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com names Vick his Comeback Player of the Year:
His career looked dead. Now look. He's about to become a rich man -- again.
Prisco has the Eagles' 38-31 comeback win over the Giants as his Game of the Year. And he has Eagles fans cheering Donovan McNabb at the Linc as his runner-up for the season's best moment.
Prisco lists the Eagles seventh in his power rankings:
They better hope that was an aberration and not a sign of things to come. That defense made Joe Webb look good and Michael Vick couldn't handle the blitz. Ouch.
ProFootballTalk.com has the Eagles seventh in its power rankings:
Well, at least the MVP vote won’t have much drama.
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Vick has been great, but I am afraid the Eagles defense is not up to par. They will not go far until they shore up the defense and their OL also needs help.
uh yea ok, what did I say WEEKS AGO when the national media started heaping praise on them after the skins game, and then again after the giants game. 60-80% passing, when done over an entire season DOES NOT WIN SUPERBOWLS...HAS NOT WON ONE SINGLE CHAMPIONSHIP< IN ANY CITY, IN ANY SEASON, IN NFL HISTORY...BECAUSE IT IS A STUPID IDEA. to try it 12 years in a row is even dumber...Reid is obsessed and HE WILL NOT CHANGE THE ALL PASS PLAYCALLING BECAUSE ITS HIS "PHILOSOPHY". Until Reid is stripped of the playcalling or fired completely the eagles WILL NEVER WIN THE SB WITH HIM AS COACH. EVER.- While technically you're correct that no team was won the SB by passing 60%+, you might find it interesting to know that even the Steelers, who won it in 08 passed 57% of the time that season. The Saints actually threw it less, 56% last season. Overall in the last 10 years, the team that won the SB has thrown the ball almost 60% of the time. And that's due to the stricter interference rules and the emphasis placed on scoring by the NFL.
Also, no team, including the Eagles, has ever thrown the ball more than 62% for an entire season, EVER. So, saying you're right is
Now go get some decaf and CTFD!!— amg - not until Reid is fired...I understand the game too well to sit and watch him DESTROY perfectly good oportunities of winning a SB with HORRIBLE playcalling. as for what you said, your interpretation is slightly off. Most people dont realize how much of a difference there is between 50, 55, and 60% passing. Alot of teams can win a SB in the last ten years at 55 or 56%...totally fine. but 60-80% is complete garbage and no team that throws over 57.4% (the TB bucs in 02) has ever won it. The point is throwing it over 57% is a bad idea. 50/50..good idea. 70% HORRIBLE IDEA THAT WILL NEVER WIN ANYTHING. also the colts threw it like 62.7 percent last season so teams are throwing it more, but the line is drawn at 57% for how much is too much...and Reid has been beyond WAY TOO MUCH. IT IS LAUGHABLY PREDICTABLE AND IT WILL NEVER WIN A SB, NOT WITH REID IN CHARGE OF THE PLAYCALLING IN ANY WAY. EVER.
- While I don't agree totally with Charlie....our team does have the ingredients for a Great Running game and I would like to see more of a Balance in our Offense...
As it stands our Running is just a Bi-Product of the passing game ...We show pass and Run....and in the last few weeks we have even gotten away from that by abandoning our Screen passes and draws ...
We need a real Running game that we can use if the passing game isn't working because of the Defense or the Weather Conditions or Vick is off his feed ....We have 2 Really good RBs that could be used together Harrison more inside and Shady on the corners ....Maybe Our Fullback is not a Great guy at picking up the Blitz ....If Harrison was to replace him we open up all kind of run possibilities and may even gain on Blitz protection because Harrison has a lot of quickness to get to the blitz-er and that makes up for his lack of size....Yes, If we want to run a Power running game then we need our fullback in...but we don't run that type of run game ....— Bigmike 34 - The picture says it all----1 AND OUT. BOZO's hex, Obama's ringing endorsement, Sports Illustrated cover jinz. Hope the eagles have the spy guard & probation officer on 24/7 after the 1 AND OUT.— jwatson
- The picture says it all----1 AND OUT. BOZO's hex, Obama's ringing endorsement, Sports Illustrated cover jinz. Hope the eagles have the spy guard & probation officer on 24/7 after the 1 AND OUT.— jwatson
- It didn't matter what Vick did on Tuesday night, the football writers were going to give fair haired boy Tom Brady the MVP regardless and it wasn't going to be close.
— PattyB23 - This was supposed to be a rebuilding year. We should be greatful for the wonderful excitement we had and another division championship. Assuming we can hold on the Vick, contuning to build through free agency and the draft at LB, CB, and the o-line could propel us to greatness next year.— Ascher
- i wonder if Baldinger still has Jamar Chaney going to Canton.....Dope!— your_mom_says_hi!
- fair haired or not, Brady deserves it so who cares about the mvp award, lets just win some playoff games again. Toughest wild card teams in years, so its anyones game, we need homefield to give Rodgers problems or he will shred us, we can only hope to contain some of their output and keep up on our end. Should be a shootout, cant wait. McNabb got us far by not making mistakes and our D was solid, not so much this year and D matters in post season, we shall see. Reid is a great coach, and was probably close to coach of the year before that vikings game. If Vick doesnt fumble at end of half and we go up 2 scores, thats a different game and nobody is whining. He needs to secure the ball better when he starts to scramble.— peteike
Comment removed.- "Could it be that Philly already has learned to lean too heavily on Michael Vick's heroics, and when they're not there, they're just an average team?"
Precisely. Writers are weeks behind in picking up on this, but that's the essence of the season. Even if the Eagles play winning football, the quarterback won't last until the Super Bowl the way they're approaching offense.
— tacklinjoe - It's the "Iverson Effect" (before that it was the "Jordan Effect") where one superstar overshadows the rest of the team and people stand around waiting for him to make something happen. However, this team has other legit stars like Jackson, Maclin and McCoy. They are all playmakers. The problem is more with the defense. The D-line is average at best and the DBs are just pedestrian, which is being kind.— amg
- Comment removed.
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