What they're saying about the Eagles
The Eagles' performance on Monday night has generated quite a bit of buzz around the NFL. Here's a roundup of what the national media are saying.
What they're saying about the Eagles
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
The Eagles' performance on Monday night has generated quite a bit of buzz around the NFL.
So I'm breaking this weekly post into two parts. Here's the first, and the second will come on Thursday, along with Mike Check.
Here's a roundup of what the national media are saying about the Eagles:
SI.com's Don Banks has the Eagles seventh in his power rankings:
When the Eagles get that fast-break offense of theirs rolling like they did Monday night in rainy Maryland, it's a thing of beauty. So much speed everywhere you look. I think the only one on the Philadelphia sideline who doesn't run a sub 4.5 40 is Andy Reid.
Jerome Bettis thinks the Giants will win the division and the Eagles will earn a wild-card berth.
SI.com's Peter King wonders what Donovan McNabb's contract means for Michael Vick:
As for what it means, I think we have to wait to declare Vick the winner of the 2011 Free Agent Lottery Jackpot or the 2010 MVP, or both. The only way any team out there -- including Philadelphia -- is going to pay Vick huge money is if it knows he can stay healthy. He's played 16 games once in his career, has shown a tendency to take far too much of a beating by straying too far out of the pocket too readily. He's already missed three games this year because of a rib injury from being sandwiched by the Redskins early in the season. It's vital for his long-term economic future that he starts and finishes the next seven games -- and, of course, plays well.
Mike Sando of ESPN.com has Vick third on his MVP list behind Tom Brady and Philip Rivers:
Vick ranks second behind Rivers in YPA, confirmation that his league-leading passer rating isn't the product of a dink-and-dunk offense. The Eagles are challenging defenses downfield. Vick is making huge plays without taking undue chances. He has sometimes appeared in complete control of games, not only of his own offense. There isn't another player in the league like him.
ESPN.com has the Eagles sixth in its power rankings:
Michael Vick is the Eagles' new franchise quarterback and now is awaiting a big payday.
ESPN.com's John Clayton gives props to Howie Roseman, Andy Reid and Eagles management:
But we didn't know about the hard work with Vick behind the scenes as Reid and his staff transformed him from a running quarterback into a West Coast offense quarterback. Vick has earned a big contract in Philadelphia. If the Eagles make the playoffs with him, they could sign him long-term and keep Kolb as a backup or trade him for first- and third-round picks. It would not be a bad situation either way. Vick deserves an Emmy for his Monday night show, and a second award needs to go to the director if the show continues.
Adam Caplan of FoxSports.com has the Eagles ninth in his power rankings:
Philadelphia got its revenge from an earlier loss to Washington in a major way. Michael Vick might have put together one of the best games of all time for a quarterback in that game. We're starting to see why head coach Andy Reid wanted Vick last year. He simply can do things other quarterbacks can't even attempt to do. If he continues to play well, Philadelphia will have no choice but to make a strong push to re-sign him.
Bill Barnwell of Football Outsiders writes that Vick did not have the most impressive performance by a quarterback in Week 10. In fact, Barnwell ranks Vick's outing third:
So, despite setting the post-merger record for most fantasy points by a quarterback in a single game, Vick isn't first in these rankings. How? Opponent adjustments. Vick produced 254 YAR, which beat out Brady's 248, but he produced most of it against the 20th-ranked pass defense of the Redskins. (His 50 rushing YAR became 56 DYAR.) Considering the wide variety of missed tackles and blown coverages that were on display on Monday night, I don't think ranking Vick third this week is unreasonable. With 244 DYAR, it's the best game of Vick's career; his only previous game with more than 200 DYAR was Week 8 of the 2004 season, when he was 18-of-24 for 252 yards with two scores and had 12 carries for 115 yards against the Broncos, who had the league's fifth-best defense that year.
Earlier today, I posted Man Up on the Eagles' offense.
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Sheil -
This is the best weekly online sports feature going.
Thx— wordsword
Comment removed.- Bill Barnwell what a moron. Blow coverages on Vicks passes? I'd love to actually see him watch the tape. Vick hit the right person in almost all of his passes and those passes were right on the money. An amazing performance.
- OK, Mr. Barnwell. All that tells me is your statistic is less than perfect. What other QBs put up 35 points in a quarter and 10 seconds and 45 points in a half? Might want to go back to the drawing board on your little statistic there. Of course, you will have to overcome your denial - "I don't think ranking Vick third this week is unreasonable". Ask any football fan which of the three performances were the best. My background is in data analysis. And, sometimes, you just have to accept that your model doesn't perfectly describe events. Your model missed this weekend. But, your delusion appears to be working just fine.
well the guy has a point. McNabb used to scorch garbage teams to and score like 48 on detroit or something with 200 yards to kevin curtis, and neither of those guys are like HOF'ers. they were good playing against really BAD opposition. the skins were BAD on D last night. the point is he wouldnt have had 59 points against like the jets or ravens defense. no chance. The best defenses will have a way to stop in the playoffs, they will have a chance, but it will be close. They will not be scoring 59 points again this season.- Charlie, Vick is only accounted for 42 points. Akers 3 and the defense 14. The redskin defense was pretty good against us the first time around. The differences this time was the Eagles were ready. Vick was ready. Redskin wasn't. Even good defensive team, doesn't always bring their A game. You saw the Eagles Defensive against the Titans offensive. How about Giants against the Cowboys? Where was the Giants Defensive? The Eagles don't need to score 59 points next week or the week after. As long as they win, all that matters.— gauwow
- No one put up more than 17 points against the Redskins in the first half of their games in the first 8 games of the season. That list includes Indianapolis, Houston and Green Bay. The Eagles offense put up 45. The Redskins were 2-2 at home with wins over Dallas and Green Bay and two three point losses - to Houston in OT and Indy. The Redskins are hardly garbage as was the Detroit team that McNabb and Curtis torched.
wtf is a DYAR— MPatt24
Barnwell uses statistics like a drunk uses a lamp post; for support rather than for illumination. Here is a statistic Barnwell would love: the "average" citizen of the USA has one testicle and one ovary.— tornadoh- Well they call Matt Ryan "Matty Ice" because his receiver pushes off and gives him a layup. But they would never scrutinize Matt Ryan's play. Vick will always have critics that really can't justify their claims.— Gee Money
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