Eagles-Cardinals rewind: Vick's fumble, Bell/Reynolds shaky, more
Up to the minute Philadelphia sports news, Phillies, 76ers, Eagles, Flyers, college sports and more from Philly.com
Eagles-Cardinals rewind: Vick's fumble, Bell/Reynolds shaky, more
Jeff McLane
Here are some observations and notes after re-watching the Eagles' 27-6 loss to the Cardinals on Sunday:
ON SECOND THOUGHT
There has been a lot of assessing of blame for Michael Vick’s fumble just before the half. But the simple fact is that the quarterback has to be responsible for picking up the blitz, which Vick did not do when Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes rushed from the slot.
Arizona sent six pass rushers after Vick on third and goal on the Cardinals 1 with six seconds left. The Eagles had seven to protect Vick. Running back LeSean McCoy made the wrong read and went to block safety James Sanders. Problem was Sanders was tight end Brent Celek's assignment. McCoy should have picked up Rhodes. That being said, Vick could have pointed out Rhodes to McCoy before the snap. But he didn’t see him and was blindsided even though Rhodes blitz from his left.
The Cardinals were able to send the house on three successful plays after DeSean Jackson caught a pass down to the one because the Eagles were out of timeouts. Reid inexplicably blew one to start the second quarter, but the second one falls on Vick’s shoulders.
On second down and 10, Vick scrambled for 20 yards and was pummeled from behind by Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington. Vick, whose helmet hit the ground fairly hard, was slow to get up so the Eagles called their second timeout. If Vick had slid, or even dove to the ground after he picked up the first, he could have popped up, called the offense to the line and spiked the football with more than 25 seconds and two timeouts remaining.
REWIND THE TAPE
Demetress Bell had a rough game. On the Eagles’ first play from scrimmage, the left tackle completely whiffed blocking Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell, who flushed Vick out of the pocket and eventually into a short three-yard gain. But the Eagles left much more out of table because Jackson was wide open downfield, according to the coach’s tape, for what would have likely been a home run to open the game. It ended up being a missed opportunity and the beginning of a long day for Bell and the Birds.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
1. It’s a woulda, coulda, shoulda, but if Kurt Coleman didn’t blow his assignment when Larry Fitzgerald caught a 37-yard touchdown in his absence, the safety would have had a standout game. He made many plays against the run, including sniffing out Patrick Peterson as the Wildcat on the Cardinals first drive, and led the Eagles with nine tackles. But focusing on the run is what got Coleman out of position when he bit on a play-fake and offered Nnamdi Asomugha no help over top when Fitzgerald scored.
2. Dallas Reynolds struggled, as you might imagine a center making his first start in hostile grounds may. He couldn’t contain nose tackle Dan Williams on McCoy’s first carry of the game. He later missed a block on linebacker Paris Lenon and Vick was forced to throw a short pass to Celek that nearly got him decapitated. There were other mistakes, but Reynolds did have a few fine moments in the run game.
3. After a strong first two games as a pro, Brandon Boykin had a forgetful third game. The cornerback had a difficult assignment covering Fitzgerald and receiver Andre Roberts when they lined up in the slot. But it wasn’t so much the completions that came against the rookie, it was the two missed tackles and the soft coverage on third down and eight and Roberts caught a 12-yard pass that were problems.
STAT SHEET
With Reynolds and Bell starting on the offensive line, Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton blitzed Vick on 24 of 46 drops, according to Pro Football Focus. The Eagles quarterback, his offensive line and various other blockers struggled to pick it up. Vick completed just 5 of 21 passes for 109 yards and was sacked twice when Arizona sent extra pass rushers.
THIS AND THAT
-- Down 10-0 early in the second quarter and backed up, Vick tossed bombs to Jackson on first and third downs that fell incomplete and the Eagles were forced to punt.
-- The play-action worked against Coleman because the Cardinals actually ran the ball as much as they passed. Whenever Vick faked a handoff it didn’t appear to ever fool Arizona’s defenders.
-- The Cardinals appeared to get away with two picks set on Fitzgerald crossing routes. It looked like Peterson got away with holding Jackson on the second of those two bombs. And Asomugha should have been called for holding in the first quarter.
-- Tight end Clay Harbor played only 11 snaps, his least amount of the season, and a surprising number considering the Eagles were light at wide receiver with Jeremy Maclin out.
-- Defensive end Darryl Tapp had one of his best games as an Eagle. He was credited with six tackles and half a sack in 28 snaps. Tapp also had a sack taken away when the officials forced the Eagles to accept a Cardinals holding penalty.
-- Andy Reid spoke about the timing of his offense being off and one area in which it seemed most out of sync was in the screen game.
POINT AFTER
Now is not the time for Reid to bench Vick. While the coach gave his quarterback a lukewarm endorsement on Monday, there’s no way he promotes rookie Nick Foles with the New York Giants coming to town Sunday night. It’s a scary enough thought thinking what Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul might do to Vick with Bell at left tackle. But Reid could scar Foles for life by placing him in that situation. The same will likely hold true for the following week against the Steelers and then the Lions after that. But if Vick doesn’t get his act together in the next three weeks, all bets are off after the bye on Oct. 21.
Are the 49er fans jumping ship after losing to the Vikings? The Eagles lost to the Cards in AZ. Big deal. AZ a better team than the Vikings. The season is a long way from being over. If they would just run the ball and quit chucking it all the time it may stop the Vick beatings.— SC Philly Fan- If the Eqgles want the best chance to win the Super Bowl this year they will have to swallow their pride and bring back McNabb— lonewolf 10
- Vick stinks...Vick is now last in NFL QB ratings, he is behind several rookie QB's...Vick is a $100 million fraud...LOL— phil500
- "But Reid could scar Foles for life by placing him in that situation."
C'mon. Such hyperbolic nonsense! There are any number of QB's who managed to have great CAREERS after shaky rookie seasons ie. Peyton Manning and Troy Aikman.
There are a number of rookie QB's operating behind less than stellar OL's this season - ie. Tannehill/Dolphins, Luck/Colts.
Sorry, but this fan is ready to start the Nick Foles era with the Birds. Vick does not now, never did, and won't ever, have very good pocket presence, the ability to read D's on the fly and react accordingly or the good sense to "slide" and live to play another down. Time for Foles. Plain and simple.
And ... time for a change in the coaching staff. Probably overdue.
— FishFryFrank - Spot on SC Philly Fan....it's a long season, and AZ is a TOUGH place to win and it's only 1 of 16.....
However, I'm guessing coach and qb might have had a little heart to heart on the turnover situation.
Something like; "Mike....you know I love you man....and when you're on your game you give us the best chance to win the SB....BUT......the turnover situation is UNSUSTAINABLE. You Have To Fix It Now or we're going in another direction".
It's a business...V7 should either get it done on the field or he should sit.
I'm guessing he turns it around and has a "Redskins 2010" game this Sunday under the lights in prime time. GO EAGLES!
ps...I didn't see the replay, and not to belabor what has been admitted as a blown coverage by 42, but it looked like Fitzgerald pushed off on his TD...?— TenaciousE - Get a QB with character. Dump the dog killer.— billy goat
- I thought that Nate Allen regressed a bit this week. Took some bad angles and missed a few tackles. Ando sorry, not sold at all on Colman. He might b small, but he is slow. In other words. our safeties are outs played every week by the other team's pair.— bobcitydoc
- It's Game Three Boys.
And as Meatloaf sang.
2 out of 3 Ain't Bad.— dmanphilly - First TO was Vick's fault too. He couldn't make a play decision when he saw the Cards' D.— palmyra21
- Isn't this the second 120 million dollar qb that is a bust?— ox
- Tapp was one of the lone bright spots along with Shady. What did Graham do? How about Cox? Allen did not too very good in my opinion as missed key tackles— connorjr
- I have a play calling sheet. Its laminated. It has 20 pass plays and 5 runs on it. I use it to blame the QB when the Defense sits on the pass routes and I'm shocked when the Defense does not bite on the play action.
— AndyKotite - The passing game takes too long. Two step drops and throw! That is why we have quick receivers. It will open up the run and deep ball. Vick holds the ball too long waiting trying to make a play.
If DeSean wasn't complaining during a play for a call, he might have had six.— hawk18 - Watching Aaron Rogers on MNF it's quite obvious how handicapped the Eags are with MV7. Rogers has been sacked 100 times but is still slinging it-quickly and accurately .— Mike Boryla
- More of the same. Vick holding on to the ball too long. I cant wait til this mobile Qb era for the eagles is over. Mobile qbs are always conflicted in the pocket.,..whether to pass or scramble and make a big play. All I want is a tall Qb with good footwork in the pocket that cant run so there is no conflict. Get the ball out! Hopefully with some experience ___its Foles oneday.— Corey301
- Trade Vick (for anything) Play Nick. Simple as that.
And no, I don't believe he's necessarily a savior, the next one, a second coming, or God in QB stripes. He's just better than that idiot Vick, and watching the dude, I think I finally have to conclude that he is just incapable of thinking on his feet enough to play QB in teh NFL. I don't know if he just lacks intelligence, gets spooked and can't think, or has an ego the size of Pennsylvania and can't get beyond himself, but he sucks, he's always sucked, and it looks glaringly obvious now that he always will suck.
Trade Vick, Play Nick!— WestonF01 - Reid will make the change to Foles after one of the Giants ends Vick's game— warbiscuit
- Vick is going to have one mess of a body starting in his 40s.— TEDcGEGI
- should play Michael Martinez on offensive line (Ruben Amaro and Charlie Manuel think he can do it all)— warbiscuit
- The Eagles aren't going anywhere with a 3rd-stringer playing left tackle and a newbie at center, along with a very sack-prone quarterback behind them.— p-diddy
- Can't wait for the Giants to Stomp on you losers with NO Character!!!!— MRD
- It truly is a season of decision making but wouldn't you think VICK would remember any of the lessons learned over the years. It all began with Green Bay interception when he should have went to the SUPE. He has always been a running QB that plays like a GOOD SANDLOT DROLL but he never ever strategized and REID should have known the deal. I am with the guys that think he should go, pronto— JIM IAQUINTO
