Before we get into anything about this game let’s start with the end. During his postgame press conference, Michael Vick addressed his concerns over what he feels is a lack of calls he gets as opposed to other more celebrated QB’s. Now, its easy to turn this into another excuse to get into a conversation about race and how it factors into sports, but I think Jason Whitlock of FoxSports.com is right. This is a question of superstars. I don’t think this is a black/white issue. But how can you ignore the fact that last Sunday night’s game was driven by the storyline of Michael Vick’s return to Atlanta and it drew double the viewership of the Primetime Emmy awards? Isn’t that a prime indicator of the drawing power that Vick possesses?
Or how about the Eagles, a team who relies heavily on advanced metrics to determine who deserves a contract, dropping a $100 million contract? Michael Vick WAS and IS the most exciting player in the league. Like I wrote in the season preview, the NFL sees a player of Vick’s ability ONCE a generation and to see his athletic ability at the most crucial of positions on a football field make him even MORE of a rare commodity.
So WHY would the league NOT want to protect him? The reason is simple. Vick puts himself in those situations. Situations in which he puts his body on the line and he becomes a skill player and no longer the superstar QB. What I’m arguing is that when he’s in the pocket, Vick WILL get the calls. But when he’s outside the pocket, as he tends to do from time to time, he leaves his zone of protection. The area where the referees can’t even protect him.
His frustration is tough to ignore and tough to brush off. But its a problem HE himself creates. The NFL has for too long, proactively tried to influence the game by creating newer and newer rules in the name of fighting for improved safety conditions. But, this is football. And while it sounds like a caveman response to a question that everyone would naturally be on the favor of safety because that’s PC, I think like most NFL players that the game has been toned down to enough of a degree that soon enough there will be rules put in place that will effectively make the game that we grew up loving because of its gratuitous violence, arena football.
So, NO Mike Vick, you will NOT get the calls. I’m not in favor of you getting the calls. For the love of the sport we wish to defend, it would be the wrong message for the league to send if they went out and made some new creative rule to make you invincible. Imagine if the league began to give Vick 15 yards everytime he got touched because he sat at some podium and complained? Because despite his insisting to the public and media that he wasn’t trying to complain, he was and I hope that Roger Goodell doesn’t turn bitch and begin rewriting the rule book as he has done in the past.
Now on to the game:
– I want to first get into the horrendous play calling by Andy Reid which was the first thing that stuck OUT to me. But I don’t just mean one sequence of plays. Let’s get into the first sequence that everyone will remember: They got down to the two at the end of the third quarter and with a fresh set of downs decided that instead of giving the rock to their best player (no, not Mike Vick), they would give it to Owen Schmitt twice and try the sneak with Vick the other. Here’s the beauty of Andy Reid. His first give to Schmitt is defensible because its first down and you can legitimately do so by running a FB dive but the Giants got such great penetration that it should’ve told Andy Reid that, “yeah, I shouldn’t try that ever again.”* But he went to Vick the second down which was a good idea except the way in which they were trying to convert that was terrible. How hard of a concept is it to grasp that Mike Vick, in space, is the most dangerous man walking today? I could’ve drew up a simple play where Vick takes the snap in shotgun formation, looks to pass for a second and then takes off. ALL HE NEEDED WAS A YARD FOLKS! You’re telling me that Vick with a full head of steam** couldn’t get A YARD?
*= What made this doubly classic was the announcing crew of Kenny (Albert), Moose (Johnson) and Goose (Tony Siragusa) joked about that being the ONLY time they would see that play and then the finality of that sequence leaving them mystified with even the usually blabbermouth Goose left swallowing his own tongue trying to come up with an excuse as if he has to defend fat guys everywhere for everything. I hate when he does that by the way.
**= I hate when i talk myself out of a point. In mid paragraph too? Damn!
But third down is where Andy Reid truly lost me and once again reminded me of why the Eagles have never and WILL NEVER win a title with this man as a head coach. Reid instead of picking whatever play had McCoy getting a toss sweep and allowing him to run in space, decided that he wanted more Owen Schmitt and called his number for the second time? The best part was watching a dejected McCoy scream and throw his hands up in a moment of utter frustration. He was WIDE open on the other side and would’ve moonwalked into the end zone and yet Andy Reid’s wonderful play calling and terrible decision making saved the day for the Giants.
Now, the other decision that kills me is this. Vick is out of the game. You are in a 6 point game. You have Mike Kafka in. He of the 7/9 performance in relief of the same Mike Vick just a week ago in Atlanta. The sportswriters ready to write about how much Andy Reid and the Eagles could pilfer him off for, and they decide that they are going to throw a deep bomb down the sideline for DeSean Jackson. Problem is, DeSean ran a lazy route and Aaron Ross did not bite on the lazy double move attempt and easily pulled off the interception. A 6 point lead with over 8 minutes to play with a running back on your roster that the Giants flat out couldn’t tackle and yet he decides to go for the big play. Now, you can make the case that Reid took a chance and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that but you have to have a feel for a game. Each game. And in this, Reid had to know that his ground attack was far more deadly than his passing attack and his best option to have the football was still eligible to play and yet NEVER touched the ball when it counted.
I’ve heard from Eagle fan friends for years that Andy Reid has far too often skated free of the blame while guys like Donovan McNabb has assumed much of the burden and its unfair. Its been 11 years and if these are the kind of mistakes that he’s making then it truly is time for a regime change no matter how comfortable guys are in the spots they are in.
– Speaking of Shady McCoy, boy was I impressed. The Giants could not tackle him with the first guy. At all. It wasn’t happening. It was incredible to watch how many stutter steps he had and his absence from both the playcalling and actual physical disappearance into the locker room prior to half time really turned the game in the favor of the Giants.
After he had basically done the bulk of the work to help the Eagles to pull to 14-10, the Eagles and McCoy decided that it would be best for him to get into the locker room early and get some IV’s. Now, that sounds like a logical plan except the Eagles got the ball back in a hurry and in that same speed got the ball to the goal line where their offense sputtered and couldn’t tack on the extra score prior to half time which may have swung momentum back firmly in the corner of the Giants. Then, the Eagles would’ve been up 17-14 and gotten the ball in the second half and had all the momentum. In a game where there are so many twists and turns, that was one of the tipping points for this game.
McCoy was impressive enough to watch but the day’s heat really caused a lot of cramping up and his heavy workload also proved to Philadelphia that he has to be handled carefully. Brian Westbrook towards the end became a staple of the injury report because of how often he was used. Andy Reid has to be concerned that Shady McCoy isn’t physically capable of handling a full workload of a running back.
-For the Giants, what more can you say about Victor Cruz. He had the most memorable preseason of any Giant two summers ago and didn’t get added to the 53 man roster. This summer he threw up a C+ camp and got the nod thanks to injuries and played lights out in a huge divisional game. These are the kind of games that win people jobs and Cruz might have atoned for that huge 3rd down drop in the first quarter of the season opener. Not going to lie, beating the Eagles and having monster games against the Eagles will land you in the hall of fame of Giants players for many fans.
– Cruz’ career day came at the misfortune of Nnamdi Asomugha. You remember Nnamdi don’t you? The free agent corner who said he ALWAYS wanted to play for the Eagles and made it seem as though he took a paycut to come here when the facts bore out that he indeed got the highest offer from the Eagles so it was just a case of a guy going to the man with the biggest suitcase of cash. I will give Nnamdi a pass since his resume was written on the strength of Pro Bowl seasons while playing particularly man coverage which tests a player’s actual skill in covering as opposed to the zone they play in Philadelphia. Now, I’m not saying that they are using him wrong but let’s all remember that their current defensive coordinator was their offensive line coach last year. Just saying.
– A huge day for Ahmad Bradshaw as most of the fantasy pundits could’ve predicted. As beat into you at home by the football talking heads, the wide 9 stance is a kind of football stance that has defensive ends playing all the way on the end, almost by the corners, and rushing from the edge of the cliff. This of course allows huge lanes for runners to go through and like Michael Turner before him, Bradshaw made use of them.
– One thing I love seeing is this whole unity thing between he and Brandon Jacobs. Jacobs could’ve easily taken offense to the young Bradshaw coming in and stealing his job but Jacobs has played nice with Bradshaw and played equally nice on the field. His 40 yard reception was yet another brutal cover job by the Eagle linebackers who were identified as a weakness entering the season.
– In stark contrast to the horrendous play of the Eagle linebackers how about the Giants. I love Greg Jones but Jacquan Williams was one of the few players actually catching up to LeSean McCoy. The Giant rookie LB’s have payed dividends and give them speed at a position that is tough to find. If they season them just right and give them enough experience, the Giants could look at linebacker as a point of strength for years to come.
– One major thing I was peeved about was referee Jeff Triplette helping Michael Vick up on three separate occasions. Again, its not to say that he has or shows any type of favoritism to him (which it can’t be since in the press conference Vick was basically saying screw off.), but this only goes to feed the conspiracy theorists who have latched on to the article that talked up how Goodell may have steered him right into the Eagles hands. It is highly inappropriate to do so and there is no place in the game of football for it. The referee should NOT be helping ANY player up. And the NFL should take a look into that while they are assessing whether Vick is being unfairly treated by refs.
– This was a good win for the Giants but I expect that in the next match up at Metlife Stadium, the Giants will have to figure out a way to stop McCoy who’s running during much colder temperatures will be a major advantage for the Eagles. Of course the Giants offensive line who I’ve had a problem with absolutely won their match up against an Eagle defensive line that was routinely getting into Matt Ryan’s face last week. Good job for a line that was 40% remade.
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