Chip Kelly on Monday insisted upon not naming Foles the starting quarterback for the rest of the regular season
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/dont-w...s-chip-kelly-cant-serious-151200199--nfl.html
Don't Worry, Philadelphia Eagles' Chip Kelly Can't Be Serious
COMMENTARY | There is a wise, old adage when it comes to the game of football. They say it dates back to the days of Otto Graham and Bobby Layne:
Never pull a quarterback who has thrown 10 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions in your last two games, both of which by the way were victories.
Okay, so there is no such adage and I dropped the names of two Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks because you usually don't see them in print anymore unless somebody breaks one of their records. But the sentiment still goes. You go with the hot hand. And right now, no quarterback in the entire National Football League has a hotter hand than Nick Foles.
Yet Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly on Monday insisted upon not naming Foles the starting quarterback for the rest of the regular season. He wants Michael Vick, the starter in the season opener against the Washington Redskins, to have a completely healthy hamstring before announcing a starter going forward. Now wouldn't it be interesting if Vick gets healthy, begins showing flashes of the running brilliance that has defined his career in practice? Wouldn't it be interesting if somehow he gets the nod ahead of Foles either against the Redskins this Sunday or against the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 1, the Sunday following the Eagles bye week? I mean, talk about quarterback controversy. Can you say Rich Kotite?
A few weeks ago, plugging in Michael Vick would have been the right move. Foles had taken his place following a Vick hamstring injury and performed well. But he was still an unknown quantity in the Chip Kelly scheme and he appeared to have blown it all in front of the home crowd with a dreadful performance against the Dallas Cowboys. Foles sustained a concussion in that loss and Vick returned the following week against the New York Giants. He re-injured the hamstring, Foles was forced back into action the next week and has been storybook good since.
First there was the NFL record-tying seven touchdown passes against the Oakland Raiders two weeks back. This past Sunday, he threw only 18 passes against the Green Bay Packers but completed 12 for 228 yards, including three touchdowns. He also ran for 38 yards and has created a scenario where taking him out makes no sense.
A month ago, this wasn't Nick Foles' team and a move to Vick would have needed no explanation. Today, because of the circumstances and because of the way he's played, the Eagles are now Nick Foles' team. He's earned it on the field. He should remain the starter the rest of the way unless he gets hurt or his performance is so dismal it forces a change.
Let's be honest. The ideal quarterback in Chip Kelly's fast-break offense would be more the dangerous runner that Vick is. It just adds a dimension that makes the attack so much more difficult to defend. But Foles is flourishing. That can't be ignored.
Maybe Chip Kelly is trying to show some respect to the veteran Vick. But Foles has tied his hands on this. The Philadelphia Eagles have no quarterback controversy. At least they shouldn't.
Ted Williams lives in Emmaus, PA and is a lifetime Eagles follower. He spent 20 years in print journalism, winning state and national awards.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/dont-w...s-chip-kelly-cant-serious-151200199--nfl.html
Don't Worry, Philadelphia Eagles' Chip Kelly Can't Be Serious
COMMENTARY | There is a wise, old adage when it comes to the game of football. They say it dates back to the days of Otto Graham and Bobby Layne:
Never pull a quarterback who has thrown 10 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions in your last two games, both of which by the way were victories.
Okay, so there is no such adage and I dropped the names of two Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks because you usually don't see them in print anymore unless somebody breaks one of their records. But the sentiment still goes. You go with the hot hand. And right now, no quarterback in the entire National Football League has a hotter hand than Nick Foles.
Yet Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly on Monday insisted upon not naming Foles the starting quarterback for the rest of the regular season. He wants Michael Vick, the starter in the season opener against the Washington Redskins, to have a completely healthy hamstring before announcing a starter going forward. Now wouldn't it be interesting if Vick gets healthy, begins showing flashes of the running brilliance that has defined his career in practice? Wouldn't it be interesting if somehow he gets the nod ahead of Foles either against the Redskins this Sunday or against the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 1, the Sunday following the Eagles bye week? I mean, talk about quarterback controversy. Can you say Rich Kotite?
A few weeks ago, plugging in Michael Vick would have been the right move. Foles had taken his place following a Vick hamstring injury and performed well. But he was still an unknown quantity in the Chip Kelly scheme and he appeared to have blown it all in front of the home crowd with a dreadful performance against the Dallas Cowboys. Foles sustained a concussion in that loss and Vick returned the following week against the New York Giants. He re-injured the hamstring, Foles was forced back into action the next week and has been storybook good since.
First there was the NFL record-tying seven touchdown passes against the Oakland Raiders two weeks back. This past Sunday, he threw only 18 passes against the Green Bay Packers but completed 12 for 228 yards, including three touchdowns. He also ran for 38 yards and has created a scenario where taking him out makes no sense.
A month ago, this wasn't Nick Foles' team and a move to Vick would have needed no explanation. Today, because of the circumstances and because of the way he's played, the Eagles are now Nick Foles' team. He's earned it on the field. He should remain the starter the rest of the way unless he gets hurt or his performance is so dismal it forces a change.
Let's be honest. The ideal quarterback in Chip Kelly's fast-break offense would be more the dangerous runner that Vick is. It just adds a dimension that makes the attack so much more difficult to defend. But Foles is flourishing. That can't be ignored.
Maybe Chip Kelly is trying to show some respect to the veteran Vick. But Foles has tied his hands on this. The Philadelphia Eagles have no quarterback controversy. At least they shouldn't.
Ted Williams lives in Emmaus, PA and is a lifetime Eagles follower. He spent 20 years in print journalism, winning state and national awards.