He's still got to pass his physical... but it looks like Trent Edwards is an Eagles backup QB (#2 or #3 ?)... Public reaction has been mixed, to say the least...
Trent Edwards is 28 years old, 6-4 and 231 lbs., and was drafted in the 3rd round out of Stanford by the Buffalo Bills in 2007.
Edwards has made 33 starts in the NFL, all but one of them with the Buffalo Bills. He also spent time with Jacksonville and Oakland, who cut him prior to last season. His record as a starter is 14-19, with 6,019 passing yards, 26 TD's, 30 INT's, and a 75.4 passer rating.
He's big, he's relatively agile and he has a "plus" arm...and he went to Stanford, so he's got to be smart, right? So what was the beef with Edwards when the Bills replaced him with Ryan Fitzpatrick?
I'll rely on the smart phan posters here to fill in the blanks on that question. I promise not to criticize Edwards' past performance. I vow not to bring up his occasional lapses in reading defenses or his Kyle Boller-like propensity to make a great play one moment and a very bad decision under pressure on the next.
First, he must pass his physical. And then he gets a grace period, a 3-week jump on other free agents since regular NFL Free Agency doesn't begin until March 13th. But players who had their contracts terminated last year are fair game now. That gives Trent Edwards a chance to spend some extra time with Eagles coaches and staff and get a preview of the playbook. He'll need every edge he can get to make a new first impression in Philly.
I'm still waiting for terms of the reported one-year deal. But one thing's for sure, we have seen the end of the Vince Young experiment in an Eagles uniform.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Coming up after a short break, I'll add some "Trick Plays" that hopefully the Eagles or Trent Edwards will never need to deploy in desperation. Some you'll recognize, but others may surprise you...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
OK, we're back... Here are some "Trick Plays" they won't be drilling or teaching at the Combine. The point of this presentation is to emphasize that, despite all the "measurables" and standards of qualifying an NFL player, there are elements of gamesmanship that transcend the science---
Statue of Liberty Play
The Statue of Liberty Play remains a favorite trick play to this day. It was used with dramatic effect by Boise State against the Oklahoma Sooners in a 2006 bowl game.
The Statue of Liberty requires the quarterback to make a short drop-back and feign he is going to throw the ball by bringing the ball over his head in a cocked, throwing position. Instead of throwing the ball, he fakes a throw, then hands the ball to his running back with the other hand.
Meanwhile, the running back moves directly behind the quarterback, acting as if he’s going to stay in to block. He takes the ball and runs with it, hopefully with most defenders fooled by what looks like a passing play.
Fumblerooski
The fumblerooski requires the quarterback to "fumble" the ball to the ground immediately after receiving the snap from the center. The quarterback and his running backs run in one direction, away from the ball. Meanwhile, one of the offensive guards (traditionally the right guard) scoops up the ball and runs the other direction.
Because many of the defenders cannot see the ball in the split second after it has been snapped, the play is designed to look like a running play right, when it is a running play left. This play works entirely on deception, since an offensive guard is unlikely to be a fast or agile runner.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers used this play to score against the Miami Hurricanes in the 1984 NCAA National Championship Game.
Hook & Ladder
The Hook and Ladder is also known as the Hook & Lateral, which leads me to believe this latter name was the original name of the play. The Hook and Ladder involves two receivers: one running a curl pattern and the other running a delayed fly pattern.
The receiver running the curl pattern pulls up 7-10 yards downfield (usually) and catches the ball. His job is to lure any nearby defenders to him, since they believe he is going to run with the ball after the catch. The other receiver runs his delayed fly pattern (that is, a deep pattern), hoping to pass his fellow receiver a split second after that receiver has caught the ball.
Then the ball-carrying receiver pitches the ball to his teammate as that teammate runs past him. Having drawn the defensive backs to the one receiver, this should create a long play or touchdown.
The most famous Hook & Ladder play might be the Epic in Miami. This was a AFC Divisional Championship Game between the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers in 1982. The Chargers got down 24-0 early in the game, but roared back to a 24-24 tie by halftime. One of the plays which got them back into the game was a Hook & Lateral for a touchdown.
End Around
The End Around requires a split end to run behind the line of scrimmage. The quarterback hands this supposed receiver the ball as a handoff. Though this play takes some time to develop, the element of surprise and an over-pursuing defense creates the chance for one of the team’s speediest players to get into open field and make a big play.
The receiver will sometimes throw the ball on an End-Around Pass, which is what the above picture depicts.
Due to the increasing speed and athleticism of NFL linebackers, the End Around play is used less today than before. NFL Defense are so fast and can cover so much ground that the speedy receiver is often caught behind the line of scrimmage, and then exposed to punishing tackles by linebackers who are used to tackling running backs.
This play worked for big plays twenty years ago, though longtime video games players will remember that it never worked on TecmoBowl.
Reverse
The Reverse Play begins as an End Around, but it requires a second handoff, which quickly reverses the play in the other direction. Once again, this play requires the defense to over-pursue and get out of position. Specifically, the opposite side defensive end is supposed to keep "containment". If the end breaks off containment and chases a ball carrier laterally down the line, then the reverse can get around him and the second ball-carrier can bust a long run.
Once again, the Reverse takes a long time to develop. This flaw means the reverse doesn’t work as often in the NFL these days, though it works beautifully in lower levels of football, where the differences in speed between offense and defense and the chances of an assignment breakdown are greater.
Flea Flicker
The Flea Flicker remains one of the favorite trick plays in football. The Flea Flicker is made to look like a run, when actually it is a deep pass. The quarterback hands the ball off to his halfback, who runs towards the line. Meanwhile, the quarterback drops back into his pocket. When the running back gets near the line, he turns around and tosses the ball to the quarterback again. Hopefully, linebackers and safeties have come to the line to play the run and the receiver is in deep single coverage, or may be behind his defender altogether.
Like a more traditional play-action play, team’s which use this often are running teams, as the defense must respect the run. The New England Patriots used the flea flicker to great effect in several big games last season. This might seem odd, since the Pats were known as a passing team instead of a running team, but they were also the #8 rushing offense in the NFL last year.
Reverse Flea Flicker
The Reverse Flea Flicker combines the standard reverse with aspects of the flea flicker. Instead of the quarterback handing off to the running back as he runs towards the line, the running back takes the ball on a sweep. The back hands the ball to a wide receiver on an end around, who then pitches to the quarterback. The quarterback then executes the passing part of the flea flicker.
Pick Play
The pick play works on the same concept as the pick play in basketball. As one player is trailed by his defender through one portion of the playing field, another player positions himself to block or impede the movement of that defender. If the play works correctly, the one receiver will be wide open for the quarterback.
The pick play is illegal in football and a penalty is called if the offense is not subtle about their intentions. Offensive coordinators will often call double-crossing patterns, which deliberately place two receivers on the same path, to instigate a pick play.
Double Pass
This takes advantage of the Forward Pass Rule. If an overhand pass is not a "forward pass", it is considered a pass, but a lateral. This means that the offense retains its right to pass the ball. The double pass usually has the quarterback throw the ball outside to a wide receiver, who has stepped back several steps from the line of scrimmage to set up the lateral situation. Then the receiver throws the ball downfield to a second receiver, who should be open due to the trickery.
A variation of this play has the quarterback skipping the ball to the wide receiver. Because the backwards pass is considered a lateral, even if the ball touches the ground, it is considered a live ball. This increases the deception, because defenders are likely to see the skipping ball as an incomplete pass.
Halfback Pass
The halfback takes a pitch from the quarterback and sweeps either left or right (usually right, if he’s right-handed). When the back gets out on the corner of the defense, though, he pulls the ball back to throw it downfield. With safeties and corners rushing up to tackle the runner, hopefully the receiver is wide open.
The halfback pass worked in at least one Super Bowl, as Robert Newhouse of the Dallas Cowboys threw a touchdown pass to Golden Richards on this play against the Orange Crush Denver Broncos defense in Super Bowl XII. This is a common trick play, with many examples to cite.
Direct Snap
This is a snap directly to a halfback in the backfield. This play requires the offense to line up in a shotgun formation, with the QB pretending he is in a passing situation. Instead, the center snaps the ball to the running back, who can then run against a defense which is spread out in anticipation of a pass.
This past season, Darren McFadden took several direct snaps at the University of Arkansas, though in some cases he tried to throw the ball.
Fake Field Goal
The Fake Field Goal requires the field goal unit to line up like it is going for the 3 points, but instead either run with the ball or (more likely) throw to an open receiver.
Sometimes the field goal kicker is involved, while sometimes the holder of the snap is involved. This second option has the advantage that, often, the holder is also a backup quarterback.
Fake Punt
Similar to the Fake Field Goal, the punter pretends he is going to punt the ball, but instead either takes off running with the all or throws the ball to an eligable receiver downfield. The fake punt relies on surprise, since most NFL punters are slow and poor throwers by NFL standards. In the 1980′s, when Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Danny White, was also the team punter, the Cowboys used this play on numerous occasions.
Another option is the direct snap to the up-back, whose main job is to block any defender who makes it through the line. The up-back is often a full-back or tight-end, so this person can presumably run with the ball better than a punter.
Onside Kick
The onside kick is used by a kicking team to retain possession of the ball. A kickoff must go at least ten yards, or a player on the receiving team must touch the ball before it has traveled those ten yards. otherwise, the kick is not legal.
The kicking team typically lines up most of its players to one side of the kicker during an onside kick. This allows several to go after the ball, while other tries to block or screen the opponents from the ball.
The kicker tries to kick the ball at the top instead of bottom, getting it to turn over as it rolls along the ground. This not only gives players time to run ten yards to get the ball, but in some cases the ball will flip up on the third or fourth bounce, giving the kicker’s teammates a chance to catch the ball.
The onside kick is often used by desperate teams at the end of games. It can also be used by a kicking team anytime during a game. In these cases, the kicking team is using deception, because it is natural instinct for the receiving players to run downfield to set up a blocking scheme for the kick returner. In this case, all (but one) kicking team players may not line up to one side of the kicker, aiding in the deception.
Fake Spike
The Fake Spike is where the quarterback pretends he’s going to spike the ball and stop the clock, which is allowed in the NFL. Instead of spiking the ball, the quarterback throws the ball to a wide receiver, hopefully catching the cornerback off his guard.
The most famous incident of this happening was a game in the 1990′s where Dan Marino scored a late touchdown against the New York Jets. The Jets defense believed the Dolphins were going to spike the ball and stop the clock, regrouping for a last play or two. Marino was signaling to his teammates he was going to spike the ball. What the Jets didn’t know was that Marino had a signal to a wideout to really run his route. The play worked like a charm, and ended up being one of the final glory moments for Marino.
Fake Kneel Down
The Fake Kneel Down is similar to the Fake Spike, except it’s far more insidious. This only works when one team appears to be kneeling at the end of a half or a game, conceding the last few minutes of play. Instead, the quarterback feints at kneeling, then throws the ball to his receiver. To my knowledge, this play was an invention of the past twenty years.
The first time I remember the Fake Kneel Down was a showdown late in the 1987 NFL season between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. This was the strike-shortened season of ’87, and Buddy Ryan believed Tom Landry had run up the score against the Eagles in a "scab" game.
In a rematch after the real teams returned to play, the Eagles were leading the Cowboys late in the game. The Eagles had the ball near the Dallas goal line, a point where most teams kneel on the ball and take the win. Instead, Coach Ryan had Randall Cunningham pretend to kneel and then throw a touchdown for one last parting shot against the Cowboys. Once again, the play worked to perfection.
Hitch & Go
The hitch and go pattern is not necessarily a trick play, so much as it is a well-coordinated route and pump fake between the quarterback and his wide receiver. The wide receiver will run a slant rant and appear to be stopping to receive the ball. Meanwhile, the quarterback responds to this slant route by pump faking the ball, deceiving the cornerback about his intentions. Hopefully, the CB will "bite" on the fake, hoping to jump the route and get an interception.
Instead, the wide receiver takes off down the field. If the cornerback is running upfield for the interception and the receiver is running downfield, the receiver becomes wide open, allowing the quarterback to throw a deeper ball for longer yardage. As stated before, this is not necessarily a trick play, but an elaborate play, which typically takes an extra second or two to develop, exposing the quarterback to an increased risk of a sack.
Okay, you knew most of these trick plays... but I'll bet you never heard of the "Fumblerooski"... or the "Skip Pass" variation of the "Double Pass"...It would take major cajones to attempt the "Skip Pass" trick... ironically, who better to attempt it than former Eagles great Donovan McNabb? He would have gained points off it on credibility factor alone...no comments
Dear Diary:
On the eve of the 2012 Draft, my fellow Eagles fans are obsessed with linebackers and safeties and defensive line guys... but few seem to share my concern over the Tight End position...
It bothers me that the last few seasons have been devoted to the Great Florida Hope---i.e., Cornelius Ingram--- coming back to health and creating the safety net we need at TE...
Meanwhile Brandon Pettigrew has been tearing it up in Detroit. I'm not saying we should have drafted Pettigrew ahead of Jeremy Maclin a few short years ago...I like Maclin. And I like Celek.
But due to the sad ending of Ingram's dream, a cruel knee-injury fate which could not be fixed, we must move on...
And the very real scenario of a Brent Celek knocked out by a serious injury for a number of games leaves us with a "go to" solution of Clay Harbor and ?.... I'm guessing by now the Eagles organization has studied the current trend of having two talented Tight Ends in the offensive rotation at all times. Heck, Gronkowski and Hernandez at New England are just the tip of the iceberg. The NFL is quietly transforming the traditional position of fullback on offense into a hybrid tight end/tailback thing...
Here's what we have to deal with in current TE personnel:
Brent Celek, starting TE... coming off a nice year with an upsurge in receiving...good blocker, too...6-4, 255, 6th year out of Cincinnati...
Clay Harbor, the back-up TE... he showed flashes of route-running and catching ability, but seemed to disappear at times in the offensive game plan...6-3, 252, 3rd year out of Missouri State...
Brett Brackett, the Practice Squad TE... Undrafted Free Agent from Penn State last year, 6-5, 248, Brackett spent time on several NFL practice squads last season before signing on with the Eagles in late November 2011... His career at Penn State included 55 catches for 721 yards and 7 TD's...
That's what we have at TE right now. We don't have a master plan to involve the tight ends more into the Eagles offense other than the "Next Man Up" contingency rotation portrayed above.
So forgive me, dear diary, but I'm feeling a little undermanned at the position going into the 2012 season...
Maybe the remedy to my insecurity at the position is to draft a tight end in the first four rounds of the NFL Draft this Spring?
But that would go against most mock drafts right now which have us taking everything but a tight end. Maybe a lot of mockers are still gun-shy from the disastrous pick of Ingram a couple of years back. It is obvious now that Ingram was damaged goods from the get-go. I certainly was one who bought into his overall potential and the optimistic medical reports on his knee rehab coming out of college. I was "gung ho" on Ingram. And I turned out to be wrong.
So far be it from me to discredit anyone who says drafting a tight end in the mid-to-later rounds this year is a waste of time and money.
But the fact remains, the Eagles need to build for the not-so-distant future at this key position.
At the very least, we need depth. You may not end up integrating two TE's into your basic offense like Brady and the Pats have done, but you need at least two extremely athletic and smart backups in the system in case Celek goes down.
Here's a guy you may want to keep an eye on: Michael Egnew, 6-6, 245, Missouri... he could still be available by the 4th round pick of the Eagles....
Michael Egnew is not a household name in college football, but he brings a lot of the physical credentials and the intangibles that I associate with great Eagles tight ends of the past...so yes, I am biased... Egnew can block, and he can run routes and catch the ball... He's an All-American selection, too... in 2011, he caught 50 passes for 523 yards and 3 TD's...his career totals: 147 receptions for 1332 yards and 8 TD's.
Maybe I'm just projecting my own love of great tight end play, but I hope the Eagles grab Egnew in the 4th round (if he is still available) as their TE of the future, as opposed to reaching for another position based on current assessment of developmental need. The tight end position is just as critical to Eagles future success as linebacker and safety. The tight end position's importance in every NFL offense is still evolving. I think it's time to shake off the heebie-jeebies associated with the Cornelius Ingram debacle and get back to work building a future for the TE position in Philadelphia.
no comments
It's just another reason DT Cullen Jenkins is becoming one of my fave Eagles...added to his 40 tackles and 5.5 sacks last year...and the Super Bowl ring he wears from the Packers...and the fact he has quietly emerged as the team's veteran leader in the clubhouse.
Cullen Jenkins, 6-2, 305, originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an Undrafted Free Agent out of Central Michigan U. in 2003...spent a year in NFL Europe... the younger brother of former Carolina Panthers and N.Y. Jets DT Kris Jenkins... Age 31, Cullen Jenkins has cast his lot with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Jenkins is so intent on staying with the Eagles that he didn't mind restructuring his contract Tuesday.
"I wanted to be able to retire as an Eagle," Jenkins said in a phone interview. "I'm not one of those types of players to bounce around and get as much as he can get. I like being here. I think it's a great team with a great atmosphere and I wanted to stay here."
Jenkins, 31, originally signed a five-year, $30 million contract with the Eagles last July 30. Under the terms of that deal, he was due to receive a $5 million roster bonus on March 13 - the first day of the 2012 league year - and was scheduled to make $2.75 million in base salary. Terms of the restructuring weren't announced Tuesday, but it's likely Jenkins will not be receiving that large of a bonus in order to reduce his $7.75 million salary cap number. Had he not agreed to the restructuring there was a possibility the Eagles would have released him after just one season.
"We are very excited about having Cullen back on our football team," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said in a statement. "Cullen made an immediate impact for us this year on and off the field. We look forward to a great future together with him in an Eagles uniform."Jenkins enjoyed a solid season with the Eagles in 2011 after spending his first eight NFL seasons with Green Bay. The 6-foot-2, 305-pounder registered five and a half sacks - second-most among NFC defensive tackles behind Chicago's Henry Melton (seven) - tied for second on the Eagles with seven tackles for losses, and posted 40 tackles.
Most of his sacks occurred early in the season, however. He notched four in his first three games as an Eagle, joining the late Jerome Brown as the only defensive tackles in franchise history to open a season with at least one sack in the first three games. But he had just a half-sack in the team's final 11 games.
More significantly, he emerged as one of the team's strongest leaders in the locker room. Jenkins, who earned a Super Bowl ring with the Packers in 2010, was respected by the Eagles' veterans and became a mentor to the younger defensive players.
Toward the end of the season, Jenkins said he realized there was a possibility his contract would have to be reworked and made it clear to Eagles' management that he was open to the idea.
"It was cool to get it done without any problems," Jenkins said. "I'm actually kind of relieved because I was wondering about what could happen. People were talking that I could be released."
At the end of the season, rumors began to circulate that Green Bay would be trying to lure Jenkins back if he became a free agent. Jenkins was one of the Packers' more popular players and still owns a home in Green Bay. But he made it clear on Tuesday that he wanted to stay with the Eagles.
"I didn't really think about (returning to) Green Bay," Jenkins said. "We had great run and I'll never forget my years there, but that time has come and passed. Now I'm an Eagle and look at myself as an Eagle and I didn't want to get to point where I would have to make decisions with (going to other teams)."
Jenkins will be rejoining an Eagles defense that struggled through the first half of the season, but played better down the stretch.
"The biggest thing you can expect from our defense is a lot of hungry people, a lot of hungry players," Jenkins said. "We take a lot of pride in what we do and we're excited to try to continue the success we had at the end of the year."
I like Jenkins' attitude in all this...it gives me the feeling that in 2012 we are flying nicely under the radar...run silent, run deep.
Remember when the Eagles were known to be a not-so-good power running team? Since then, they have gone to a zone-blocking strategy with their offensive line, and it seems to be paying dividends.
I dug up an old article by Kevin Donovan from November of 2008 to illustrate the point. Donovan wrote this for the Examiner.com, and it was centered upon a TD catch by Todd Herremans which was achieved off a play designed to look like a power run formation, at 3rd-and-goal at the two-yard line against Seattle...
This memorable play involved the starting left guard (Todd Herremans, #76 at the time) lining up outside the starting right tackle and inside the third string tight end. Pretty uncommon formation.
But it was successful, Todd Herremans’ touchdown reception got a standing ovation from all the big boys who man the trenches. What’s even more impressive? He made the catch with a dislocated finger. Let’s break down what happened...
Herremans (76) is announced as an eligible receiver. He lines up next to Jon Runyan with Matt Schobel (89) to his right. The backfield is split with Dan Klecko (49) on the left and Correll Buckhalter (28) lined up deep on the right. Prior to the snap Klecko shifts to his right in front of Buckhalter.
At the snap Herremans blocks the defensive end in front of him, Schobel releases to the second level and engages a linebacker, Klecko takes two steps forward like he’s setting a lead block, and McNabb (5) and Buckhalter look to make the handoff.
Playfake! Klecko breaks off and runs a drag route a yard in front of the goal line. Schobel runs a parallel route at the back of the end zone. Herremans releases from his block, drives two steps forward, pivots, and gets the ball right in his numbers. Touchdown!
Although running a play like this was a sign that Andy Reid and Co. still could not figure out the power running game at that point, it was a good sign that they were willing to find ways to use this perceived weakness to manipulate a defense.
The Seahawks (and everyone else following the NFL) knew the Eagles were miserable in power run scenarios. On this play Seattle deploys a seven man defensive line, with two linebackers, and two safeties. Those defensive players face an odd heavy set with the additional lineman. Certainly they sense trickery afoot, with Herremans announced as eligible, but the formation still indicates a two-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust type play call. The Eagles sell the fake so well that literally every Seahawks defender is sprinting forward at the snap. By the time they see the fake handoff and Klecko leaking out into his route, Herremans is already turning to catch the pass that changed the game’s momentum.
Give the Eagles points for creativity and execution. By flaunting their weakness in a crafty formation and play, the offense turned a liability into an asset.
Jump to 2011 and 2012:
The old offensive line of the Eagles is gone except for Herremans, and the old OL prototype of massive pass-blockers who didn't execute power run plays is now replaced by smaller but faster guys. Of course, "small" is a relative term when you're comparing a 310-pound guy to a 340-pound guy. But hopefully you get the point.
So here's the new reality of the Eagles running game:
Historically, offensive line play in football involved one-on-one confrontations, with burly offensive linemen overpowering their defensive counterparts to open running lanes. Problem was, defensive linemen and some outside linebackers became as big and quick as the best of the traditional offensive linemen like Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas (See Exhibit "A", Haloti Ngata....) So teams without big, powerful offensive lines devised the zone blocking scheme to benefit smaller, more athletic linemen who can use speed and leverage to their advantage. When zone blocking, offensive linemen block gaps, or areas of the field between blockers, and not necessarily one specific defender. While individual schemes may vary, zone blocking relies on a few general rules...
Covered...
In a zone blocking scheme, the offensive lineman's responsibilities change depending on whether he's covered (when a defender is lined up directly in front of him) or uncovered. A covered lineman still must block his assigned defender, just like in a traditional blocking scheme. However, because it's a zone, the offensive lineman blocks the gap on the play side. In other words, if the play calls for the run to go right, the lineman will step into the gap and block the right side of the defender, creating a seal.
Uncovered...
If the offensive lineman is uncovered, meaning that no defender is in front of him, his job in a zone scheme is to slide into the play-side gap, secure the area, offer double-team assistance to his play-side teammate and then quickly move into the second level to engage any free linebackers or defensive backs. Uncovered offensive linemen, and the decisions they make, are critical to zone blocking success.
Outside...
Zone blocking may be either inside or outside. In outside zone blocking, the offensive linemen try to gain leverage on the outside of the defender, forging a seal for the runner along the sideline. If defenders recognize the outside movement and overplay in that direction, the offensive linemen use the defender's momentum against him, driving him all the way to the sideline and opening a cutback lane for the runner.
Inside...
Zone blocking also attempts to use the defender's momentum to create a cutback lane, except the designed hole falls between the tackle and guard and not outside the tackle. The same basic rules govern inside zone blocking, with the linemen double-teaming according to whether or not they're covered. The main difference in inside zone blocking is that the running back reads the outside hip of the play-side guard, ideally cutting the ball between the guard and tackle.
Warning...
Zone blocking features a lot of double-team blocks, with an uncovered lineman stepping in to help his play-side teammate. When moving across to block the already engaged defender, the double-teaming lineman must block the defender above the waist. Cutting an engaged defender below the waist or knee can be extremely dangerous for the defender, creating an increased risk of injury. Because of the seriousness of the infraction, officials will call a chop block and penalize the offensive team 15 yards.
Okay, so zone-blocking has come to Philly and looks like it's here to stay. Hard to argue against it with the yardage Shady McCoy put up last season running with it. Obviously there's a lot of reading and smarts required of the offensive linemen in the new order. Just as important is the physical side of it: the slightly smaller, more agile and mobile big athlete with the long-distance runner's stamina to match
I'll be watching the Eagles draft with increased attention to the offensive linemen they may select. It appears the organization is committed to transforming into a zone-blocking running game. It is not a fad. Ask Arian Foster.
Personally I'll miss the blocks-of-granite drive-blocking lines of the Eagles' past...of the Antoine Davis mold (RT, '90's), and Lester Holmes (RG, '90's), guys like that who blocked straight ahead for power running backs like Ricky Watters. But those days of classic yet less-sophisticated defensive challenge are long past.
It took almost a decade to figure it out, but I believe the zone-block run philosophy is the new "power run" answer for the Eagles.
The Mendoza Line for skill positions in the NFL is 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash...(but don't ever tell an offensive lineman that his is not a "skill position", you may justifiably get a personal demonstration of a cut block).
Based on their high school and college times recorded in the "40", most NFL-eligible athletes may think they've already got the 40-yard dash drill in the bag.
NFLN announcer Rich Eisen will attempt to better the 6.18 he recorded at last year's Combine...
But word comes out of JB-Land near Austin, Texas... a lot of guys with 4.5 and better on their resumes really can't run that fast...
There's a timing controversy in the great state of Texas, where football is a religion and where getting a college football scholarship is equivalent to entering the priesthood. Going on to the pro's is like being elevated to Monsignor.
A reporter named Adam Nettina examined this trend of "Phony 40" times as early as 2009 in an article for "In The Bleachers"....
"Unlike casual fans and bloggers who love to inflate, proliferate, and generally just throw 40-yard dash times around as if they were fixed height and weight statistics, I tend to take a more modest approach when it comes to examining the sport's most infamous measurement of its most prized commodity: speed. As many of you are no doubt aware by now, I'm typically very, very skeptical of 40-yard dash times that I hear. I referenced this on National Signing Day:"
The Austin American Statesman has a great article to keep the “numbers” of National Signing Day in perspective. Those who read the blog on a regular basis know I am highly skeptical of reported 40 yard dash times, often because they are self-reported and quite frankly, highly inflated. It’s good to see someone set the record straight when it comes to this issue.
Mansfield Timberview running back Eric Stephens — the No. 36-rated recruit on the Fabulous 55 — is 5-11, 200 pounds and has 4.38 speed on texasfootball.com. On Rivals.com, the Texas Tech-bound Stephens is 5-8 (three inches shorter), 177 pounds (nearly 25 pounds lighter) and, according to the site’s analysis, “doesn’t have home run speed.”
Stephens, insists Timberview coach Terry Cron, is 5-8, 200 pounds and runs about a 4.56.
“I don’t know where some of these guys get their numbers from,” Cron said. “It seems like they heard it from a guy who heard it from a guy who heard it from a guy, and that’s good enough to report.”
I encourage you to read the rest of the article, which deals with the “magic” number of a sub 4.6, which many prospects know they must report to even be considered for a FBS offer. Frankly, this whole obsession over 40-times as THE basis for evaluating and offering players is getting out of hand.I reference this post just to remind everyone that when it comes to 40-yard dash times, you're almost always hearing something that's at the very least marginally - but more often than not substantially- inflated. This view is consistent in all levels of competition, but seems especially prevalent and most profound at the high school level, where there is often a lack of standardization of testing for the drill. In other words, even if you are getting the "true" 40-yard dash time from the player, there often is no way to verify it under controlled conditions. We all know certain factors like weather, wind, surface, timing method, and even clothing can effect the speed of an individual over 40 yards, and that's not even factoring in the countless number of 40-yard dashes a prospect can run in trying to best his previous times. In other words, there are seldom any 4.3 guys. Heck, I'm not even sure there are many 4.4 or 4.5 guys. But are there a very select handful who have run a 4.3? Sure, but more often than not it's been on a "fast track" indoor surface with the benefit of a generous, if not altogether "home team " timing method.
Nettina's main point leads us to a better understanding of why Combine times in the "40" are often "disappointing", and how in the world could Anquan Boldin have put up a 4.7 in his rookie year?
This has been, I believe, the key component in examining why 40-yard dash times at the NFL combine have typically been slower than one would imagine. So often led to believe that NFL skill position players must run below the magical line of 4.5 seconds, your average NFL fan would be shocked (yes, shocked) to learn that the average NFL combine times for running backs since 2005 is actually 4.56, while the average time for receivers is 4.57. This very relevant truth must be especially disconcerting with each passing year, as former high school stars of the Rivals.com and Scout.com generation find themselves posting electronic times slower than the ones they claimed coming out of high school. All of this comes to us not only on the eve of this year's scouting combine, but also on the heels of the Kennedy/CES Combine held in Atlanta.
The combine, held for many of the southeast's top high school juniors, is thought by some to signal the unofficial start of the recruiting process. Back in 2009, as expected, several prospects stood out. One of these young men, wide receiver Da'Rick Rogers, ran a blistering 4.34 40-yard dash at a mind boggling 6'2, 197-lbs. Another prospect, defensive back Ryan Ayers, ran an insane 4.31. And don't forget about quarterback Qudral Forte, who posted an impressive 4.38. The only problem is that he didn't. In fact none of them did. Rogers ran a 4.55, Ayers a 4.49, and Forte a 4.59. The discrepancy you ask? The former times were taken from a hand-timer, the latter from an electronic timer - just like to one that is used at the NFL combine. Not excusing the still relevant point that all three of these young men are extremely fast, but suddenly they don't look like the all-world sprinters that fans and recruiting junkies like to so often associate them with. Just looking at the numbers alone, it's easy to see someone associating a 4.34 or 4.31 and saying that individual is a 4.3 player.
Heck, our tendency to associate 40-yard dash times with the standard tenth of a second could even lead many to cite Forte as a player who runs in the 4.3s. But he's not. He more of a "4.6" guy, just as much as Rogers is a mid-4.5 guy and Forte is a 4.5 guy. So what's my point? Am I just trying to rip on three random high school juniors who just so happened to test very well (but not that well) at a recent high school combine? Of course not. But I think it's important to keep the numbers in perspective. Knowingly or not, fans and media members have created a culture in the sports that's conducive to this obsession and inflation of individual and team speed. In doing so, we've in fact created our own monster when it comes to not only evaluating talent, but in effect determining the educational and financial situations of the thousands of young men who hope to earn college football scholarships.
In an effort to keep pace with numbers that are all to often misleading (like the hand-timed 40-yard dashes above) more and more high school football players inflate, mislead, or flat-out lie about their own 40-yard dash times with increasing regularity, proliferating a myth of what is truly fast and what is not. Yet when we evaluate the numbers across the board (and not just in the 40-yard dash either) we find that the benchmarks for measurables such as size, speed, and strength are not what we thought they were.
Does that make the young men who play the game any less impressive from an athletic standpoint? Of course not. So why is it then that some 42 year-old bum sitting in his cubicle has the audacity to categorically determine whether a player is "fast enough" or "strong enough" to play Division I football? It boggles my mind, and hopefully, after reading and studying over the above facts, it starts to boggle yours as well. For More on 40-Yard Dash Times and the NFL Draft, be sure to check out DraftDaddy.com's excellent article on average testing times since 2005.
---Thanks to Adam Nettina and "In The Bleachers" for the research in this blurb...
no comments
Most of the phans who come here probably already know that the NFL "Franchise Tag" has decreased in value under the new collective bargaining agreement... but I am just really finding out about the actual hard numbers of the deal.
Overall decrease in the value of a franchise tag contract further complicates the relationship between Eagles management and guys like DeSean Jackson (above), and puts extra pressure on players and agents to get long-term guaranteed money deals done.
Here's how the Franchise Tag values have changed by position under the new CBA:
Running Back: This year $7.7 million.... last year, $9.6 million (a DECREASE of $1.9 million);
Wide Receiver: This year $9.4 million.... last year, $11.4 million (a DECREASE of $2 million);
Tight End: This year $5.4 million.... last year, $7.3 million (a DECREASE of $1.9 million);
Offensive Line: This year $9.4 million.... last year, $10.1 million (a DECREASE of $.7 million);
Defensive End: This year $10.6 million.... last year, $13 million (a DECREASE of $2.4 million);
Defensive Tackle: This year $7.9 million....last year $12.5 million (a DECREASE of $4.6 million);
Linebacker: This year $8.8 million.... last year, $10.1 million (a DECREASE of $1.3 million);
Cornerback: This year $10.6 million.... last year, $13.5 million (a DECREASE of $2.9 million);
Safety: This year $6.2 million.... last year, $8.8 million (a DECREASE of $2.6 million);
---and finally, the only position that sees an increase in value:
Quarterback: This year $16.1 million.... last year, $ 14.4 million (an INCREASE of $1.7 million).
Beginning this Monday (February 20, 2012), NFL teams can begin to apply the franchise tag to players. They can do so up until March 5 at 4 p.m. ET. For those that don't know, the franchise tag is a method of keeping players from hitting the open market. Previously, the franchise-tag number was generated by averaging the top-five salaries at a position to determine a number for that position.
This year, the franchise tag value will be a percentage of the overall salary cap figure for the previous five years.
Exception: The only instances this doesn't apply: when a player already made more than the franchise-tag value, or when a player receives the franchise tag for the second-straight year, in which case tagging said player would cost 120 percent of their previous base salary.
Aside from the exception above, it's clearly much more cost effective to utilize the franchise tag on a player in 2012 than it was in 2011. Wide receivers like DeSean Jackson, Dwayne Bowe and Marques Colston might not be tag candidates at $11.4 million. At $9.4 million, they certainly are.
Reports are already rolling in that Jackson will be tagged and that the team will seek to trade him once they place the tag on Jackson. Philly better be comfortable rolling with DJax if they can't find a suitor, though, because the wide receiver is a good bet to swoop in and sign his tender quickly. The $9.4 million represents more than triple what Jackson's made in his entire career thus far, and you can bet he'd like to see some guaranteed money.
"Worst case, of course, is that Philly ends up giving its top playmaker one more "contract year" at turning in a big performance before hitting free agency. $9.4 million is a lot to pay for a wideout, but it's better than (a) doling out a big contract to someone new and/or a malcontent, or (b) letting Jackson walk for nothing in return." --- Will Brinson, CBSSports.com
Am I the only one in the room right now who thinks a lot of players are just now finding out how the new CBA has devalued their franchise tag numbers? And that a lot of NFL players in general are experiencing some form of reverse "sticker shock"?
One dramatic example I can give you of this is the Jermichael Finley situation in Green Bay...
At $5.5 million, the tight end is a no-doubt-about-it franchise tag choice. Finley is upset because last year the tight end franchise tag value was $7.3 million...So Finley's reportedly ready to argue that he's actually more of a wide receiver than a tight end and should be paid a $9.4 million tag as a wide receiver, based on the number of snaps he takes from a wide receiver position. (He may want to remove the words "best tight ends in the league" from his website then.)
The Packers don't seem ready to give Finley a long-term deal yet, but they're also not willing to let him go. That same spirit prevails among Eagles management with regard to playmakers like DJax... and the surprising reduction in franchise tag values is adding resistance and resentment to the mix.
no comments
Every other year or so I like to look around for the latest in Football Training technology...
Probably the most innovative training device I've seen lately is the iPad, in its ability to totally transform the Playbook and Advance Film Scouting tools into easily accessible media... no more lugging around of 500-page transcripts or 16mm film projectors or VHS videotape libraries...
But you still need the brick-and-mortar training devices. Football is a physical sport. There's no cybernetic cure for that undeniable fact.
So let's take a tour of the currently hot training gadgets:
#1... the "Run-N-Chute" Speed Training Parachute....
The Run-N-Chute is a no-tangle aerodynamic speed-strength training parachute. The Run-N-Chute is ideal for the athlete who wants to gain that competitive speed edge. It's designed to develop a faster start and enhance explosive speed and sprinting power. During training, the Run-N-Chute produces drag which increases with speed. The faster an athlete moves, the more drag it produces. The Run-N-Chute includes: One Run-N-Chute speed parachute, a webbed belt w/ quick release buckle and a training manual.
"The Run N Chute is the best resistance running instrument for speed development. This speed parachute will help you develop a faster start, and also improves the running mechanics that are necessary in running faster."---Dr. E.J. "Doc" Crease - UCLA Strength Coach
#2...the " Football Fumbler"...
The Football Fumbler is designed for beginner, advanced or professional football players. It teaches the athlete to grasp, control and be aware of the football. One athlete runs with the football while the other runs behind holding the nylon strap rip cord and attempts to dislodge the ball from his hands. This teaches ball awareness and control, which becomes a priority as the ball carrier fights to maintain possession while maintaining the forward motion. Comes complete with all necessary hardware and instructions.
#3...Strength-weighted training vest and shorts...
Build lower leg power, acceleration and endurance with the STRENGTH WEIGHTED VEST & SHORTS when training... Play in it, practice in it and train in it. The STRENGTH WEIGHTED VEST & SHORTS also comes with recommended training movements workout program. Includes 10 lbs of weight for the vest and 5 lbs for the shorts. Total maximum weight capacity: Vest = 30lbs. (except small it can only hold 25 lbs), Shorts = 12lbs. 
#4...Power Sled...
Develop the explosive leg drive required for an elite performance. Use the harness to target stride length and drive or use the handles to push the sled, developing a powerful hip and leg drive.
- Push or pull sled.
- Improve acceleration and leg drive
Sled made of strong welded steel. Assembly required. Color: Red. Sled dimensions: 37"L x 18" W x 9" H. Wt. 28 lbs.
#5... "Mastering the NFL Football Combine Training Video"... [N.Y. Giants linebacker Dhani Jones getting ready to perform his 8th set of dynamic box squats with chains. He routinely completes 3 reps in under 2.9-seconds with this weight (365 lbs.). Now that's explosive power!...and he learned the secret of this training technique from Joe DeFranco's video...]
In the past two years alone, Joe DeFranco has trained over 500 top college and high school prospects... His training video is now required viewing for NFL strength and training coaches. Since 2010, DeFranco has accomplished the following:
This contoversial and information-packed video is guaranteed to take your understanding of Combine training to a new level. This is truly the video that college and professional football scouts don't want you to see.
JB99 and Brizer have both viewed this video. And now you know why they have been running off to the gym so much recently.
