It's Only One Game

[stocknowledge]

I think a lot of people are overreacting to the performances of both Vick and Kolb. From some of the posts here (from people who were already prepared to throw Kolb under the bus even if he lit it up), you would think that Kolb's performance was the worst in the history of the game. Actually, he was 5 for 10 in his passing for 24 yards with ZERO interceptions, which is dismal - but three of those passes were after he sustained a concussion and probably shouldn't have even been in the game.

I guess we should have known that some people would be ranting at the first sign of failure. But, we have to remember that this is just one game. If we judge QB's on the basis of one game, then we should have canned McNabb after his fiasco in Baltimore of November, 2008, when he was 8 for 18 for 59 yards with 2 interceptions. But we didn't can McNabb, and Reid was quick to announce that McNabb was still the starting QB immediately after the game - the same that he did after Kolb's disaster.

So, let's be patient and see how things pan out over the course of the season before we throw out the playbook and have a full season of Vick improvisation. Three weeks from now, we probably won't be talking about game one (which very few people on this board expected us to win anyway!).

[sfphillyfan]

stock - read my column! I said exactly the same thing -- albeit in like 2000 words

http://www.sportscolumn.com/2010/09/...of-kevin-kolb/

[Pliny]

Vin. That is an excellent column ! I was waiting for somebody to go back and actually analyze that first half.

[sfphillyfan]

thank you pliny!

I will admit it's a little lenient on Kolb but come on. The kid never had a chance.

[Leonard Tose]

Yeah, it's only one game. But Kolb was so putrid I can't help but overreact. He was that bad.

[sfphillyfan]

He wasnt though, LT! Watch the tape and you'll see that he only was absolutely putrid on the drive where he was concussed. The rest, he was mediocre. Fucking Andy Reid and penalties gave him no shot at all to show his skills.

Peyton Manning couldn't throw a pass with no pocket and no time.

I watched the game at a bar and came away thinking "crap, Kolb looked awful" too. But when you go back and take away the initial shock, he wasn't that bad.

[Leonard Tose]

He wasnt though, LT! Watch the tape and you'll see that he only was absolutely putrid on the drive where he was concussed. The rest, he was mediocre. Fucking Andy Reid and penalties gave him no shot at all to show his skills.

Peyton Manning couldn't throw a pass with no pocket and no time.

Big Red did him no favors, but I don't care. He locked in on receivers, made terrible decisions with the ball, should have thrown a couple more picks. He looked scared out there.

You really want your QB out there looking scared? Sorry, I don't. I want my QB to have the cojones to stand in the pocket and take the hit as he delivers the ball. You know, like Vick did! Kolb was touted as a gunslinger, a no-fear Texan who hunts wild boars and is a natural leader. A guy who was going to get rid of the ball, throw to the right spots, execute the offense. Instead, we got a frightened little baby.

Kolb just doesn't have it, IMO. I know we will go through the rigamarole of letting him play more games to have conclusive proof of this, but I have all the proof I need at this point. Call me knee-jerk, call me a reactionary, it's all true. I don't deny it.

But a scared little puppy at QB is never going to cut it. And that's what Kolb was last week. May as well cut our losses now, like the Governor said. Try and turn Vick into another Steve Young. That's at least a possibility. Kevin Kolb will never be a winning QB, IMO. We're just wasting time with him.

[andrewaters]

Great analysis Vin. I agree that the sky is not falling in on Kolb. I also agree that Reid's play-calling is atrocious... especially early in games.

A few things I will add in here:

1. We would be in SERIOUS trouble losing Weaver if we hadn't signed Mike Bell in the offseason. Where was he all day by the way? We will now have a 2-back set that is McCoy and Bell. Our FB who appears to be Jason DAvis or Owen Schmitt will now be a more traditional wrecking ball type of FB which may be just what the Dr. ordered to get Andy's mind right when it comes to running the ball and short yardage. Do our guys even know how to line up in an I formation.

2. Jamal Jackson being out is not the end of the world in my mind. Nick Cole is a good center. Remember, he WAS a center in college and I'm quite sure he spent a ton of time working on his shotgun snap and learning that position in the offseason. I'm also certain that Reggie Wells will be fine if he is indeed the RG this week. He is a vet and CAN play the position.

3. Stewart Bradley is going to play this week.

4. Michael Vick is going to be the starting QB this week and Kolb will sit.

[sfphillyfan]

The thing that gets me about Reid's playcalling in this game isn't that it's bad. It's obscenely bad. It was arrogant. No other coach would have called the game that way.

[fly]

Yeah, it's only one game. But Kolb was so putrid I can't help but overreact. He was that bad.

How did McNabb play against the Ravens 2 years ago? He was that bad ... but was still a good QB that year overall.

[Leonard Tose]

How did McNabb play against the Ravens 2 years ago? He was that bad ... but was still a good QB that year overall.

Apples and oranges. McNabb at that point was already an established NFL QB, a multi-Pro Bowl player who had led his teams to numerous playoff appearances. He also had established a reputation as kind of a hot-or-cold player who would go through those down stretches.

Kolb has done nothing in his career to date. We have nothing to go on.

And I'll say one more thing. At no point in his rookie year did Donovan McNabb ever look like a frightened pup, the way Kolb did last week. He stepped in and took control right away when given the opportunity to start in Week 10. And he was a true rookie! Not a fourth-year guy like Kolb.

[sfphillyfan]

Kolb has had more good quarters than bad in live games. But the sample size is too small. There's no evidence EITHER way.

Which is why you don't jettison kolb and start Vick.

[Leonard Tose]

Kolb has had more good quarters than bad in live games. But the sample size is too small. There's no evidence EITHER way.

Which is why you don't jettison kolb and start Vick.

I know. Kolb will get more chances to prove that he, definitively, sucks.

[fly]

Apples and oranges. McNabb at that point was already an established NFL QB, a multi-Pro Bowl player who had led his teams to numerous playoff appearances. He also had established a reputation as kind of a hot-or-cold player who would go through those down stretches.

Kolb has done nothing in his career to date. We have nothing to go on.

And I'll say one more thing. At no point in his rookie year did Donovan McNabb ever look like a frightened pup, the way Kolb did last week. He stepped in and took control right away when given the opportunity to start in Week 10. And he was a true rookie! Not a fourth-year guy like Kolb.

You're right. When an established veteran looks like a frightened pup, I should be more concerned.

You may be right about Donovan never looking like a frightened pup his rookie year, but you may not be. I don't remember well enough nor do I have game tape to go back and look at.

All I know is that Kolb looked great when he had a chance to develop some rhythm.

[leifdawg]

You're right. When an established veteran looks like a frightened pup, I should be more concerned.

You may be right about Donovan never looking like a frightened pup his rookie year, but you may not be. I don't remember well enough nor do I have game tape to go back and look at.

All I know is that Kolb looked great when he had a chance to develop some rhythm.

McNabb had an "It" factor that Kolb, just doesn't have.