Kevin Kolb Confusion: Questioning the Eagles' Decision To Start Michael Vick
As the smoke begins to settle from the shocking, or not so shocking, news that the Philadelphia Eagles have benched Kevin Kolb for the 2010 season in lieu of Michal Vick, my brain is still on the verge of exploding with the amount of questions I have.
Whether or not you, as a fan, believe the Eagles front office might have jumped the gun ever so slightly on this matter, one thing is absolute through it all—Kevin Kolb's ego has just plummeted to near ground levels.
Sure, he's a team player and will put on a game face when cornered by reporters. He'll continue to say the correct things like he's disappointed but understands the decision to play Vick, but put yourself in his shoes—you aren't feeling a little resentment already?
With that, let's allow my brain to wonder as I list some of the more hurtfully pressing matters going inside my dome.
Is This Move About Winning or Raising Vick's Stock?
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This has to be looked at like a legitimate question—was the decision to name Michael Vick the starting QB of the Eagles a sign of wanting to win now, or are the Eagles simply attempting to raise Vick's stock price?
Clearly he will not be around after the 2010 season if the Eagles front office plans on Kolb eventually becoming the face of the franchise in the future.
Vick has made it perfectly clear, he wants to be a starting QB in the NFL again, and he is coming back onto the scene with precision in his throwing and his ability to scramble when the defense wants to get a little aggressive.
There will be teams interested in his services all right, teams who might just give him the payday he's longed for over the last three years. And remember, he can walk at the end of this season unless the Birds sign him to a contract.
So far so good for Vick—he was impressive in his near-comeback win against the Packers, and he again looked sharp against a very poor Detroit Lions squad—I'm curious to see what happens against a team with a winning record.
One that can game-plan for him, that is!
Are the Eagles Regretful of Letting Go of McNabb?
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In a earth-shattering decision, the Eagles front office decided to trade away their franchise QB this past offseason. Even more shocking was the fact it was to a division rival.
Now, the Redskins sit atop the NFC East with an opening record of 1-1, and he's doing it in the same fashion he did it here in Philly for ages—with mediocre players!
Here back in sunny Philadelphia, the Eagles sit with the same record at 1-1, but unlike in Washington, there is a QB controversy in Philly that McNabb technically isn't a part of.
My point, why did the Eagles trade a very proven QB to start a young kid in McNabb's place, then bench him after the offensive line failed to do their job and block for him?
Shouldn't he be provided an opportunity to show he can bounce back from a pretty serious injury and still lead the Eagles?
Is a QB Controversy Becoming a Philadelphia Trend?
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QB Donovan McNabb is glad to be playing for another team right now I'm sure, and why not? The QB saga continues to grow even though he is hundreds of miles away.
For the better part of the past decade, the QB position was constantly under scrutiny in Philadelphia. Whether it was due to poor play-calling, lack of execution, or just flat-out racial comments (Rush Limbaugh), McNabb could never gain complete respect from Philly fans.
Regardless of who the Eagles have in at quarterback, there always seems to be controversy close behind.
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Is It Better To Bench Kolb Now or Later?
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Kolb was supposed to be the man trusted to pick up where the Eagles and McNabb left off in 2009, and unfortunately he's had more downs than ups during the preseason and in the first game of the season.
After showing it may take a little more time for Kolb to blossom than anticipated, the Birds quickly named Vick the new man in Philly.
Now instead of allowing Kolb to go through his fair share of bumps and bruises so he can grow from them to become the player coach Andy Reid would like, Reid puts him right back on the bench.
Nobody said having a new young quarterback was going to be easy—this season could have been a total wash, but if Kolb is in fact the future of Philly, the Eagles need to give him live game experience!
I say this was a smart move if your focus is on a short-term objective (one year of success), but if you are anything like me and look more to the overall success, and the future of the Eagles, then this move was a grand mistake!
What Happens If Vick Struggles?
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Uh-oh, if Vick starts to show signs of not being the superstar the Eagles have made him out to be in just two games, then what?
Let's say Vick goes on a four- or five-game losing streak—will we hear the same amount of bark from the fans to remove him and put Kolb back in as the starter?
Remember, Reid stated he needs to do what's best for the team and not winning isn't the best thing!
With such a tough schedule ahead of them, this could very easily become a reality, and if it does, the chemistry among all the young players starts to fizzle away, which could take years to rebuild.
That is the cold hard truth of it all—yes Vick has been in this position before but the kids coming into the league over the years he was out are becoming freaks of nature, and I'm not certain if Vick truly knows what he is dealing with yet in the current NFL.
These kids are younger, maybe not faster, but they are smart, quick, and painfully strong—they are a new breed of players that he'll have to adjust to!
Did the Pressure Get the Best of Kevin Kolb?
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Kolb proved last year that as a backup quarterback in the NFL he is phenomenal, but as a starting QB in the league he has some ironing to do.
Many thought this would be a transition much like the one the Green Bay Packers faced a few years ago when the indecisive Brett Favre parted ways and Aaron Rodgers took over.
The Packers went 6-10 that season, but look at Rodgers now. He is regarded as one of the best QBs in the league.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, it didn't work out quite like that.
Kolb has struggled heavily since taking over, even during training camp, and one has to question why he was such a fantastic player as a backup and can't be the same player as the starter—pressure is often an athlete's worst enemy.
Red Flag: Is Andy Reid Creating a Legacy of Controversy?
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One would be lead to believe he is after all the crazy moves over the last two seasons. It started when Brian Dawkins left and Reid stated he wasn't even aware Dawkins was out of town.
First and only question: How do you not know where you defensive leader is during free agency?
But that was only the beginning, they then decided to part ways with others like fan favorite Brian Westbrook after his series of injuries, CB Sheldon Brown while there really wasn't a proven starter behind him with the exception of Ellis Hobbs, but who knows how long he will remain injury free.
Throw in a dash of not only trading your record setting franchise QB, but to a team within the same division—that is just a bone-headed move, I don't care what anyone says.
It's just as bad as making a draft day trade with the Cowboys!
Now after all that nonsense, the kid you drafted and invested so much time into has a bad quarter and you bench him.
WHAT IS THE POINT OF ALL THIS?
It almost appears as if Reid is trying to get fired!
Are the Eagles Actually Honoring Phone Calls in Regard to Kolb?
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It was reported today on ESPN that multiple teams have contacted the Eagles in regards to Kevin Kolb's availability and if the Eagles are actually taking these calls. I'm throwing the white flag up because I will have no clue as to what the Eagles are trying to prove.
It was confirmed that Eagles former GM Tom Heckert, now of the Cleveland Browns, did indeed call the NovaCare complex today to discuss the current situation, as well as a small handful of other teams.
If the Birds were to trade Kolb and Vick decided he only wants to stay for a season, they will be forced to either draft a kid in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft, try to provoke a trade, or pick someone up off the streets.
Hey, Jeff Garcia is still available!
When the McNabb trade went down, did anyone really anticipate this would go down so early in the season, if at all?
Is the Power Shifting Within the Eagles Brass?
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It first started with the McNabb trade—everyone knows Reid would bend over backwards (if he could) for McNabb. He was Andy's first ever first-round draft pick, and the two had a father-son type of relationship.
Therefore, we can pretty much say that Reid had nothing to do with that other than discuss it in a press conference.
Now, Reid has a tremendous amount of faith in his new former starter Kevin Kolb, but still he remains benched for the entire 2010 season—an uncharacteristic move by "Andy Reid."
Is this the beginning of the end for Reid's power surge in Philadelphia, or is everyone actually on the same page among the Eagles executives?
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