Two of the NFL's top teams are going to meet this Sunday night when the Houston Texans face the "Monsters of the Midway" the Chicago Bears. The Bears will have one distinct advantage Sunday night against their opponents, home field. Soldier Field in Chicago has a predicted forecast of temperatures in the low 30s and a chance of showers. The weather could make this game quite ugly, and may not benefit Houston much, considering it is between 70-80 degrees this time of year in H-town. But, if the game does get ugly because of the weather, I expect both teams to give a blue collar performance via smash mouth football and solid defense.
This game will be a good test for both 7-1 teams, and should help to gauge their placement and chances of making it to the Super Bowl at the Superdome in February, which very well good be a rematch of this very game. What makes this game even more intriguing is that each team's only loss this season came by way of Green Bay, and the Bears are unbeaten at home while Houston is yet to lose on the road. I'm going to breakdown the strengths and weaknesses of both clubs going into Sunday night's big game, as well as some "X-factors" to consider. There is a ton of factors to consider going into this game, which makes the NFL so great week in and week out.
Bears:
Strengths:
Defense:
We all know the Bears #1 strength as a team is their defense.
The Bears are playing like the "Monsters of the Midway" on the defensive side of the ball again and have made very few errors this season. They rank 16th against the pass, yielding 230.9 yards per game, and 6th in rush defense, holding opponents to a meager 88.0 yards per game. They are also 2nd in the NFL in scoring defense at 15.0 points per game, tied with Houston for 3rd with 25 sacks and lead the league with 28 forced turnovers. Chicago's defense has also scored seven defensive touchdowns this season.
Offense:
Brandon Marshall has 59 receptions, 797 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns this season (his first in Chicago). Marshall already topped all of the Bears' individual receiving leaders numbers from last season.
Weaknesses:
Chicago is VERY WEAK on offense, the fact that they are 7-1 is pretty remarkable. Chicago ranks near the bottom of the league placing 25th in total offense, averaging 324.4 yards per game and 29th in passing averaging just 195.9 yards per game. The Bears offensive line has yielded 28 sacks this season, which is third-most in the NFL and the offense has only managed 19 offense touchdowns. The Bears defense has as many touchdowns as the Bears offense has rushing this season with 7, and Houston is yet to give up a rushing touchdown this season.
Texans:
Strengths:
Offense:
Houston protects the football, something the Bears thrive off of is turnovers, this Texans team has the pedigree to maintain possessions against the Bears and shouldn't turn the ball over if the weather is fair. Houston has the league-low with six turnovers this season and averages 138.0 yards on the ground. Arian Foster is 5th in the NFL with 770 rushing yards and leads the league with 11 overall TDs (10 rushing). Houston also protects their quarterback Matt Schaub very well, allowing only 10 sacks this season which is tied for the fewest in the AFC. The Texans are 16th in passing yards averaging 233.8 yards per game, not bad for a team that looks to run the ball first.
Defense:
Everyone talks about the Bears defense, but statistically, Houston is better on the defensive side of the ball when compared to Chicago as well. Houston ranks 4th in passing yards allowed, giving up 203.8 yards per game and 2nd in rushing yards allowed giving up only 81.9 yards per game.
Weaknesses:
Not many, Houston doesn't really have a glaring weakness, they have holes, but they aren't weak in any particular area on either side of the ball. One weakness(If you would call it that) is that they don't produce as many turnovers as Chicago and special teams could be an area of concern, but not likely.
X-Factors:
-Matt Schaub
has won 11 of his last 12 starts. Since Week 7 of the 2011 season, Schaub's 11-1 record is tied for the best among all starting quarterbacks. He's tied with Jay Cutler in this category. Game management and not making costly mistakes on offense is going to be a huge factor in this game, like any other, but who will win this chess game of QBs?
-Houston's defensive end J.J. Watt is my defensive MVP pick for the season so far, with 10 1/2 sacks and 10 passes defended. Stopping J.J. Watt will be a huge challenge for a mediocre Bears offensive line.
-If anyone else can be placed in the discussion for defensive player of the year it is Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman of the Bears has forced 7 fumbles this season.
-Temperatures in the low 30s and a chance of showers benefits Chicago.
My Irrelevant Prediction: Texans win 31-21
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Carson Palmer Returning to Form?
Remember back in 2005, 2006, and 2007 when Carson Palmer was the field general for the high powered Bengals? Many seem to forget because of the mediocrity that followed, but was that really all Palmer's fault? or the organization known as the "Bungles"? Regardless, it is 2012 now and Carson Palmer is the field general for the Oakland Raiders. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen" fans say, but not so fast...
This season, Carson Palmer has the 4th highest QB Rating of his career(highest since 2007), is on pace to duplicate his two previous 4,000+ yard seasons of 2006 and 2007, has already matched his touchdown total in 10 games last season in 8 games this season with 13 with the Raiders, and has cut his interceptions in half as well. As of right now, Carson Palmer is right on the bubble of statistically being a Top 10 NFL quarterback again...And no one has seemed to notice because of the "eye patch of inferiority" the Raiders organization has worn since their Super Bowl loss to Tampa Bay back in 2002. Everyone should watch the Raiders now however(Yeah, I said it), because Carson Palmer appears to be back to his old form, and it looks like the Raiders finally have a "franchise" quarterback on their roster...and he is not named Jamarcus Russell.
If we take a look at Carson Palmer's career, it is hard not to cheer for him. We have seen him suffer multiple career threatening injuries, from broken noses and torn elbow ligaments, all the way down to the gruesome hit in 2005 that led to what is known by fans as the "Oelhoffen Rule". During the 2005-2006 NFL postseason, the Bengals faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the AFC playoffs. After Palmer released a pass, Steelers player Kimo von Oelhoffen blatantly dove into Palmer's leg, contorting Palmer's knee taking him out of the game and almost out of the NFL. Palmer's MRI revealed a severe knee injury, the former Heisman Trophy winner had tears of both the ACL and MCL ligaments, as well as damaged cartilage and meniscus in his left knee, leading to a tragic layoff for the 2005 AFC Player of the Year.
Palmer worked as hard as he could to return for the season opener of the 2006 season...And he did. In fact, Palmer was less than a year removed from complete reconstructive surgery and only missed a single snap the entire 2006 season. Palmer also amassed 4,035 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and a 93.9 Passer Rating. 2007 saw more of the same from Palmer, but still the Bengals weren't winning games.
In 2007, a week 15 loss ensured that the Bengals would finish the season with a losing record for the first time with Palmer under center. In that loss, Palmer threw his 100th career touchdown pass, becoming the 5th fastest player ever to reach the milestone in NFL history needing just 59 games. Palmer finished the 2007 season with 376 completions for 4,131 yards and 26 touchdowns, with 20 interceptions. His 20 interceptions were a career high, but his 376 completions and 4,131 passing yards set new Bengals franchise records, the Bengals were 7-9.
In the 2008 season, Palmer saw only four games of action before being shut down for the year with an elbow injury. The injury was a torn ligament and tendon, the Bengals finished 2008 with a record of 4-11-1. Palmer returned in 2009, but clearly wasn't in his top form on the playing field, Palmer lead the Bengals to the playoffs only to have a poor performance against the New York Jets, but considering his recovery from yet another tragic injury...This seemed to only be a hiccup...Until 2010.
2010 was the year the Bengals went on a 10 game losing streak after starting the year 2-1. They would finish the season at 4-12. Yet Palmer proved to be the most productive asset the Bengals had, yet again. Palmer improved from 2009's campaign throwing for 3,970 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions(he only threw 13 INTs in 2009, but had 120 more passing attempts in 2010). Following the Bengals' 4–12 finish in the 2010 season, Palmer requested to be traded, and his ugly departure from Cincinnati began.
When Palmer asked for his trade, Bengals president Mike Brown turned down Palmer's request in less than 24 hours. Reports then surfaced stating Palmer is prepared to retire from the NFL if necessary. A friend of Carson Palmer's quoted him saying, "I will never set foot in Paul Brown Stadium again"; "I have $80 million in the bank,"; "I don't have to play football for money. I'll play it for the love of the game, but that would have to be elsewhere." Palmer gave the Bengals enough time to find a replacement quarterback however and the Bengals selected TCU quarterback Andy Dalton in the 2nd round of the 2011 NFL draft. Dalton lead the Bengals to a 6-2 record over the first half of the season, and this security led to Mike Brown finally dealing Palmer to the Oakland Raiders for Oakland's first-round pick in the 2012 draft and a conditional 2nd round pick. The trade was deemed to be one of the most one-sided trades in recent memory, and then Palmer started to show brief flashes in a pan.
In his first start for the Raiders, Palmer threw for over 330 yards and had three touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions and lost a fumble. In his second start as a Raider, Palmer showed improvement as Raiders QB, completing 14 of 20 passes for 299 yards, two touchdowns, and only a single interception. Palmer had a QB rating of 125.0 in a 24-17 road win that would give the Raiders a lead in their division. The playoffs didn't happen however, as the Raiders finished 8-8. But, fans in Oakland had a promising player at quarterback for the first time in a long time and Palmer seemed to be on the cusp of finally clicking in the Raiders offense which leads to this year's optimism from Raider fans.
That optimism seems to be more good than bad for once in Oakland. At 3-5, the Raiders are not out of the playoff race by any stretch, division leader Denver is only 5-3 and the Raiders possess the #6 passing attack in the entire NFL at 281.3 yards per game. But the real fun is on November 25th, 2012...When Carson Palmer sets foot in Paul Brown stadium once again, this time to face the team that was once his own. And it is looking like Palmer will be in top form. Palmer is 16th in QB rating, 10th in passing yards, and 10th in touchdown passes this season...Making you wonder, just how good could Carson Palmer be without those years of futility and setbacks in Cincinnati?
This season, Carson Palmer has the 4th highest QB Rating of his career(highest since 2007), is on pace to duplicate his two previous 4,000+ yard seasons of 2006 and 2007, has already matched his touchdown total in 10 games last season in 8 games this season with 13 with the Raiders, and has cut his interceptions in half as well. As of right now, Carson Palmer is right on the bubble of statistically being a Top 10 NFL quarterback again...And no one has seemed to notice because of the "eye patch of inferiority" the Raiders organization has worn since their Super Bowl loss to Tampa Bay back in 2002. Everyone should watch the Raiders now however(Yeah, I said it), because Carson Palmer appears to be back to his old form, and it looks like the Raiders finally have a "franchise" quarterback on their roster...and he is not named Jamarcus Russell.
Carson Palmer after being named Pro Bowl MVP: Image provided by NFL
If we take a look at Carson Palmer's career, it is hard not to cheer for him. We have seen him suffer multiple career threatening injuries, from broken noses and torn elbow ligaments, all the way down to the gruesome hit in 2005 that led to what is known by fans as the "Oelhoffen Rule". During the 2005-2006 NFL postseason, the Bengals faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the AFC playoffs. After Palmer released a pass, Steelers player Kimo von Oelhoffen blatantly dove into Palmer's leg, contorting Palmer's knee taking him out of the game and almost out of the NFL. Palmer's MRI revealed a severe knee injury, the former Heisman Trophy winner had tears of both the ACL and MCL ligaments, as well as damaged cartilage and meniscus in his left knee, leading to a tragic layoff for the 2005 AFC Player of the Year.
Palmer suffers horrific knee injury: Image provided by CNN.com
Palmer worked as hard as he could to return for the season opener of the 2006 season...And he did. In fact, Palmer was less than a year removed from complete reconstructive surgery and only missed a single snap the entire 2006 season. Palmer also amassed 4,035 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and a 93.9 Passer Rating. 2007 saw more of the same from Palmer, but still the Bengals weren't winning games.
Carson Palmer bloodied during a game: Image provided by the NFL
In 2007, a week 15 loss ensured that the Bengals would finish the season with a losing record for the first time with Palmer under center. In that loss, Palmer threw his 100th career touchdown pass, becoming the 5th fastest player ever to reach the milestone in NFL history needing just 59 games. Palmer finished the 2007 season with 376 completions for 4,131 yards and 26 touchdowns, with 20 interceptions. His 20 interceptions were a career high, but his 376 completions and 4,131 passing yards set new Bengals franchise records, the Bengals were 7-9.
In the 2008 season, Palmer saw only four games of action before being shut down for the year with an elbow injury. The injury was a torn ligament and tendon, the Bengals finished 2008 with a record of 4-11-1. Palmer returned in 2009, but clearly wasn't in his top form on the playing field, Palmer lead the Bengals to the playoffs only to have a poor performance against the New York Jets, but considering his recovery from yet another tragic injury...This seemed to only be a hiccup...Until 2010.
2010 was the year the Bengals went on a 10 game losing streak after starting the year 2-1. They would finish the season at 4-12. Yet Palmer proved to be the most productive asset the Bengals had, yet again. Palmer improved from 2009's campaign throwing for 3,970 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions(he only threw 13 INTs in 2009, but had 120 more passing attempts in 2010). Following the Bengals' 4–12 finish in the 2010 season, Palmer requested to be traded, and his ugly departure from Cincinnati began.
Carson Palmer looking on in an unhappy manner: Image by NFL
When Palmer asked for his trade, Bengals president Mike Brown turned down Palmer's request in less than 24 hours. Reports then surfaced stating Palmer is prepared to retire from the NFL if necessary. A friend of Carson Palmer's quoted him saying, "I will never set foot in Paul Brown Stadium again"; "I have $80 million in the bank,"; "I don't have to play football for money. I'll play it for the love of the game, but that would have to be elsewhere." Palmer gave the Bengals enough time to find a replacement quarterback however and the Bengals selected TCU quarterback Andy Dalton in the 2nd round of the 2011 NFL draft. Dalton lead the Bengals to a 6-2 record over the first half of the season, and this security led to Mike Brown finally dealing Palmer to the Oakland Raiders for Oakland's first-round pick in the 2012 draft and a conditional 2nd round pick. The trade was deemed to be one of the most one-sided trades in recent memory, and then Palmer started to show brief flashes in a pan.
Carson Palmer introduced as a Raider: Image by SI.com
In his first start for the Raiders, Palmer threw for over 330 yards and had three touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions and lost a fumble. In his second start as a Raider, Palmer showed improvement as Raiders QB, completing 14 of 20 passes for 299 yards, two touchdowns, and only a single interception. Palmer had a QB rating of 125.0 in a 24-17 road win that would give the Raiders a lead in their division. The playoffs didn't happen however, as the Raiders finished 8-8. But, fans in Oakland had a promising player at quarterback for the first time in a long time and Palmer seemed to be on the cusp of finally clicking in the Raiders offense which leads to this year's optimism from Raider fans.
That optimism seems to be more good than bad for once in Oakland. At 3-5, the Raiders are not out of the playoff race by any stretch, division leader Denver is only 5-3 and the Raiders possess the #6 passing attack in the entire NFL at 281.3 yards per game. But the real fun is on November 25th, 2012...When Carson Palmer sets foot in Paul Brown stadium once again, this time to face the team that was once his own. And it is looking like Palmer will be in top form. Palmer is 16th in QB rating, 10th in passing yards, and 10th in touchdown passes this season...Making you wonder, just how good could Carson Palmer be without those years of futility and setbacks in Cincinnati?
Carson Palmer unphased by the pass rush: Image by NFLPassers.com
Friday, November 9, 2012
Andy Reid Has Nothing Left to Give
Before this NFL season kicked off, I told Eagles fans that Philadelphia would finish 8-8 or worse this season. After the Eagles started hot out of the gates, the "Philly Faithful" made sure I heard it, but I simply told them "just wait and see." Now after starting 3-1, the Eagles are now 3-5 and are clinging for dear life within their division. Now, I can't honestly say I saw a collapse like this coming because I didn't, but from what i've seen during the last few seasons, the Eagles weren't a playoff team in my eyes. But what exactly is wrong in Philly? Is it the players? Is it management? Is it the coaching staff? Well, all of these things have suffered drastic changes, but one constant still remains, Andy Reid.
I personally believe the reason is Andy Reid. Not because Reid is a bad coach, but simply because he seems like an empty gun still trying to fire long after running out of ammunition. His demeanor isn't as upbeat as it once was (granted he had alot of personal issues off the field that effected his job...and rightfully so). But, with this demeanor the team follows suit and it is showing. The team isn't terrible which means there is clearly talent, but in the game of football, you have to be resilient and the Eagles don't seem able to recover when punched in the mouth. Instead, they back down and become Shane Falco's "Quick Sand" speech from the Replacements set in motion. If one thing goes wrong, another goes wrong, and another and another...And this has become a trend with the Eagles.
The time in Philadelphia has come to make a change at head coach, I personally felt this change should've happened after the 2011-2012 season, but it didn't. But after 8 playoff appearances for Reid, missing one was ok. Andy Reid has had a very impressive run as an NFL head coach. There was a time when he was just a tight ends coach for the Packers, and he was given a chance to become head coach of the Eagles and he took it. Since then, Reid is currently the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL and one of the most successful head coaches of the modern NFL era. Although Reid hasn't won the "big one", he did lift the Eagles from the nest of obscurity and made them soar again. Reid lead the Eagles to one Super Bowl appearance, losing the Patriots in 2004. But, that loss goes alongside six division titles and five NFC Championship game appearances(including four in a row from 2001 to 2004). Many people call him "a coach who can't win big games" which is partially true, becuase he hasn't, but he is a coach who would get you to those games, and not many coaches can say that win or lose.
But, in 2012, Reid's team still just isn't responding. Changes have been made in both player personnel and staffing, yet still no improvement. In fact, in an attempt to shake up the team after a hideous overtime loss to Detroit this season, Eagles coach Andy Reid fired Juan Castillo as defensive coordinator and replaced him with defensive backs coach Todd Bowles. This switch backfired on Reid immediately.
The defense under Bowles is worse in every facet including focus and hustle compared to Castillo - in points, yards, in the red zone, and on third down, Castillo's defense was considerably better. In the first six games under Castillo, the Eagles allowed an average of 16.8 points and 330.8 yards a game and was among the league leaders on third down (41.2%) and in the red zone (42.1%). Under Bowles, the Eagles are averaging 25 points and 381.5 yards a game, and a mediocre third down percentage (50%) as well as in the red zone (66.7%). The Eagles have also made a plethora of mistakes and ill-timed penalties, from pointless wide receiver contact calls to blown coverages and miscommunications. There is even certain plays they looked as if they forgot how to tackle or simply didn't feel like it. Bowles has never been a coordinator in the NFL. Castillo was promoted from offensive line coach in January 2011, so neither seem to be ideal for an NFL defensive coordinator role. Castillo's move was criticized by many at the time as his defense struggled in his first year as coordinator, but his defense actually showed a pretty vast improvement this season. But, fourth quarter collapses against Pittsburgh and Detroit led to his firing. Even though the Eagles offense committed 5 turnovers in those two games(3 vs Det, 2 vs Pit) Reid put the blame on Castillo.
Bowles on the other hand, hasn't even had the chance to blow a fourth quarter lead because the Eagles have trailed in the last two games. Against the Falcons, Atlanta scored on their first six possessions leading to their 30-17 domination of the Eagles. I know 30-17 doesn't seem that one sided, but if you saw the game, the Eagles didn't seem to offer any interest or resistance playing the Falcons that day. The defense showed marginal improvement against the Saints, but the offense didn't, and the defense could not keep the Eagles in the game after Michael Vick threw a pick-six that spotted the Saints a 7-0 lead.
Nothing seems to be working, certain players seem to have shut down and called this season a loss already, and if the Eagles lose to the Dallas Cowboys this Sunday, they may be right. If Dallas wins, the Eagles are all but out of the playoff race at 3-6 and rookie third-round pick Nick Foles, could be Reid's last gasp to stay at the helm in Philadelphia.
Andy Reid simply has given everything he has to the city of Philadelphia and it's Eagles and simply has nothing left. After all of his personal troubles at home and his problems at work, what else can you ask of a man once he has given you his all? It is simply time for Andy Reid to walk away, not just from the Eagles, but from the NFL sidelines. Clearly, the man needs a break after all he has endured. But when he does go, don't "boo" him "Philly Faithful", Reid has given you everything he possibly could. Andy Reid gave to the Eagles more love, devotion, and passion than any Eagles fan ever could. He helped mold the very same Eagles that fans cheer for every week, he has given countless hours of his life to YOUR Philadelphia Eagles...Just so you can watch them play for 60 minutes. I am not one to cheer for the Eagles, and I have my gripes about Reid as a coach like every one else. But, I salute Andy Reid for every second of his life he has given to this game and hope he finally gets to take some time for himself before returning to the sidelines, wherever they may be.
Eagles coach Andy Reid: image provided by Philly.com
I personally believe the reason is Andy Reid. Not because Reid is a bad coach, but simply because he seems like an empty gun still trying to fire long after running out of ammunition. His demeanor isn't as upbeat as it once was (granted he had alot of personal issues off the field that effected his job...and rightfully so). But, with this demeanor the team follows suit and it is showing. The team isn't terrible which means there is clearly talent, but in the game of football, you have to be resilient and the Eagles don't seem able to recover when punched in the mouth. Instead, they back down and become Shane Falco's "Quick Sand" speech from the Replacements set in motion. If one thing goes wrong, another goes wrong, and another and another...And this has become a trend with the Eagles.
Andy Reid and Michael Vick looking on against Pittsburgh
The time in Philadelphia has come to make a change at head coach, I personally felt this change should've happened after the 2011-2012 season, but it didn't. But after 8 playoff appearances for Reid, missing one was ok. Andy Reid has had a very impressive run as an NFL head coach. There was a time when he was just a tight ends coach for the Packers, and he was given a chance to become head coach of the Eagles and he took it. Since then, Reid is currently the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL and one of the most successful head coaches of the modern NFL era. Although Reid hasn't won the "big one", he did lift the Eagles from the nest of obscurity and made them soar again. Reid lead the Eagles to one Super Bowl appearance, losing the Patriots in 2004. But, that loss goes alongside six division titles and five NFC Championship game appearances(including four in a row from 2001 to 2004). Many people call him "a coach who can't win big games" which is partially true, becuase he hasn't, but he is a coach who would get you to those games, and not many coaches can say that win or lose.
Eagles win 2004 NFC Championship
But, in 2012, Reid's team still just isn't responding. Changes have been made in both player personnel and staffing, yet still no improvement. In fact, in an attempt to shake up the team after a hideous overtime loss to Detroit this season, Eagles coach Andy Reid fired Juan Castillo as defensive coordinator and replaced him with defensive backs coach Todd Bowles. This switch backfired on Reid immediately.
The defense under Bowles is worse in every facet including focus and hustle compared to Castillo - in points, yards, in the red zone, and on third down, Castillo's defense was considerably better. In the first six games under Castillo, the Eagles allowed an average of 16.8 points and 330.8 yards a game and was among the league leaders on third down (41.2%) and in the red zone (42.1%). Under Bowles, the Eagles are averaging 25 points and 381.5 yards a game, and a mediocre third down percentage (50%) as well as in the red zone (66.7%). The Eagles have also made a plethora of mistakes and ill-timed penalties, from pointless wide receiver contact calls to blown coverages and miscommunications. There is even certain plays they looked as if they forgot how to tackle or simply didn't feel like it. Bowles has never been a coordinator in the NFL. Castillo was promoted from offensive line coach in January 2011, so neither seem to be ideal for an NFL defensive coordinator role. Castillo's move was criticized by many at the time as his defense struggled in his first year as coordinator, but his defense actually showed a pretty vast improvement this season. But, fourth quarter collapses against Pittsburgh and Detroit led to his firing. Even though the Eagles offense committed 5 turnovers in those two games(3 vs Det, 2 vs Pit) Reid put the blame on Castillo.
Eagles Quarterback Michael Vick fumbles against the Lions: Image provided by BleacherReport.com
Bowles on the other hand, hasn't even had the chance to blow a fourth quarter lead because the Eagles have trailed in the last two games. Against the Falcons, Atlanta scored on their first six possessions leading to their 30-17 domination of the Eagles. I know 30-17 doesn't seem that one sided, but if you saw the game, the Eagles didn't seem to offer any interest or resistance playing the Falcons that day. The defense showed marginal improvement against the Saints, but the offense didn't, and the defense could not keep the Eagles in the game after Michael Vick threw a pick-six that spotted the Saints a 7-0 lead.
Patrick Robinson intercepts Michael Vick for a 99 yd touchdown
Nothing seems to be working, certain players seem to have shut down and called this season a loss already, and if the Eagles lose to the Dallas Cowboys this Sunday, they may be right. If Dallas wins, the Eagles are all but out of the playoff race at 3-6 and rookie third-round pick Nick Foles, could be Reid's last gasp to stay at the helm in Philadelphia.
Eagles rookie quarterback Nick Foles
Andy Reid simply has given everything he has to the city of Philadelphia and it's Eagles and simply has nothing left. After all of his personal troubles at home and his problems at work, what else can you ask of a man once he has given you his all? It is simply time for Andy Reid to walk away, not just from the Eagles, but from the NFL sidelines. Clearly, the man needs a break after all he has endured. But when he does go, don't "boo" him "Philly Faithful", Reid has given you everything he possibly could. Andy Reid gave to the Eagles more love, devotion, and passion than any Eagles fan ever could. He helped mold the very same Eagles that fans cheer for every week, he has given countless hours of his life to YOUR Philadelphia Eagles...Just so you can watch them play for 60 minutes. I am not one to cheer for the Eagles, and I have my gripes about Reid as a coach like every one else. But, I salute Andy Reid for every second of his life he has given to this game and hope he finally gets to take some time for himself before returning to the sidelines, wherever they may be.
The History of Mr. Irrelevant
Mr. Irrelevant- A player who is drafted with the last pick of the NFL draft. The first time the nickname "Mr. Irrelevant" was used however, was for Kelvin Kirk, selected with the 487th pick of the 1976 draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since then, it has caught on, and has even lead to "Irrelevant Week". This event arose in 1976, when former NFL receiver Paul Salata founded the week in Newport Beach, California. He continues to announce the final pick of the NFL draft to this day. During the summer after the NFL draft, the new "Mr. Irrelevant" and his family are invited to spend a week in Newport Beach, California, where they enjoy a golf tournament, a regatta, and a roast giving advice to the new draftee. There is also a ceremony awarding the player with the Lowsman Trophy. The trophy mimics the traditional Heisman trophy, but depicts a player fumbling a football.
There have been some relevant "Mr. Irrelevants" in NFL history however. Bill Kenney, who won the 1978 award, earned the award as the second-to-last selection when the last player taken suffered a back injury and failed to report to camp, and was even honored with an invitation to the Pro Bowl in 1983...I know some purist out there just said "Yeah, but he wasn't technically last." FINE! You're right, he wasn't but special teamer Marty Moore was, and he became the first "Mr. Irrelevant" to play in a Super Bowl at Super Bowl XXXI with the New England Patriots. Jim Finn eventually became a starting fullback for the New York football Giants. David Vobora was named starting linebacker for the Rams beginning in the 2009 season, and that leads up to the following seasons winner Ryan Succop. Succop became the Chiefs starting kicker, and a very successful one at that. In his rookie season, Succop had hit a clutch game winner against the Steelers and went on to tie the NFL record for highest field goal percentage by a rookie in a season with 86.2%, and also passed NFL Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud for most field goals made by a rookie in Chiefs history. Also, Succop was awarded the Mack Lee Hill award for NFL's Most Outstanding Rookie, and in the 2012 season set a franchise record going 6 for 6 on field goals in a game(including the overtime winner against the New Orleans Saints.) Anyhow, my point is, diamonds in the rough exist, and as a lifelong NFL fan, I hope to be one of them through my writing. You can call me..."Mr. Irrelevant"... A fan of all 32 teams, just hoping to get noticed.
The first "Mr. Irrelevant" Kelvin Kirk
The "Lowsman Trophy" Awarded to "Mr. Irrelevant"
There have been some relevant "Mr. Irrelevants" in NFL history however. Bill Kenney, who won the 1978 award, earned the award as the second-to-last selection when the last player taken suffered a back injury and failed to report to camp, and was even honored with an invitation to the Pro Bowl in 1983...I know some purist out there just said "Yeah, but he wasn't technically last." FINE! You're right, he wasn't but special teamer Marty Moore was, and he became the first "Mr. Irrelevant" to play in a Super Bowl at Super Bowl XXXI with the New England Patriots. Jim Finn eventually became a starting fullback for the New York football Giants. David Vobora was named starting linebacker for the Rams beginning in the 2009 season, and that leads up to the following seasons winner Ryan Succop. Succop became the Chiefs starting kicker, and a very successful one at that. In his rookie season, Succop had hit a clutch game winner against the Steelers and went on to tie the NFL record for highest field goal percentage by a rookie in a season with 86.2%, and also passed NFL Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud for most field goals made by a rookie in Chiefs history. Also, Succop was awarded the Mack Lee Hill award for NFL's Most Outstanding Rookie, and in the 2012 season set a franchise record going 6 for 6 on field goals in a game(including the overtime winner against the New Orleans Saints.) Anyhow, my point is, diamonds in the rough exist, and as a lifelong NFL fan, I hope to be one of them through my writing. You can call me..."Mr. Irrelevant"... A fan of all 32 teams, just hoping to get noticed.
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