GAMES-Green Bay Game is a Mulligan for Eagles

Game one is in the books and it won’t be saved as a guide to efficient football.
There are easy criticisms to lodge about the Eagles’ loss to Green Bay and many are familiar under the tenure of Andy Reid.
The pressure of opening day, Reid’s pass-happy strategy and offensive line play that struggled to recognize blitz packages victimized Kevin Kolb.
Play selection remains Reid’s Waterloo and any quarterback would find it difficult to drop back repeatedly in the face of defensive pressure, which assumes a pass is coming.
Kolb gets a pass from this writer because his head coach seldom institutes two tight ends or a full house backfield to protect his passer. He also deserves to play and learn as virtually every young quarterback not named Marino has done.
Green Bay seemed to blanket Eagle stars Brent Celek and DeSean Jackson and Kolb had few options in the passing game. Reid is right when he says he has to put players in positions to be successful because he has to find a way to get the ball to Jackson and Celek.
Kolb’s concussion led to the athletic presence of Michael Vick. The speedy Vick caused Green Bay’s defense to pause and react more often due to the back-up quarterback’s innate ability to elude pressure and create big plays with his legs.
Vick’s passing was average, although his experience had to have assisted him in the face of the Packer rush. He appeared to be calmer than the in-his-prime Vick, but there were a handful of decisions, which were highly questionable, including his decision not to attempt a sprint to the end zone from 10 yards away when the score was 27-17.
Criticism of Reid’s play calling is surpassed only and rightfully by his clock management. It is not Wednesday column quarterbacking to question why Big Red began stopping the clock with more than five minutes remaining in the contest. That seemed premature at best and left the team little margin for error in the potential two-minute drill.
The injuries to center Jamaal Jackson, middle linebacker Stewart Bradley and fullback Leonard Weaver were devastating. All three play key roles in the Birds’ chances for success. Omar Gaither is nowhere near Bradley in the middle of the defense and Green Bay’s success running up the middle was obvious.
Weaver is a big man who blocks effectively, which would have helped in the fateful fourth and one play which was stopped short after a weak blocking attempt by halfback LeSean McCoy. The team carries only Weaver at fullback. His back-up is running back Eldra Buckley, who gave up a critical fumble to momentarily halt the team’s momentum.
Jackson is an adequate blocker who calls blitz pick up for the offensive line. He’s a proven and steady player and his absence had to have hampered the team’s effectiveness against pressure.
Reid will be rightfully grilled in the media for his decision to allow concussion victims Bradley and Kolb back into the game. Concussions have gained more and more attention and it was nothing short of stunning when both players reappeared after being injured.
While it looked like Kolb had an injured jaw, Bradley was clearly knocked out when he stumbled to the grass. Reid deserves the beating he will take on those decisions.
Having made those observations, here are some bottom line comments as the team prepares to meet up with hard-luck Detroit.
Fans love excitement. We hate boredom. Regardless of the details, the first half under Kolb was boring football. Vick brought energy and hope to the field.
He’s an athlete who, like Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb before him, is able to make something out of nothing. His legs worry defenses but his decision-making worries his own coaches.
Kolb needs time and a better game plan. One half of football cannot define anyone. As we’ve said for many seasons, more attempts to run the ball are a must, even if you have to put a back-up lineman into the backfield to block for McCoy.
Green Bay is favored by many talking heads to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
The loss is nothing to be ashamed of.
It’s just one game for a team that is rebuilt in several areas, including the presence of many young players. The quarterback seems to have the proper demeanor to handle and learn from losses.
Until we see a larger sampling, it’s a mulligan and nothing more.
Reach Rossi at joerossi61@comcast.net