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Topic: My take on what's wrong with McNabb! (Read 348 times) |
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Philosopher King
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My take on what's wrong with McNabb!
« on: Sep 14th, 2003, 11:45pm » |
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I'm probably wrong with this, but in the least what I am going to propose should conduce discussion...
Ya' know how we all saw those photos of Donovan in the preseason and were in awe about his SIZE! He looked STACKED, especially his upper-body. Now in the games, commentators are saying that he looks "stiff". See... the thing is when you  , you throw off your ability to throw accurately because you're tight(er). I remember this as a big thing in basketball. Too much working out and your shot will be off, invariably. Same rule applies to baseball players and surely quarterbacks, no? Throwin' is throwin', no? Stiff is stiff, right? I just think that there might be a correlation between his "pumped-up" upper-body, his playing "tight" and his inaccuracy when throwing. 
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Philosopher King
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Re: My take on what's wrong with McNabb!
« Reply #3 on: Sep 15th, 2003, 1:50pm » |
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on Sep 15th, 2003, 1:20pm, Noey21 wrote:I agree with you Steg.
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Instead of bulking up real quickly. |
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Excellent analyses, CoachH and Noey!
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My specific point was what Noey states, though. Gradated weight-training is a FACT of athletic life, period. I mean all these guys a liftin' weights... A LOT! We all know that! I'm just wondering if this past offseason he, well,... didn't bulk up a little too quickly/go a little overboard in his bulking up, especially his upper-body. I know you lift less during the season, but the Eagles have a bye this upcoming week; now granted I don't know the specifics, but I might be telling Donovan to stay off the weights THE WHOLE TIME. Just throw and do quarterback drills. NO WEIGHTS! I just think that he might have overdone it!  I mean I've never heard of a successful QB that was an absolute force in the weightroom. The only guy I can think of is Jim Druckenmiller. Where is he now? Lifting refrigerators somewhere, I guess. He ain't throwin' footballs for sure, at least not anywhere I know.
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Re: My take on what's wrong with McNabb!
« Reply #4 on: Sep 15th, 2003, 2:21pm » |
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I don't think that McNabb's problem is that he's too . Rather I think, it's a problem with his mechanics and the playcalling. Since McNabb has been in this league, he has never been a great passer.  In fact, in the years he's been in this league, I don't think he's improved as a passer, he's gotten worse. I think that this is a combination of bad coaching and the team using a system that does not complement his strengths. Donovan is not a very accurate passer in the short game, yet that is what Andy Reid wants to do.  If you have a stud, you should build your team around his strengths, not make him adapt to a system that enhances his weaknesses.  
Don't get me wrong, the coaching and the system are not an excuse for Donovan's poor play. But when you are getting blitzed every down, yet you only run the ball nine times in the first half, something is wrong.   
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Re: My take on what's wrong with McNabb!
« Reply #6 on: Sep 15th, 2003, 3:23pm » |
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The problem is NOT with McNabb putting on more muscle mass in the offseason. He was pretty buff coming into last season as well. He had a little bit more body fat than he did this preseason, but he hasn't been skinny since his early Syracuse days.
The problem is also not with the supporting cast. It is the same supporting cast he had last year (with a few improvements) when the Eagles were putting up an average of 26 points a game.
McNabb has never been an accurate passer. Ask any Eagle fan what McNabb's biggest problem has been since the beginning of his career and they will tell you his accuracy (especially on short passes). He does not lead a receiver well and frequently throws the ball low. Some of his problems this year have been overthrowing the ball, which frequently is the result of nerves.
I think CoachH hit the nail on the head with the leadership issue. McNabb took a different leadership role with the team in the offseason. He actually spoke out against management decisions a couple times and talked about how, with the loss of Mitchell and Douglas, he would need to take on more of a vocal leadership role. Now he feels he has to carry the team and that is a heavier gorilla on his back than his muscle-ridden upper body can handle.
The second issue, as mentioned by Pakman, is that Andy Reid is not using McNabb correctly. Reid is a VERY stubborn coach. He has his plan. And he sticks to his plan no matter what. McNabb wants to run a passing offense where short passes work much the same as running plays. McNabb has never been accurate on the short passes. But don't think for a minute that he isn't working to improve on it. He works as hard, if not harder, than any other player in the NFL both in the film room and on the practice field and in the weight room.
Maybe he isn't getting the type of coaching he needs, but keep in mind that McNabb is in just his 5th season now. Where were Elway or Favre (two QBs that McNabb is frequently compared to) in their 5th seasons??
Let's not hit the panic button and start the Koy Detmer chants just yet. The Eagles have faced two very tough defenses in their two games and are playing with a decimated defense, putting even more pressure on the offense. The Eagles have a bye this coming weekend, so let's give them a chance to fix the problems and try it against a tough Bills defense in Week 4.
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Philosopher King
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Re: My take on what's wrong with McNabb!
« Reply #8 on: Sep 15th, 2003, 5:49pm » |
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Sheesh... Isn't it the SAME coach and basically the SAME system, with a few improvements according to Philly, that McNabb was tearing it up with, to the tune of 26 points a game as per Philly, last year? Wasn't he hittin' Staley on all kinds of short passes like a bullseye on a dartboard last year? I mean he had a very decent 58.4% completion percentage last year. ... All of that stuff, like has been said, is the SAME! The only other factor might be that the timing between McNabb and Staley is off because of Staley's holding out. But, that does not account for McNabb's overall poor play. I still have not heard anything that dissuades me from believing that his fairly suddenly "super-sized" upper-body is NOT part of the equation.
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Philosopher King
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Re: My take on what's wrong with McNabb!
« Reply #13 on: Sep 15th, 2003, 10:18pm » |
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I don't know... I just heard during tonight's game, and you might have as well, John Madden, who I, for one, have the utmost respect for, say that Kerry Collins looks smooth and limber, he's never looked thinner. The idea was that he was equating smoothness of QB play with limberness, which ultimately is tied to being thin. I mean, obviously, not too thin. These guys gotta' be hittin' the weights. But, that kind of upper-body is just, well, unnecessary for a quarterback. Whatever, though, I'm just throwing it out there as a factor that most are not even considering. However, I don't deny A LOT of the other contentions being made herein.
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) and so far I'm seriously regretting my decision. I've watched both of his games and one thing I've noticed is his complete lack of passion. The team is playing like crap, getting spanked all over the field and Donovan just looks like he doesn't know what the hell is going on. 
This guy needs to step up and be a leader, get pissed 
and start playing with fire. 