Letting Kids Play Football

Former NFL LB and NFLPA rep Scott Fujita has a column where he admits he used to counsel families to not let their kids play football but has since had a change of heart where he now declares that the answer isn't no, but it isn't yes either. Merely that since he doesn't have boys, thank gosh he doesn't have to make that decision.

Confused? So am I.

Football Tragedy

Football, especially for younger players, can kill you.

Toyota

I guess it's impolitic for the Washington Post to even mention what Eiji Toyoda did during WWII in his obituary.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/eiji-toyoda-former-toyota-president-and-founders-cousin-who-helped-make-toyota-way-dies/2013/09/17/fdbc46fa-1f5a-11e3-9ad0-96244100e647_story.html

Awesome Eagles video

City of Brotherly Love indeed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuJ_8_bSvsQ&feature=youtu.be

Run/Pass

So I did a quick count of the plays the Eagles ran in the first half on Monday night and a couple of things jumped out.

They actually ran 55 plays but because of penalties 2 didn't count. Still, I counted them for purposes of looking at Kelly's playcalling.

In total, there were 25 passes, 29 runs, and 1 scramble (not sure if this was a designed run or aborted pass).

Early in the game, there were more passes. As I was going through I was surprised at the number. But then the ratio evens out.

Later in the half, more runs are called.

And as the game progresses, what really caught my eye was the number of consecutive plays. There are periods where he calls 3-4 straight running or passing plays. Interestingly, it looks like the passes got called consecutively early and the runs a little later.

Amazingly, - I didn't recall this – Kelly ends the Eagles last 1st half possession with 7(!) straight running plays – culminating in a touchdown – Vick's 3 yard dive. Note, I realize some of these calls are Vick's reads but still.

In the 2nd half, the Eagles passed very little. In fact, they only passed twice in the 3rd quarter! A sack and an incomplete.

For the game, the Eagles ran 49 times and passed 25 times. We're a long, long way from Andy Reid's 70% passing/30% running.

Here's the list of Eagles first half plays:

pass

pass

pass

run

pass

run

run

pass

run

Pass

pass                 

run

run     

run                   

run

pass

pass

pass

pass 

run

pass      

run                   

Pass

Run

Run

pass     

scramble

pass     

run        

pass                 

pass     

run

run

pass      

run 

pass     

pass      

run

run       

Pass

Run

run

pass                 

pass      

run        

pass 

run        

Pass 

Run

Run

Run

Run

Run

Run

Run

55 

25 passes, 29 runs, 1 scramble

Opening Night Reviews

It's still hard to process what we saw on Monday night from the Eagles. The speed, the pace, the imagination, the daring (going for it on 4th and 1 without hesitation).

A lot has already been written this week on the after-effects. To wit,

* What happened in the 2nd half?

* Can the Eagles sustain that pace for an entire game?

* Can the Eagles sustain this pace for an entire season?

* Can the Eagles go even faster? (Chip Kelly seems to think so)

* Can and how quickly will defenses adjust enough to stop things?

What follows are snippets of conversation between my brother and friends during and immediately after the game.

Loved Jackson's emotion.  He had to let the d hall thing go but he played like he was happy and invested.  It was like back when he was chest bumping big red    Good sign!!

the most important -- emotionally anyway -- regular season win since TO's return to the Linc as a Cowboy?

odd moments where they had the play called but didn't get the play off/barely got it off, well, that felt oddly familiar. I'm fearful Vick pulled something and will have a nagging injury. Regardless, any win in the division is great, and on the road, even more amazing.

Hall should have been flagged for the horse collar tackle AND late hit out of bounds. Would like to see Foles in too. For ball security and to reduce# hits on Vick in In garbage time.

Skins Game

My brother writes:

great article in philly.com today on eagles various formations Monday.
What amazed me was the down and distance of some of the plays.  2nd and 10 – run, 2nd 14 – run, etc.  all these runs, but they were on 2nd a long.  We ran it I think twice (at least ) to pick up a 3rd and 3 or 4.  Of course he went for it on his first 4th down of the game.  And ran it on 4th and a short 2.  I think mccoy had 20 carries at halftime.
Great run game, but not exactly our parents smashmouth run game.