People have been talking since about a year before Chip Kelly even joined the NFL what a great fit Tim would be for his system. It's such a no brainer, it's amazing that it took this long to happen. But looking back, it could be that Tim's forced hiatus was the best thing that could have happened to him.
The best thing about this, besides the fact that it happened, is the timing. Tim will be on board for the full offseason. That gives him a fair shot to learn the offense and compete. It was critically important that he get on a roster and start studying the playbook.
I'm of the opinion that his late start with the Pats (June 12th) was a major factor in his struggles. He clearly did not look comfortable with the plays. We all know he has dyslexia so studying is a challenge. The more time he has to find ways to visualize plays and get reps, the better chance he has.
Discuss!
Looking forward to seeing Tim in a uniform again. Not looking forward to seeing Philadelphia's notoriously vicious fans go after Tim.
ReplyDeleteBrooke: If you meant me as being the person to mention Tim's analyst gig as helping him as a player I felt that not only did they take him more seriously, but it also helped take alot of the edge off of his image. He was likeable on TV & people could get comfortable with him up close & personal & not through the media lens which was less than charitable towards him.
DeleteLooking back the hiatus was the best thing for him & could be instrumental in prolonging his career. Although he could have been successful winning games the old way over time his body would have taken way too much punishment. By being able to throw better he won't have to rely so much on off tackle power runs. None of this would mean anything though without the extraordinary will, determination & perserverance through the darkest times he pushed through.
I believe this will serve him well in Philly where the fans are known to be vicious. Philly people like grit & determination if nothing else they will get that from Tim.
As I said earlier I believe signing Tim before the draft & for a full camp is a sign by Chip of respect for Tim & his potential abilities to help the team. In other words I do not believe he is going in as just a camp arm or afterthought. He has a legitamite chance to show what he can do.
Of course there are no guarantees but Chip's daring to sign Tim when no one else would even speak his name also speaks volumes to Chip's character.
Maybe Tim & Chip could be a good match both on & off the field.
Ah, I think they'll love him. Philly is a tough town and they love tough guys. Tim is as tough as they come, physically and mentally.
DeleteBob: I agree.
DeleteEd: I hope so. Philly fans also seem to like underdogs, & Tim is currently a 'Rocky'-like underdog.
He not only had a late start with the Pats but had to learn their playbook after just learning Mornhingweg's playbook before the Jets cut him. For the former he'd memorized plays by compiling them on 700 index cards; for the latter 900 index cards. Certainly his struggles with the Pats were the result of numerous factors, but trying to keep all of that straight was most certainly one of the chief among them.
ReplyDeleteIt's too early at this time to get a sense of how committed Chip is to this project, though Bob made some great points in observing that they brought Tim on board without first securing a trade for Barkley or waiting for the draft to shake out. I agree that at the very least is a gesture of respect for Tim the player, in that they aren't going to deny him valuable learning experience and practice time for the sake of various front-office conveniences. They're going to give him as much opportunity as they can, in other words. As for the rest of it, the media to no surprise is prognosticating toward the negative: he's got an uphill battle, all the Eagles are doing is getting a free, four-month look at a player; he won't make the final roster, and so on. To that I would only remark that these are generally the same individuals that had written him off for good and were blindsided that he'd even gotten another workout in the first place. There have been some positive remarks however, and one of them observed that Tim could prove incredibly valuable to the team if the extra point rules are revised this season. If that's the case, he's liable to have a good shot at staying on as 3rd string, and would probably see more action as the 3rd stringer than the 2nd string backup would ever see. Beyond that, it's wait-and-see. I'd love the storybook ending for this guy, but let's not rush expectations.
The second half of this article examines a few attributes that [in my opinion] give TT a good chance of making the roster.
Deletehttp://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/104829/tebow-shares-common-bond-with-eagles-qb-but-has-one-skill-they-dont-have
Good points in the article: I like what it said about the zone reads. Tim's upper body is leaner than it was when we last saw him play so I don't expect him to be used around the goal line as much in the same way as before. We'll see.
DeleteKathryn: I agree with the content & the tone of your commentary above. This signing just seems so much better than the Pats signing though for a whole host of reasons.
It's a long road ahead but this is a great start. I can't help but think Chip just out manuevered 31 other teams.
Just a tangential point, but according to this article Tebow is still 244 pounds. Very interesting considering how less beefy he looks compared to a couple years ago. It wasn't so much weight loss as it was weight redistribution, I guess.
Deletehttp://www.people.com/article/tim-tebow-football-return-philadelphia-eagles-comeback
Ha! Just got online this evening and learned of this going down. Love it and can't wait to see this play out heading into the season. Eagles fans will love Tim.
ReplyDeleteSome more insight from Tom House. The part about Tom adjusting Tim's diet to change his build is interesting:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/tim-tebow-philadelphia-eagles-tom-house-inside-quarterback-s-challenges-042015
We know he's trained. We know he's put in the hard work. We know from Tom House's testimony that he's considerably improved. And we know from Ed Marynowitz' press conference that the improvements held up under the brief yet real psychological duress of a team workout. A good, albeit modest start, but two elephants-in-the-room remain:
ReplyDelete1.) Will the new mechanics continue to hold up under the increasingly rigorous pressures of practice and eventually live preseason games? If not, time to pack up camp. But if so,
2.) Will new-found confidence in his passing equate not only to improved completion percentages in general, but also indirectly help improve his ability to make reads? Rephrased, is it possible that his inability to make a variety of shorter passes somehow impacted his ability, not to identify, but to act on reads? In one of his interviews (sorry I can't remember which one) Tom House mentioned that during games there were throws that Tim would not even try because he didn't think he could do them, and so he fell back on using his legs which he knew he could rely on. This begs the question: was he making quicker reads than his choices suggested but delayed action while he looked for alternative, more open receivers or running routes? We all must confess that there were times watching him where we thought "How on God's green earth did he not see that?" I'm hoping the answer is: he did see it but didn't think he could throw it. To what degree is that wishful thinking, though?
I think you have identified the critical factor. If the mechanics hold up, he can compete. If he starts throwing wounded ducks, he's probably done.
DeleteTwo factors weigh in his favor on making reads. First, he'll have a full offseason to learn the system, and he'll get lots of 7-on-7 reps in May. He did not get those reps with the Pats, as you noted above. The Pats system would be tough for any QB under those terms, let alone one with a learning disability.
Second, Kelly's system has a reputation as QB friendly. He's not looking for a Brady or Manning to dissect a defense with his mind in real time. His QB's make quick decisions based on simple cues. Very Tebow friendly.
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