ckparrothead
Premium Member
I'm just giving you guys a little warning. I got hold of some game tapes of AJ Feeley's games with Philadelphia in 2002 thanks to a friend (you know who you are) and I plan on scouring them and offering up whatever I can glean from them in terms of AJ's strengths, weaknesses, and possibly a prediction for how he'll play with the Dolphins.
I'm having trouble with one of the two tapes, it could be just my VCR or maybe the tape is somehow damaged, but I have at least three games worth of material, including AJ Feeley's very first start as a pro against the St Louis Rams.
I've only had the time to watch most of the first quarter, which includes 6 pass attempts, of which Feeley completed only 1 for 10 yards, and he had a fumble lost as well.
And those horrible stats at the start of the game surprise nobody more than me, because let me tell you he looks impressive at the start of this game.
Here's a taste:
If you think the Dolphins are predictable with run ricky right, run ricky left, pass on 3rd and long, you should see the Eagles at the beginning of the game. Two of I believe the 3 or 4 drives I've seen start exactly the same way...run up the middle for no gain, run left for no gain, pass the ball on 3rd down.
First pass attempt of Feeley, 3rd and 8 or 9...quick dropback, tosses an easy one to Chad Lewis who ran a simple out and up and managed to get in front of the linebacker (throw was perfect, but its easy to throw that ball perfect).
1st down throw, is to FB Cecil Martin leaking up and left, Feeley throws it a little behind Cecil, still hits his hands, but he drops it. Some fullbacks would have still caught it, maybe Rob would, but you can't throw behind and make it difficult like that with a FB or some RBs, because they just won't make the play.
2nd down throw, Antonio Freeman lines up right side and comes in on a slant over the middle. Feeley throws a high dart (a unique throw, his throws look like high darts in some areas, yet on deep outs, they do have a duckish quality...doesn't have that Bledsoe/McNabb/Culpepper/Favre cannon) and hits Antonio Freeman in stride with good ball placement in front of Antonio at chest level perfect for Freeman to continue running forward for many yards after the catch...but alas, dropped by Freeman. This presents a 3rd and 10, and the Eagles choose to run the ball left out of a pro T formation, Dorsey Levens believe it or not gains about 12 yards and gets the first down.
Here's where Feeley makes his first mistake, and it was a young, inexperienced mistake...one that we should watch for him to improve. The pocket begins collapsing on a dropback, and Feeley tries to scramble forward to pick up about 3 yards or so, but he's carrying the football in one hand while he runs forward and the space is collapsing, and as he falls forward our very own Jeff Zgonina makes a heads up tomahawk move and gets the football out of Feeley's hand just as Feeley hit the ground. Great play for Zgonina, dumb move for Feeley, one that I don't expect he should repeat otherwise coaches will chew him to no end.
Rams couldn't get anything going on offense, they punt it, Eagles start again. Again I believe the Eagles started off with run up the middle for nothin (or lost yardage actually) then a run to the right for nothin, then on a third down pass Feeley made his second imperfect throw on a deep out. Ball had kind of a duckish quality to it, and was inaccurate to the right sidelines, and rookie CB Trevor Fisher broke on it and tried to make the high flying leaping interception (had no chance to come down in bounds with it though) but failed. Eagles punt.
Fortunately for Feeley's Eagles, after that, Warner completed a pass or two and repeated Feeley's mistake...Warner waited too long to throw it, finally our own John St. Clair couldn't hold up his DE any longer, Warner scrambled left to find some time to throw, and sure enough someone tomahawks the ball out. Eagles get the ball on the Rams' 20 yard line and the home crowd is going nuts cheering on the Eagles.
...and with the crowd going nuts, and the Eagles trying to get something going, on the very first play...a real go-for-the-throat play...in college, I remember Butch Davis with the Canes always said, after a big turnover at home, you always go for the kill, go for the throat because the crowd is behind you and the defense might be a little off-balance from getting back on the field so fast. So, Feeley steps out there with that college mentality drops back on a 5 step drop and fires a perfect ball right side to James Thrash on a corner route 20 yards....touchdown.
Oh wait, illegal hands to the face by Tra Thomas...nope, never mind.
So then, backed up, the Eagles try to run, unsuccessfully...then Feeley tries a pass to RB Brian Westbrook to the right side on a leak but he fires it a little too high for Westbrook who leaps but doesn't come down with it (I've seen Ricky come down with it before).
Then on 3rd and long the Eagles call a screen, which actually might have worked, except Grant Wistrom did a great job getting his hands up and knocking it down.
And there you have it, 1 of 6, for 10 yards, and a FUM loss. I'm starting to see why people are impressed with Feeley's 5 games in 2002 despite lackluster stats...but I have much much more tape to review. Couple key things.
Good game management and excellent feel for the game's momentum.
Good high release dart throws, very windy out this game but perfect spirals keep his balls on track.
Bad at running with and protecting the football. Will have to improve.
Bad at throwing to RBs out of the backfield, which onlookers have actually noticed it would seem, so far at mini-camps. This is not a strength of his.
Will I go through this detailed analysis for all of Feeley's plays? Heck no. What I write for all of Feeley's games will probably be about as big as the above...however, I will do some more detailed analysis that could be available to those that are interested in reading the LONG version....I don't want to bore anyone who isn't asking to be bored.
I'm having trouble with one of the two tapes, it could be just my VCR or maybe the tape is somehow damaged, but I have at least three games worth of material, including AJ Feeley's very first start as a pro against the St Louis Rams.
I've only had the time to watch most of the first quarter, which includes 6 pass attempts, of which Feeley completed only 1 for 10 yards, and he had a fumble lost as well.
And those horrible stats at the start of the game surprise nobody more than me, because let me tell you he looks impressive at the start of this game.
Here's a taste:
If you think the Dolphins are predictable with run ricky right, run ricky left, pass on 3rd and long, you should see the Eagles at the beginning of the game. Two of I believe the 3 or 4 drives I've seen start exactly the same way...run up the middle for no gain, run left for no gain, pass the ball on 3rd down.
First pass attempt of Feeley, 3rd and 8 or 9...quick dropback, tosses an easy one to Chad Lewis who ran a simple out and up and managed to get in front of the linebacker (throw was perfect, but its easy to throw that ball perfect).
1st down throw, is to FB Cecil Martin leaking up and left, Feeley throws it a little behind Cecil, still hits his hands, but he drops it. Some fullbacks would have still caught it, maybe Rob would, but you can't throw behind and make it difficult like that with a FB or some RBs, because they just won't make the play.
2nd down throw, Antonio Freeman lines up right side and comes in on a slant over the middle. Feeley throws a high dart (a unique throw, his throws look like high darts in some areas, yet on deep outs, they do have a duckish quality...doesn't have that Bledsoe/McNabb/Culpepper/Favre cannon) and hits Antonio Freeman in stride with good ball placement in front of Antonio at chest level perfect for Freeman to continue running forward for many yards after the catch...but alas, dropped by Freeman. This presents a 3rd and 10, and the Eagles choose to run the ball left out of a pro T formation, Dorsey Levens believe it or not gains about 12 yards and gets the first down.
Here's where Feeley makes his first mistake, and it was a young, inexperienced mistake...one that we should watch for him to improve. The pocket begins collapsing on a dropback, and Feeley tries to scramble forward to pick up about 3 yards or so, but he's carrying the football in one hand while he runs forward and the space is collapsing, and as he falls forward our very own Jeff Zgonina makes a heads up tomahawk move and gets the football out of Feeley's hand just as Feeley hit the ground. Great play for Zgonina, dumb move for Feeley, one that I don't expect he should repeat otherwise coaches will chew him to no end.
Rams couldn't get anything going on offense, they punt it, Eagles start again. Again I believe the Eagles started off with run up the middle for nothin (or lost yardage actually) then a run to the right for nothin, then on a third down pass Feeley made his second imperfect throw on a deep out. Ball had kind of a duckish quality to it, and was inaccurate to the right sidelines, and rookie CB Trevor Fisher broke on it and tried to make the high flying leaping interception (had no chance to come down in bounds with it though) but failed. Eagles punt.
Fortunately for Feeley's Eagles, after that, Warner completed a pass or two and repeated Feeley's mistake...Warner waited too long to throw it, finally our own John St. Clair couldn't hold up his DE any longer, Warner scrambled left to find some time to throw, and sure enough someone tomahawks the ball out. Eagles get the ball on the Rams' 20 yard line and the home crowd is going nuts cheering on the Eagles.
...and with the crowd going nuts, and the Eagles trying to get something going, on the very first play...a real go-for-the-throat play...in college, I remember Butch Davis with the Canes always said, after a big turnover at home, you always go for the kill, go for the throat because the crowd is behind you and the defense might be a little off-balance from getting back on the field so fast. So, Feeley steps out there with that college mentality drops back on a 5 step drop and fires a perfect ball right side to James Thrash on a corner route 20 yards....touchdown.
Oh wait, illegal hands to the face by Tra Thomas...nope, never mind.
So then, backed up, the Eagles try to run, unsuccessfully...then Feeley tries a pass to RB Brian Westbrook to the right side on a leak but he fires it a little too high for Westbrook who leaps but doesn't come down with it (I've seen Ricky come down with it before).
Then on 3rd and long the Eagles call a screen, which actually might have worked, except Grant Wistrom did a great job getting his hands up and knocking it down.
And there you have it, 1 of 6, for 10 yards, and a FUM loss. I'm starting to see why people are impressed with Feeley's 5 games in 2002 despite lackluster stats...but I have much much more tape to review. Couple key things.
Good game management and excellent feel for the game's momentum.
Good high release dart throws, very windy out this game but perfect spirals keep his balls on track.
Bad at running with and protecting the football. Will have to improve.
Bad at throwing to RBs out of the backfield, which onlookers have actually noticed it would seem, so far at mini-camps. This is not a strength of his.
Will I go through this detailed analysis for all of Feeley's plays? Heck no. What I write for all of Feeley's games will probably be about as big as the above...however, I will do some more detailed analysis that could be available to those that are interested in reading the LONG version....I don't want to bore anyone who isn't asking to be bored.
