John Skelton

[cardpa]

I still think you have to start Kolb (when healthy), he's watched the last two games like we have. The playcall has definitely been different, Kolb was running the "old" offense. If Kolb sucks then Skelton looks like a viable option, that's all I gather from the last 2 games. Skelton is better in the pocket, but Kolb still has some skills, no contraversy here. If Skelton hadn't thrown those 2 picks, I might feel differently. Just my opinion, Kolb dis-likers might feel differently.

But his contract is being way exaggerated , he doesn't really get payed the big cheddar unless he produces and is kept around for the entirety of his contract...thanks to...Graves. Whiz got the QB he wanted, Graves loaded the contract pretty good, but people want to hand it over to Skelton who had the first good game plan this year.

Granted Skelton does feel comfortable in the pocket, even after the late hit he took in pre-season stepping into a throw. He can find receivers quickly but that's what got him in trouble today, had he pump faked the short throw to Fitz (when Philly scored the pick 6), it would have been money. Skelton can be a pimp in this League, but he learns more on the sideline than your average Joe, I got no problem keeping him there while we play around with Kolb.

I do want to see what Kolb can do with a ballanced rush/pass game plan, he hasn't seen one since early this season. Whiz appears to have woken up or handed over the keys and is concentraing on the game like a Head Coach should. It's Kob's job to lose IMO.

I agree I would like to see what Kolb can do with the better protection schemes and do not forget Skelton was very close to having two more pick sixes in this game. The second TD to Fitz was ever so close to a pick six. We had luck on our side today. The ball bounced the right way. If we don't have Fitz making those crazy catches this is a loss.

I wish people would realize what kind of Philly team we played today. One that is getting poor QB play and less than 100% effort. Macklin should have had a first down on the play after the Marshall Int was overturned. All he simply had to do was dive forward and he would have gotten it. Instead he drops to the ground like some scared kitten and ends up 1-1/2 yds short. Things like this are not going to happen when we play SF.

The Dream team is a nightmare team.

 

[BigRedRage]

I'd take Skelton over Kolb everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

That said, when Kolb is healthy he's the guy the Cards will go with based on monetary investment...and it's a real shame.

We can only hope they go stewart bradley and not start a joker just because of his paycheck.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

We can only hope they go stewart bradley and not start a joker just because of his paycheck.

Can you forward this post to White Sox front office about Alex Rios and Adam Dunn .

 

[LarryStalling]

I think its pretty clear that despite Reid's hype job, he was as low on Kolb as anybody. You dont ship out a "franchise QB" when your current starter is an injury machine and past 30.

I doubt Philly would take Kolb back for free.

You are right. They would probably make us take DRC back as well. LOL

 

[Chopper0080]

Bologna, Skelton has clearly been the best QB on the roster for the past two seasons, He is the one that should be developed. KOLB has been in the league for years and has yet to show a justfiable reason he is anything other than a backup. IF Whis keeps jerking Skelton around he is going to lose him.

Look at the tape and share with us anything Kolb does better than John.

I never said that Kolb has out played Skelton, in fact I have said that Skelton is much more comfortable in the offense than Kolb right now. But, the facts are that 7 games are not enough to conclude that Kolb is not an NFL QB. You can give me the "he is a vet player" nonsense all you want, but it has no bearing on the fact that Kolb has only played 7 games in our system without the benefit of an offseason to prepare for it.

As far as Skelton goes, he will be fine. He didn't expect to be a starter this year, and if anything he has to be happy that he has earned himself a chance to battle for the starting position next year unless Kolb blows up the rest of the season.

 

[MadCardDisease]

IMO the big reason that Skelton had an decent game was due to the fact that the Eagles defense has a horrible pass rush. This was the first game that one of our QBs actually had time to throw the ball. Give pretty much any QB that much time and he will make a play.

The one thing I do like about Skelton is the plays he can make scrambling with the ball. Kolb isn't much of a threat to run it. With our OL the abilty to tuck and run is very important.

 

[Russ Smith]

IMO the big reason that Skelton had an decent game was due to the fact that the Eagles defense has a horrible pass rush. This was the first game that one of our QBs actually had time to throw the ball. Give pretty much any QB that much time and he will make a play.

The one thing I do like about Skelton is the plays he can make scrambling with the ball. Kolb isn't much of a threat to run it. With our OL the abilty to tuck and run is very important.

That's th epart of Kolb that has really surprised me because he CAN in fact run. But he's always backing up so his running hasn't come into play except running into longer sacks.

It would be interesting to see what he's learned the last 2 games but I think you play Skelton while we're winning and let Kolb get healthy.

I do think as someone else said Skelton was lucky he didn't have 1-2 more pick sixes but Kolb has had some of those too(like the drop by Ray Lewis) so stuff happens.



I don't think Skelton now is the answer but let him start again and see how much better he looks against SF this time than the last time

 

[gmabel830]

IMO the big reason that Skelton had an decent game was due to the fact that the Eagles defense has a horrible pass rush. This was the first game that one of our QBs actually had time to throw the ball. Give pretty much any QB that much time and he will make a play.

The one thing I do like about Skelton is the plays he can make scrambling with the ball. Kolb isn't much of a threat to run it. With our OL the abilty to tuck and run is very important.

I disagree with that last part of your post as well. Kolb has shown the ability to run the ball effectively, especially in the preseason. The problem isn't that he can't/isn't a threat to run, it's that he's completely bailing out of the pocket, turning his back on the play, and running backwards 5-10 yards which makes an effectively QB scramble pretty impossible. If he can develop more of a pocket presence and step up into the pocket (I know that's a big "if"), I think he's more than capable of scrambling just as effectively as Skelton if not moreso.

 

[Duckjake]

IMO the big reason that Skelton had an decent game was due to the fact that the Eagles defense has a horrible pass rush. This was the first game that one of our QBs actually had time to throw the ball. Give pretty much any QB that much time and he will make a play.

The one thing I do like about Skelton is the plays he can make scrambling with the ball. Kolb isn't much of a threat to run it. With our OL the abilty to tuck and run is very important.

Yeah no way the Cardinals had a good game because they actually played well.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Skelton is willing to do something that Kolb won't--throw to Fitzgerald in double and triple coverage. Once Kolb brings himself to go against his conservative qb instincts and just throw it to Larry, he will become a much better qb.

Warner had to learn to do that too.

I like Skelton as a qb, and right now I do not know which one I would rather have start. I don't care about salaries.

 

[Buckybird]

Skelton is willing to do something that Kolb won't--throw to Fitzgerald in double and triple coverage. Once Kolb brings himself to go against his conservative qb instincts and just throw it to Larry, he will become a much better qb.

Warner had to learn to do that too.

I like Skelton as a qb, and right now I do not know which one I would rather have start. I don't care about salaries.

I would say Kolbs been throwing plenty to Fitz & several times when he's covered. Skelton is doing what Kolb hasn't...throwing to Roberts. Kolb has probably thrown too much to Fitz if there's such a thing.

 

[Buckybird]

But, the facts are that 7 games are not enough to conclude that Kolb is not an NFL QB. You can give me the "he is a vet player" nonsense all you want, but it has no bearing on the fact that Kolb has only played 7 games in our system without the benefit of an offseason to prepare for it.

I agree with this. The WCO is a differant offense is from Wiz's offense whatever that is. I'm not giving up on Kolb yet...but if we see the same struggles this time next year Warner even made those same statements yesterday & today

 

[D-Dogg]

Skelton is willing to do something that Kolb won't--throw to Fitzgerald in double and triple coverage. Once Kolb brings himself to go against his conservative qb instincts and just throw it to Larry, he will become a much better qb.

I disagree. Kolb will force it to Larry, but he bails on the pocket too quickly. In fact, he only knows there are two guys on offense...Larry and Early.

Skelton uses more of his WR corps, and stands in the pocket long enough to have an opportunity to force it to Larry.

 

[PACardsFan]

I would say Kolbs been throwing plenty to Fitz & several times when he's covered. Skelton is doing what Kolb hasn't...throwing to Roberts. Kolb has probably thrown too much to Fitz if there's such a thing.

Absolutely, positively, correct. Skelton surveys the field better that Kolb does.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

IMO the big reason that Skelton had an decent game was due to the fact that the Eagles defense has a horrible pass rush. This was the first game that one of our QBs actually had time to throw the ball. Give pretty much any QB that much time and he will make a play.

4 sacks, and saying that too defensive ends like Jasin Babin and Trent Cole are not good pass rushers.

I have to disagree. Skelton took some big shots in that game.

 

[Chopper0080]

Absolutely, positively, correct. Skelton surveys the field better that Kolb does.

I don't think that he surveys the field better (as the announcers have said during both of the past 2 games that Skelton missed open receivers several times each game), I believe that Skelton knows where receivers will be better than Kolb does. He knows where his single coverage will be in the route combinations, and understands better which plays are ones where he can force to Fitz. I have said this multiple times, Skelton seems to know the offense better than Kolb at this point in time, which is a credit to Skelton that he hasn't beeen sitting idle over the past year and a half.

 

[Fiasco]

I don't think that he surveys the field better (as the announcers have said during both of the past 2 games that Skelton missed open receivers several times each game), I believe that Skelton knows where receivers will be better than Kolb does. He knows where his single coverage will be in the route combinations, and understands better which plays are ones where he can force to Fitz. I have said this multiple times, Skelton seems to know the offense better than Kolb at this point in time, which is a credit to Skelton that he hasn't beeen sitting idle over the past year and a half.

Numerous times yesterday JS looked off defenders before throwing the football.

And, somehow, he reminded us Andre Roberts plays for us while still targeting fitz more than kolb did.

There is no question JS surveys the field better by the simple fact he stands in the pocket. You can't survey the field when your sprinting to the visitors tunnel after the snap.

 

[Phrazbit]

Numerous times yesterday JS looked off defenders before throwing the football.

And, somehow, he reminded us Andre Roberts plays for us while still targeting fitz more than kolb did.

There is no question JS surveys the field better by the simple fact he stands in the pocket. You can't survey the field when your sprinting to the visitors tunnel after the snap.

Agreed. Any idea that Kolb is doing a decent job of surveying the field is not only negated by how blatantly he locked onto his targets, but that on many plays he flees the pocket so quickly there is no way he attempted to make his progressions.

 

[john h]

It's hard to believe that he played as well as he did today with the lack of protection the line gave him.

I thought the line did a good job protecting him. At least one sack he had all day and should have thrown the ball away but took the sack instead. The coaches will have some words on that one. On many plays Skelton had one guy lined up on either side of him in the shotgun to help with protection. It worked. On a couple of plays the announcers noted he had "all day". He had to have all day on that winning TD to Fitz as it was probably a 70 yd throw. Often it is the QB that causes the sacks as they run out of the pocket and the linemen do not know where he is or going. Kolb is a prime example. Your best bet if you are a lineman is that he will immediately run out of the pocket and towards the right side line. I think the line is better than you may think IMHO.

 

[john h]

Totally agree with this.

My concerns about Skleton ever being more than a journeyman:

1) Slow delivery
2) Huge windup in his throwing motion
3) Accuarcy

As good as this win was I'm not buying into #19...thx for the W though John!!! In reality Skelton couldve thrown 4-5 picks today

Aren't Skeltons mistakes just part of the learning for a rookie QB? Some throw great some throws horrible. As long as he gets better over the weeks ahead he is on the right track as he has most of the required tools. He may never progress but so far he is so we have hope. With Kolb he only seemed to get worse and I lost interest after about 4 of his games. He still could emerge but his chances are growing dimmer each week. Remember when Lou Gehrig came in when the starter was hurt. He went on to play about 17 years without interruption. Jim Hart came in when our QB got hurt and the relatively unkown from Southern Illinois went on to be a gem of a QB for the old Cardiac Cardinals. You just never know who is going to turn into a star. Even Kurt Warner was not even drafted. Who would have guessed that?

 

[john h]

Yes, Skelton has some rough edges but he is clearly better than Kolb. If you can't see that then you deserve crap like Anderson, Hall, and Kolb.

Makes you wonder how coach Whiz had Skelton #3 under Max Hall #2. Max should never have been drafted much less be #2 starter over Skelton. How did coach Whiz make that call?

 

[Mulli]

Makes you wonder how coach Whiz had Skelton #3 under Max Hall #2. Max should never have been drafted much less be #2 starter over Skelton. How did coach Whiz make that call?

Skelton didn't know offense yet.

 

[B-Dogg]

Skelton didn't know offense yet.

I dont care if Max Hall designed the offense he was never qualified to run it.

 

[Mulli]

I dont care if Max Hall designed the offense he was never qualified to run it.

True.

 

[Phrazbit]

Makes you wonder how coach Whiz had Skelton #3 under Max Hall #2. Max should never have been drafted much less be #2 starter over Skelton. How did coach Whiz make that call?

To be fair, Max never was drafted. But I agree about the baffling depth chart.

Whiz's QB decisions last year were as bad as they could possibly have been.