The Eagles have kept opposing defensive coordinators up late at night with the possibility of having to face Kevin Kolb, Michael Vick or both quarterbacks this season.
Well, this week the Eagles have to prepare for two quarterbacks. Titans starting quarterback Vince Young suffered a knee injury and an ankle injury in the Monday night win over the Jaguars. Titans head coach Jeff Fisher told Philadelphia reporters on Wednesday that there was a "pretty good chance" Young would play on Sunday. But that was before Young sat out the entire week of practice. Young is officially listed as questionable.
If Young doesn't play, former starter Kerry Collins gets the call for the Titans. Collins led the Titans to a 13-3 record just two seasons ago.
"We're ready for whichever quarterback's there, we're ready for (and) we're prepared. They have a little bit of the same situation we have here and they have two good quarterbacks, guys that have won a lot of games in the National Football League, and so you have to be ready for both guys," head coach Andy Reid said. "Neither one's a slouch, man, they're both very, very good players."
If Young plays, the Eagles have to be concerned with a mobile quarterback who can throw a good deep pass. If Collins starts, the Eagles have to be ready for a more traditional pocket quarterback. Teams will usually employ a spy on Young. The danger with Young is that if a safety comes down thinking Young is going to run, that is when Young will throw the deep ball.
"The bottom line is that you have to play. I mean, you have to go out and play. And so, you can't get tied up in that whole thing and have two of these huge gameplans for each guy," Reid said. "You can't possibly get anything accomplished. So it really comes down to making sure you go out there and you play football and you execute the schemes that you're asked to execute and do it 100 miles per hour."
The player most affected by the quarterback play will be running back Chris Johnson. Young's threat to run opens up the lanes for the reigning AP Offensive Player of the Year in Johnson, who rushed for 2,006 yards last season. Collins gives the Titans a more formidable two-dimensional offense when he's on his game.
"We just prepare for the team as a whole," defensive coordinator Sean McDermott said. "Generally speaking, what they do offensively, philosophically on the offensive side of the ball and whatever quarterback's in there we'll be aware of what he brings to the table from a mobility standpoint. But we're just preparing overall for their offense."
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 9:00 a.m., October 23
