NFL32: What we learned about young QBs

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Young, Watkins inactive for Eagles

Published: September 11th, 2011 | Tags: Philadelphia Eagles, Danny Watkins, Kyle DeVan, Mike Kafka, Vince Young

Vince Young‘s career with the Eagles begins with a stay on the inactive list.

The reserve quarterback officially was listed as out for Sunday’s season opener against the Rams as he deals with the effects of a strained hamstring.

Second-year pro Mike Kafka moves up to No. 2 on the depth chart behind starter Michael Vick.

Rookie guard Danny Watkins (knee) also is inactive, despite being listed as probable on Philadelphia’s final injury report. Watkins, the Eagles’ first-round draft pick in April, was displaced on the depth chart this week by recent arrival Kyle DeVan.

The Rams also deactivated their first-round pick, DE Robert Quinn, who wasn’t listed on the team’s final injury report.

For inactives for every Sunday game, visit www.nfl.com/inactives.

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Titus Young stands out at Senior Bowl

We will bring you updates of non-AQ players at the Senior Bowl all week, thanks to the Scouts Inc. crew of Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl.

After Day 1, several players stood out. You need an Insider subscription to read all their thoughts on the Senior Bowl blog , but I can give you a few snippets. The one player who seemed to catch their attention was Boise State receiver Titus Young. Here is what they had to say about him:

Boise State's Titus Young was great in and out of his breaks. He can drop his weight without having to gear down and is a savvy route runner. In fact, he's a confident route runner -- he knows what he's doing. He was very streaky catching the ball today, but we are going to keep a close eye on him on how he handles adversity and how he carries himself. There are times when he looks like he's the most confident player on the field and has a swagger, but then the second he dropped one pass, it seemed like he went into a shell.

They also had an early evaluation of Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick:

He showed adequate arm strength and really good touch on throws that required touch. He just throws a nice catchable ball. But the biggest thing watching him live, he's trying to hide the fact he has a long delivery. It's like he has a hitch in his throwing motion and it takes too long and it's something that defenders can really pick up on.

At least one other outlet was also impressed with Kaepernick.

One more thing to check out: Here is an interview that NFL Network correspondent Stacey Dales did with TCU quarterback Andy Dalton.

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Young defense will hold Patriots back

I credit Bill Belichick for rebuilding the Patriots defense on the fly, but the unit just isn’t good enough right now. I’ve said it before, but the Patriots just don’t play a championship-caliber defense.

The Patriots play very soft zones and don’t disguise them well enough to throw teams off. They also don’t have decent edge rushers. If you look at them statistically, they have the worst overall pass defense, they’re the worst on third down and they’ve also given up more first downs than any other team.

Thus, the rest of the league just doesn’t fear the Patriots defensively.

The only reason they’re 9-2 is because Tom Brady has been that good. He’s managed games, he doesn’t turn the ball over and he doesn’t put the defense on a short field. Brady has been excellent with ball-control, short passing game and has led the Patriots to a lot of points.

But I don’t believe the Patriots defense is good enough to beat the Jets, win the AFC East or go deep into the playoffs.

Belichick has rebuilt the defense on the go by working in six first-year players this season — guys who are really still learning how to play the game. But the biggest problem with the Patriots’ 3-4 defense is the lack of strong outside pass rushers. You need just one consistent edge rusher, but they haven’t had that player since Mike Vrabel left. To get to the quarterback out of that defense, you must have a rusher like the Steelers, Cowboys and Dolphins have. The Patriots don’t have that player.

Belichick knows this and it’s why he’s trying to change things up. But he’s ultimately playing much of the same defense he did with the Giants in 1986. In this league, you have to get free hitters to the quarterback, overload pressure and break down protections better than the Patriots do. Belichick is still playing defense as if he has Lawrence Taylor and Carl Banks.

I think the deficiencies on defense are part of the reason why the Patriots unloaded Randy Moss. Belichick knows they have to beat the Jets, and his offense couldn’t hold the ball long enough for Moss to get open. Taking advantage of their two rookie tight ends gives the Patriots flexibility with personnel packages and match-up advantages in the passing game. And by utilizing shorter, quicker players like Danny Woodhead, Wes Welker and Deion Branch, it allows the league’s most accurate quarterback to play pitch and catch to keep the Patriots defense off the field.

Belichick had a defense that went to four Super Bowls, and he realized that he couldn’t keep winning by bringing back old players. He drafted the youngsters, teaching them the game and allows them to gain experience while he puts the ball in the hands of his franchise quarterback to carry the team.

Eventually, though, the organization will need to hit on a pass rusher in the draft. It’s the one ingredient the Patriots are missing.

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Paterno plans to help young Lions in 2011

It's a little ironic, the really old guy saying he'll be back to help coach a young and improving team in 2011.

Penn State's youth is a main reason Joe Paterno cited Tuesday in announcing his plans to return for a 46th season as the team's head coach next fall.

"Now's not the time to go," Paterno said. "We've got a young team. They may not be there yet, but they will be soon."

[+] Enlarge AP Photo/Paul BattagliaCoach Joe Paterno will return for his 46th season at Penn State.And JoePa will be there to lead them, as long as his health holds up.

I'm excited about Paterno coming back for 2011. He's by far the most unique football coach I've ever covered, and he adds so much to the Big Ten and to the college game.

But how do Penn State fans feel? There's certainly a portion of Nittany Nation who wants to see Paterno step aside. The team is just 7-4 this season with four blowout losses, and recruiting for 2011 is off to a very slow start.

Paterno, by the way, addressed recruiting on the Big Ten teleconference Tuesday. Asked why he no longer recruits off campus, he cited the "hoopla" that accompanies him wherever he goes and the demands placed on his time by many folks not possessing a rocket arm or a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash.

"Sometimes you can't get in to see all of the kids with the same intensity that you see some of them," Paterno said. "I've always been reluctant to make some guys feel more important than others."

That's certainly noble, but Penn State has only five players verbally committed for 2011. Perhaps that number will increase after Tuesday's announcement, but Paterno's assistants have to do the lion's share of the work.

Paterno seemed surprised Tuesday when asked about his plans, as if there was any doubt he'd be back.

"I've never indicated to anybody that I'm not coming back," he said. "I've not thought about getting out of it."

Paterno will turn 84 on Dec. 21, and his health is and will be the No. 1 concern going forward. He had some significant health issues in the late spring and early summer and looked very frail at Big Ten preseason media days in August.

But Paterno has looked better and better as the season has gone on. He sounded very sharp today on the Big Ten call.

Is Paterno's return the healthiest thing for Penn State's program? Opinions vary, but Paterno is right about the Lions' youth and the greater potential for 2011.

And if the old guy helps Penn State return to the Big Ten's upper crust, those really young guys -- the elite recruits -- likely will flock to State College.

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