Welcome back to “NFL’s Believe It or Not.” This week, I will focus on controversial comments from Julio Jones, Michael Vick, and LeSean McCoy. For the first time, all three of these players have appeared in a different edition of “NFL’s Believe It or Not” before this.
Julio Jones
I will start with Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones, who continued to increase expectations for this upcoming season, saying, “There ain’t no telling. Me and Rod — 1,500, 2,000 yards. You never know what we can do out there.” Well, let’s just throw out the 2000-yard mark to start. There is no way that each receiver will eclipse that landmark. 1,500 is more plausible, but still extremely unlikely. Roddy White has played in the NFL for nine seasons. He has never recorded 1,500 receiving yards in one season and his soon-to-be 33-year-old body won’t help him. Julio Jones has played in the NFL for three seasons, although he only played in five games last year. In 2012, he almost recorded 1,200 receiving yards. I believe that Julio Jones has the ability to pass the 1,500-yard mark, but Roddy White will be much closer to the 1,000-yard mark. Julio Jones is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, so he is poised to excel this year if he stays healthy. I just can’t see Roddy White matching Julio’s production at his age.
Michael Vick
Next up, New York Jets backup quarterback Michael Vick made another ridiculous statement, saying, “I want to play until I’m 40.” Michael Vick just turned 34, and he will be lucky to see the field this season. His body is rapidly deteriorating, and he is struggling to win a quarterback competition against unproven quarterback Geno Smith. Perhaps Vick just doesn’t remember how grueling an NFL game is, let alone a full season. Maybe if he gets the opportunity to play sometime this season, he will remember why he has no chance to last in the league until he is 40. Michael Vick’s game relies primarily on his mobility. Naturally, his mobility has declined and will continue to decline more rapidly over time. An accurate pocket passer like Peyton Manning has a chance to play into his 40s, but Michael Vick does not have that ability.
LeSean McCoy
Finally, Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy earned another appearance in this edition after he said, “That rookie we got, Jordan Matthews, is looking real good. There’s been a lot of talk about this draft class being deep at wide receivers, but I’m real confident in this one being the best of the class.” I’m sure Sammy Watkins and Mike Evans, among others, will have something to say about this. Six wide receivers were drafted before Jordan Matthews in the 2014 NFL Draft. Most NFL experts and scouts would rank Sammy Watkins as the best wide receiver in the class, and he was the first one drafted. Jordan Matthews probably appreciates McCoy’s overblown confidence, but that’s all it is right now. He has a chance to be a good receiver this year, but there is a reason he was not drafted in the first round. For now, only the Eagles organization and their fans should believe the hype.
Make sure to leave your own comments below and come back next Thursday for another edition of “NFL’s Believe It or Not.”
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