It is time for me to address the most talked about subject in Philadelphia right now, maybe the most widely discussed over a ten year period in sports history - Donovan McNabb. Most of you know how I feel on Five. He is an inconsistent passer, throws the ball too hard, doesn't show up for big games, and tends to get sick on the field in crucial situations. That being said, he has done more for this franchise at the quarterback position than anyone that this franchise has seen. 4 Conference championship games and a Superbowl appearance is no joke. The man has a history.
I wanted Donovan benched probably more than anyone else in Philadelphia yet to quote Jerry MaGuire, "I helped build, I'm sorry but it's a fact, but there is such a thing as manners. A way of treating people. These fish have manners. These fish have MANNERS." Our giant walrus who runs this team shows that he is the sort of fish who lacks manners. He relegated the dirty work to the quarterbacks coach. After drafting McNabb and sticking with him through thick and thin after all of the vomit, balls thrown at the feet, racial problems, and injuries, he should have the cajones to bench the man himself. Just as MaGuire helped "build (this company)," McNabb turned this franchise from a joke of a team who could not get the correct number of players on the field (coughrayrhodescough) to a Superbowl contender. To yank McNabb when he starts a game 8/18 with 59 yards and two interceptions is ballsy, yet merited when a horrendous performance such as this occurs. McNabb has shown the poise before to start horribly and turn his play around by firing off a 12/12 for 150 with a couple of touchdowns. He is a streaky player. We have known that for his entire tenure in Philadelphia. Down a field goal going into halftime, a change was warranted, yet looking back it was probably a dopey move to insert a quarterback who was making his first real appearance at the position. Sure Kolb has seen time, but that has been at the tail ends of 38-3 blowout victories over the Rams. To throw him to the Ravens, consistently the NFL's best defense over the past decade is just poor taste. On top of that, to continue to throw on running situations (second and goal on the goal line) with a rookie quarterback and Ed Reed looming in the back of the endzone is just idiotic. What kind of a way is that to introduce a young'n to the league? To put him in positions that 29 out of 30 coaches will never put a quarterback in? Shame on you Andy Reid...
YOU SUCK. Sorry had to get that out of my system.
What we are witnessing with Andy Reid right now is not the downfall of a once-great coach (again I concede credit where it is due), but the ego of an arrogant, unwavering man. Everyone knows Andy's policies - no big name wide receivers, yet a desire to throw to the mediocre bunch more than any team in the league (or NFL history for that matter), no use of a running game despite a pro-bowl back and a better than average back-up, horrible clock management, misuse of timeouts, and an overall ineptness when it comes to running a football team at crunch-time. It was never more apparent with the insertion of Kevin Kolb into the offense. You do not draw up 26 passing plays to 8 running plays with a first-time quarterback running the offense. Read that sentence again. Don't want to? Fine. I'll repeat the key words there: 26 passing plays and 8 running plays. Reid has refused to admit when he is wrong. He has been using McNabb as a Manning/Brady QB for almost the past decade while it is clear that McNabb may be a great quarterback, but he is not a great. Again, he was great, but he is not a great. It is obvious that our best year came with the arrival of Terrell Owens, the greatest receiver of all time save Jerry Rice. It is not McNabb's fault. He has been forced to throw more than any other QB, but not to a Harrison, Driver, Moss, Fitzgerald, or Burress. He has thrown to Thrash, Pinkston, Brown, and Freddie Mitchell. Now listen Andy, when I play Madden I loooove to throw the ball. I throw it as much as you do, yet i do it with capable receivers. I sign wideouts in the offseason. I draft top notch flanker or split end. You cannot continue to play with the Todd Pinkston's of this game or you will waste your Future Hall of Famer Quarterback's best years. Oops, too late.
However, there comes a time when all good things must end. McNabb is starting again tonight. If that is because there is still a mathematical chance that the Eagles can get ousted in the first round of the playoffs then I am all for starting the man who got us here. If that is the reason. Mathematical uncertainties aside, Kolb should be starting this game. I would rather see what the future has to offer now than later. The sooner Kolb is in the quicker the transition will be. Tonight I will cheer for McNabb, because who knows how many more chances we will have to do so?
With that said, here are my Thanksgiving day football picks.
Tennessee over DETROIT
DALLAS over Seattle
EAGLES over Arizona and two receivers that should be sporting green and white.
Season: 19-10
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