denverdan Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/10843703.htm Posted on Tue, Feb. 08, 2005 Rich Hofmann | HOLD THAT WHINE hofmanr@phillynews.com THE ALL-TIME quarterback to whom Donovan McNabb best compares stylistically is John Elway. They haven't accomplished the same things, not yet, but the big arm, powerful running style and excellent leadership skills of each mimic the other. And, so, know this: In his first three Super Bowls, John Elway completed only 46 percent of his passes. He threw a total of two touchdown passes and six interceptions. His team lost all three games, and the combined final score was 136-40. Which, if you think about it, suggests the following: That while victories in the Super Bowl always will define a quarterback, defeats in the biggest game don't necessarily do the same thing. That said, know that McNabb is about to embark on the harshest, coldest winter of his NFL career. The Eagles just lost in the Super Bowl, and McNabb just didn't play well enough. He threw for 357 yards and three touchdowns, but he also threw three interceptions and kind of sprayed the ball around the rest of the time. It just wasn't good enough. He says it out loud, and they all know it in their hearts. Andy Reid is already re-establishing himself as the charter/ founding member of the Donovan Defense Fund. All bullets aimed at the quarterback are being blocked by Reid. The coach needs to call better plays. The coach needs to put everybody in better position. We've heard it all before and we're about to hear it again, and again, and again. But it isn't necessary, not if you are dealing with honest people on all sides of the argument. Because, if you are honest, you can say that McNabb didn't play well enough against the dynastic New England Patriots while, at the same time, acknowledging that McNabb remains the rock upon which the Eagles plan to keep building this thing. If you're being honest, he hasn't really sprayed around the ball like he did Sunday in about a year-and-a-half. If you're being honest, he has never been prone to throwing the kinds of interceptions he threw in the Super Bowl. The game was an aberration, one in which the offensive line couldn't protect him and one in which the running game couldn't support him. McNabb wasn't good enough but he clearly had plenty of company on the Eagles' offense. And then there is the coaching, and the whole no-huddle business at the end of the game. It would behoove Reid to get this story straight, and quickly. Because after the game, offensive coordinator Brad Childress said the reason the Eagles didn't go to the hurry-up offense was because that offense is "limited in scope," and the Eagles felt more comfortable operating with the whole game plan. At least that made some sense. Then, yesterday, Reid was asked about the lack of a hurry-up offense and he said, "We did try to get it going. I can't tell you the details, the circumstances, on why it didn't work as well as it should have." Did they or didn't they? This question might linger, too. But McNabb will remain the focus. It goes with the territory and the salary. Some of the knocks he takes will be fair and some won't be. Again, it's in the job description. The notion, though, that he'll never be able to lead the Eagles to a championship is absurd. Everything about him, everything he has accomplished so far, suggests the exact opposite. His credentials as a winner are undisputed. His credentials as a fighter were, if anything, enhanced by the way he battled on Sunday night - despite him not being at his best or the rest of the offense not being at its best. If you take an honest look at his playoff resume, you see that his overall postseason record is 7-5 - but that two of the losses came when he wasn't healthy. Why anyone would question his long-term prospects based on that resume is baffling. Again: That isn't to say he isn't disappointed by the way he played Sunday night, and it isn't to say he shouldn't be disappointed. But Donovan McNabb won't be defined by what happened Sunday night - but by what happens today, and tomorrow, and the days and weeks and months and years after that. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 The Eagles didn't have a real running threat and it finally caught up to them. Westbrook's a nice receiver out of the backfield but the Eagles need to stop making excuses for his low rushing totals and find themselves a Terrell Davis. If they sign someone like Alexander this offseason I think they'd give themselves a pretty good shot. They've certainly got the cap room to do it. And until they get back to the SB, McNabb's career will most certainly be defined by his performance in Sunday, whether it's fair or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 I think the Eagles also took on the personality of their coach in the last 5 min. He didn't get excited or pumped up. It was the Anti-TO thing. Walking back the huddle, etc. You can be the greatest coach in the regular season, win a ton of games. But if you're not ready to run a 2 min offense. Then I don't know. That's just bad coaching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsbadd Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 If you're being honest, he hasn't really sprayed around the ball like he did Sunday in about a year-and-a-half. If you're being honest, he has never been prone to throwing the kinds of interceptions he threw in the Super Bowl. The game was an aberration, one in which the offensive line couldn't protect him and one in which the running game couldn't support him. McNabb wasn't good enough but he clearly had plenty of company on the Eagles' offense. What a short memory this writer has, Against the Rams and Buc's in the NFC Championship game he threw the exact same types of interceptions, the game against the Panthers last year his intnerceptions were similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denverdan Posted February 8, 2005 Author Share Posted February 8, 2005 Originally posted by Henry Eagles need to stop making excuses for his low rushing totals and find themselves a Terrell Davis. If they sign someone like Alexander this offseason I think they'd give themselves a pretty good shot. They've certainly got the cap room to do it. I was feeling so good about the eagles and then blamo! that would be a nightmare. Levens is not the answer, so yeah, they are going to go after a RUNNING back, I don't know if it will be Alexander, doesn't that pretty much negate Westbrook to a third down back? Alexander is a good receiver as well. I don't know what that would do to team harmony, hope we don't find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 Originally posted by denverdan I was feeling so good about the eagles and then blamo! that would be a nightmare. Levens is not the answer, so yeah, they are going to go after a RUNNING back, I don't know if it will be Alexander, doesn't that pretty much negate Westbrook to a third down back? Alexander is a good receiver as well. I don't know what that would do to team harmony, hope we don't find out. Westbrook was always meant to be part of a RB committee. He would have been this year as well beofre Buckhalter got hurt. Of course, now that he's a 'pro-bowl' caliber RB, he may have a problem sharing the backfield with a back who can really rush the ball. Who knows? Not my problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 So, if the Eagles go out and sign Alexander,,, are they officially trying to >shudder< BUY a SUPER BOWL?? My god, you'd think that after the pasting Snyder takes for spending money,, for as many times a he's been called an utter idiot for trying to sign 'all the big names'.. they'd learn. BUT hey, I'm no fool. I know how the world works. The Redskins can sign guys like Brandon Noble and Chad Morton and it's called a giant spending spree. The Eagles go out last year and drop tons of cash on the biggest two free agents on the NFL,, and maybe will do it this year, too,,, but they will NOT be roundly panned for trying to "BUY A SUPER BOWL" as Snyder gets. Even though that is clearly what they'd be doing. I'll be interested to see how public perception goes when a media darling like Philly buys up the biggest names in free agency. I bet then they'll say that "This is a fine method,, drafting and supplementing great players thru free agency." Waiting for the hypocrisy to begin. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portisizzle Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 Originally posted by denverdan http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/10843703.htm McNabb best compares stylistically is John Elway. They haven't accomplished the same things, not yet, but the big arm, powerful running style and excellent leadership skills of each mimic the other. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Second time this morning I have had to call out the BULL:censored: . McGagg could not hold the lace lining of John Elway's twenty time used and uncleaned jock strap. PERIOD. What the he!! is all this comparison to this, he is great like him. McFroth has not accomplished jack. JACK. Until he does, he is no better than Steve Blake or any other journeyman in the league. Elway, for all his frustrations in the Superbowl, was a prolific Quarterback. Elway, like Marino, are beyond comparison. Because whenever they took the field, they commanded respect because they were going to BEAT YOU. Even if they only had :35 seconds on the clock. Let's bottom line the McFluff deal. The NFC has been beyond weak for the years the Eagles have won the Division. McChoke has continued to fall apart at the most critical moments. Even during the regular season McNuts can not put up a legitimate drive when it counts against an equally talented foe. To put Elway in the same paragraph as McDuck is a travesty of monumental proportions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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