Nathaniel

Shockey

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December 31, 2008

OK, Donovan McNabb: You Want a Break from Fans? Win This Game

I wrote a column four months ago asking which Philadelphia sports team would be the first to win a championship. Evidently, I was on to something when I said the Phillies could pull it off this year.

I also said that the Eagles would probably be the last of the four, mostly because they’re getting old and Donovan McNabb is getting worse. And then, out of nowhere, Week 17 happened. We needed two out of three teams to lose, and also had to take care of business against the Dallas Cowboys. Who would have guessed that an Eagles team that tied the Cincinnati Bengals, an Eagles team whose quarterback didn’t even realize a tie was allowed, would receive a playoff spot with a 9-6-and one record?

Over the years, Eagles fans have been notoriously hard on Donovan McNabb. This has been rebutted by a barrage of defensive columns from the national sports community, generally outsiders noting his impressive career stats and playoff record. Just yesterday, Stephen A. Smith, an ESPN contributor and former Philadelphia Inquirer columnist, wrote, “I fail to comprehend how even someone so strong-willed, so spiritual, can’t be ultimately broken by the shrapnel of criticism McNabb faces – especially when it seems so undeserved . . . over 10 seasons as an Eagle, McNabb has 29,320 career yards along with 194 touchdowns on his résumé. He’s been to four NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl.”

It’s nothing new to us, Stephen. We know his stats. And admittedly, sometimes we have been too tough on him. Every time he has a few bad games in a row, we want to see him benched. We ask for Bobby Hoying, Kevin Kolb, Ty Detmer, anyone but McNabb, and we usually don’t get it. But in case no one noticed, when Andy Reid actually did bench McNabb this season, he came back with a vengeance. Perhaps vengeance is too strong. He had a bone to pick, winning four of his last five games, including a victory over the New York Giants and a complete demolition of the Cowboys in Week 17 to propel them to an unlikely berth in the playoffs. So perhaps we’re not always wrong when we ask for his benching.

If I might defend my type a bit further, I don’t care how many NFC championships or Super Bowls he reaches unless he actually wins one of the latter. McNabb is making nine figures playing for the Eagles. We’re making room on our walls for a Super Bowl banner. And do you know the main reason Eagles fans are impatient with McNabb? It’s because he’s always smiling, always letting stuff roll off his back, always shrugging and saying, “I’ll get through this.” Sooner or later, we want to see him pissed, we want to see something not roll off his back, we want him to say, “We’re doing it this year,” whether he does it or not. Care a little, man, or at least half as much as we do!

That said, perhaps it’s the World Series glow I’m still wearing, but all of a sudden I’m feeling strangely optimistic. I’m feeling bad and a little stupid for writing in my NFL preview that I’d like to see a lot less of No.5 this year. McNabb has some gas left in the tank, and despite occasional horrendous passes, still makes tough passes with regularity that most quarterbacks make once a season. And Andy Reid has started calling running plays! It’s like he had a dream in which former Eagles coach Rich Kotite explained to him the value of a balanced offense.

While you’d be crazy to bet money on the Eagles winning it all this year, you wouldn’t be crazy to say they have a better shot than at least half of the teams in the playoffs. They should beat the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round, and although it would be surprising to see them beat both the Carolina Panthers and the Giants, I think it’s definitely possible. And as the Giants proved last year, once you reach the big game, clearly anything can happen.

The Eagles epitomized the phrase “backing into the playoffs,” but most would agree that the Eagles are a scary team to face. Anyone who watched their regular season knows that when they actually show up, they’re probably one of the toughest teams in the league.

McNabb, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry for being hard on you. Win one for us, would you?

© 2008 North Star Writers Group. May not be republished without permission.

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