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** Official ** Eagles 2008 Thread (2 Viewers)

As for McNabb...

He played a fantastic game with a couple of mistakes. Guess what, so did Tony Romo. Cut the guy some slack.
I have been... for years... I'm running out.Still waiting for a clutch player in Philly, thought it was Chase until that 0-4 with 4 K's in game 1 of the playoffs last year.

Who was the last player from any team that we could REALLY count on when it mattered?... just wondering.
Steve CarltonPete Rose

Mike Schmidt
Wow, its been a while. :thumbup: Although I think I disagree on Schmidt, he was great but clutch?

I'm 32 and was too young to remember most of his career in detail but remember alot of game ending outs from Schmidtty.

For some actual data, playoffs vs career...

(Source: Baseball-Reference.com)

Career OBP: .380

Playoff OBP: .304

Career SLG: .527

Playoff SLG: .386

Career AB/HR: 15

Playoff AB/HR: 35

I know... take it to the baseball forum.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
As for McNabb...

He played a fantastic game with a couple of mistakes. Guess what, so did Tony Romo. Cut the guy some slack.
I have been... for years... I'm running out.Still waiting for a clutch player in Philly, thought it was Chase until that 0-4 with 4 K's in game 1 of the playoffs last year.

Who was the last player from any team that we could REALLY count on when it mattered?... just wondering.
Steve CarltonPete Rose

Mike Schmidt
Wow, its been a while. :confused: Although I think I disagree on Schmidt, he was great but clutch?

I'm 32 and was too young to remember most of his career in detail but remember alot of game ending outs from Schmidtty.

For some actual data, playoffs vs career...

(Source: Baseball-Reference.com)

Career OBP: .380

Playoff OBP: .304

Career SLG: .527

Playoff SLG: .386

Career AB/HR: 15

Playoff AB/HR: 35

I know... take it to the baseball forum.
i think you and i watched a lot of the same phils games growing up (32 also). I think AI was clutch, especially in the 00-01 season when they went to the finals
 
delusional said:
I learned this tonight1. Considine should have been cut preseason. He gave up that bomb to TO2. ST coach Rory Segret still sucks. SHould have been fired last season3. Reid can not do 2 minutes to save his life4. McNabb HAS to learn to run again and toss passes away5.Avant Lewis and Baskett are good WRs....3 4 5 WRs....need i say more? ( brown and curtis are not much better )6. Jackson is for real7. LJ Smith is overrated by this org.8. West makes this team go round. Take him out and Ried is a fish on land.On other notes. We alot of bad calls / non calls tonight by the refs. Seemed to be a trend this weekend.
1) Considine is a scrub, and we've got a keeper in Demps so don't worry, he wont' be on the field much longer2) Rory is no John Harbaugh that's for sure3) An overstatement, but 2-minute drills aren't his strong suit that's for sure4) VERY frustrating, I agree. At least three times last night he had 15-20 yard first downs to be had and instead took a sack or threw an incompletion5) They're playing their hearts out :yes:6) Indeed he is :thumbup:7) I don't think the organization overrates him. The fact they didn't lock him up long term before his contract was up is a testametn to that. The Franchise tag was a smart move b/c it brings him back but doesn't commit to him beyond 20088) Of course, he's been the heart and soul of this team from day one
Lehigh98 said:
Ugh, that was brutal, we just let too many games slip away like that.Mostly play well but give up big plays, make big mistakes, and tighten up when the game's on the line.I put that loss squarely on McNabb, his fumbled handoff, and his inability to perform in the clutch once again. :wall:
I responded to you ni the game thread, but it will get lost there....so here it is again:So...Eagles fans ripping on their own pro-bowl caliber QB is a big reason why so many other fans hate Eagles fans.Seriously...how about the drop DeSean had in the first half...that stalled a drive in the RZ...birds settle for 3? How about his drop in the second half...that forced a punt? How about Greg Lewis' drop that ALSO forced a punt? Am I happy that McNabb took a sack on the last drive...heck no! But I also realize he avoided 3-4 sacks in that game that all but one or two other QBs in the league would have taken. 1 minute to go, fighting like hell to make a play, after a TERRIFIC performance on the road...and you want to throw him under the bus for a sack?Dude...you don't deserve to call yourself a fan. That kind of "fan support" is disgusting. No wonder people hate Philly fans. More for this thread: NOW...I love DeSean Jackson, and he's going to be a big part of this team for a long time, but he did NOT step up in this game, making two big drops that ended drives. The defense did NOT make big plays (OK...they fell on Romo's UNFORCED fumble...but the key word is UNFORCED) and gave up 40 points!Philly is a legit contender, and will go toe-to-toe with Dallas to the end, but the defense has to play better against Dallas. I thought the defensive gameplan was...uninspired. Too many 4 man rushes on 3rd and long, leaving Romo all day to find open men deep downfield.
I agree, it's really frustrating. Eagles fans (most of us anyway) almost seem to prefer when the Eagles lose close games. Give us a chance to rip the team and cry "woe is me." We don't collectively know what to do with ourselves during prosperity.
An impressive footballl game last night. Both of these Defenses are getting a lot of heat, however I thought both teams were excellent against the run which wins games later in the year. This was a chess match on blitzing and protection schemes plain and simple.McNabb was fantastic last night. That was the best I have seen him play in a couple of years. He was elusive and down right nasty to tackle. I can't count how many sacks the Cowboys would have had against any other QB last night. Any fans blaming McNabb for the loss doesn't know football. DeSean Jackson is legit and a future stud. Great draft pick for you guys. Silly play he made, but he'll learn and be fine.How the heck does Dawkins get matched up 1 on 1 against TO near the goal line?I have a feeling Week 17 will be a meaningful game.One other observation: The officiating was quite poor last night. Some calls that I thought they missed:1) I thought DeSean Jackson made the catch and was down (Made a FD). Refs ruled incomplete2) Pass interference call on Henry was ridiculous.3) They missed a personal foul for face masking Westbrook early in the game as well.4) The Eagles got a away with a TON of holding penalties. Not 1 was called.I guess all in all in didn't really matter, just an observation.
I would say McNabb was fantastic AT TIMES; which is really a microcosm for his entire career. While I'm not one to jump on the hater bandwagon and have staunchly defended Reid and McNabb over the years, I have to say that he's a maddening guy. Looked like an MVP for three quarters and then comes up short with the game on the line. Made me think back to the Super Bowl. I think Eli is an overrated QB (or at least has been historically), but when he marched down the field and won the Super Bowl with a perfect drive, I thought, "wow, I would so much rather have my QB muddle through a game but come up huge when the pressure is on, versus what we usually get from our Eagles QBs."
 
I've been saying it, and I'm going to keep saying it...you want to "blame" someone or scream "overrated?" JIM JOHNSON.

How many years have I been railing on the fact Reid gets so much hate yet JJ is still treated like a blessed son in Philly when it's his unit that more times than not comes up short. He's got the players this year, no one will tell me differently. Yet, JJ's vaunted aggressive scheme couldn't sack Romo yet somehow the Cowboys D was able to start getting pressure on our guys when it mattered most.

 
As for McNabb...He played a fantastic game with a couple of mistakes. Guess what, so did Tony Romo. Cut the guy some slack.
I have been... for years... I'm running out.Still waiting for a clutch player in Philly, thought it was Chase until that 0-4 with 4 K's in game 1 of the playoffs last year.Who was the last player from any team that we could REALLY count on when it mattered?... just wondering.
Steve CarltonPete RoseMike Schmidt
Curt Schilling. The man defined clutch, but aside from '93, he never got the chance to show it much in Philly.
 
McNabb hit the panic button, hard. He always has and he always will. I've always been a HUGE McNabb fan. But i simply do not believe in him anymore. The Eagles will be a playoff team, at best, with him at QB. nothing more, nothing less. So, all you defenders out there, hope you enjoy your 10-6 season and the crushing playoff loss that comes with it.
You say your view on McNabb has changed, yet you think he's the same QB he has been for his entire career. What has he done or not done that has made you change your viewpoint? Personally, I didn't think Eli Manning or Brad Johnson or Trent Dilfer would win a Super Bowl, but I was wrong. The Eagles and the fans know what they have in McNabb and that hasn't changed this year. If you don't like it or don't wanna cheer for the guy because he couldn't win a game in week 2 on the road against the best team in the league with a 6 point 4th quarter lead then don't. I'm as upset as most are about last night and Donovan was part of the reason they lost, but I'm not calling for the guy's head. IT'S WEEK 2.The last time I posted in here you were claiming how they shouldn't pay Westbrook. Now you're all over McNabb. You also say the Eagles don't play well against the Steelers when in fact they've played them a total of 2 times since Reid came to town, with a record of 1-1. As a lifelong Eagles fan you're gonna come to the stadium and boo as soon as the guy steps on the field? Just stay home.I'm sorry for the rant, but we need to relax. We have a really good group of guys and a very exciting rookie receiver. I'm looking forward to the Steelers game.
 
uh oh

MRI FOR ANDREWSPosted by Mike Florio on September 16, 2008, 12:32 p.m. Eagles guard Shawn Andrews, who injured his back during Monday night’s game against the Cowboys, will have an MRI on Tuesday.He also isn’t expected to practice on Wednesday as a result of the injury, which apparently happened at some point in the second quarter.Andrews reportedly was seen struggling with simple physical tasks while the team was packing up its gear in preparation for the return to Philly.
 
McNabb hit the panic button, hard. He always has and he always will. I've always been a HUGE McNabb fan. But i simply do not believe in him anymore. The Eagles will be a playoff team, at best, with him at QB. nothing more, nothing less. So, all you defenders out there, hope you enjoy your 10-6 season and the crushing playoff loss that comes with it.
You say your view on McNabb has changed, yet you think he's the same QB he has been for his entire career. What has he done or not done that has made you change your viewpoint? Personally, I didn't think Eli Manning or Brad Johnson or Trent Dilfer would win a Super Bowl, but I was wrong. The Eagles and the fans know what they have in McNabb and that hasn't changed this year. If you don't like it or don't wanna cheer for the guy because he couldn't win a game in week 2 on the road against the best team in the league with a 6 point 4th quarter lead then don't. I'm as upset as most are about last night and Donovan was part of the reason they lost, but I'm not calling for the guy's head. IT'S WEEK 2.The last time I posted in here you were claiming how they shouldn't pay Westbrook. Now you're all over McNabb. You also say the Eagles don't play well against the Steelers when in fact they've played them a total of 2 times since Reid came to town, with a record of 1-1. As a lifelong Eagles fan you're gonna come to the stadium and boo as soon as the guy steps on the field? Just stay home.I'm sorry for the rant, but we need to relax. We have a really good group of guys and a very exciting rookie receiver. I'm looking forward to the Steelers game.
I said i dont believe in him any more. That i have lost my faith in his ability to win a big game when the pressure is squarely on his shoulders in the 4th qtr. Generally speaking, I dont think he's any different a player now than he was 5 years ago. The shine has worn off for me though. Its like when you finally start seeing all the flaws in that girl you've been dating for a while. Sometimes you can live with those flaws, other times you cant and therefore need to move on.I still dont think they should have renegotiated westy's deal...but that discussion is for another time and placeOh, and guess what...if I am going to spend $500 to fly up to Philly, $400 on a hotel, $300 on misc expenses, and $250 on tickets you better believe that i am going to voice my opinion. I'll cheer for the eagles b/c i've been bred to bleed green and silver, but if they announce the O before the game, i will let McNabb know how i feel about his "clutch" performances.Don't worry lil buddy, i know the fan'dom is blurring your vision now. But, 10-20 years from now, when the Eagles have a true clutch QB, you will look back at McNabb and see him for what he is.
 
JaxBill said:
uh oh

MRI FOR ANDREWSPosted by Mike Florio on September 16, 2008, 12:32 p.m. Eagles guard Shawn Andrews, who injured his back during Monday night’s game against the Cowboys, will have an MRI on Tuesday.He also isn’t expected to practice on Wednesday as a result of the injury, which apparently happened at some point in the second quarter.Andrews reportedly was seen struggling with simple physical tasks while the team was packing up its gear in preparation for the return to Philly.
My buddy told me basically the same thing, but I didn't post it because he didn't know the extent of the injury. He just said it was 'bad'.
 
As for McNabb...He played a fantastic game with a couple of mistakes. Guess what, so did Tony Romo. Cut the guy some slack.
I have been... for years... I'm running out.Still waiting for a clutch player in Philly, thought it was Chase until that 0-4 with 4 K's in game 1 of the playoffs last year.Who was the last player from any team that we could REALLY count on when it mattered?... just wondering.
Lehigh...I think the real problem is that you're continously looking for a PLAYER to win it all, instead of the TEAM to win it all. it has been proven over and over again that TEAMs are more reliable then specific PLAYERS. McNabb didn't lose the game because without him, we wouldn't have been close to winning. There were dropped balls (DeSean, Lewis and Baskett each had a key drop), missed assignments (Considine), poor schemes (Dawkins man up on TO, ineffective four man rushes on EVERY Cowboys third and long), and yes, a boneheaded McNabb fumble. Stop asking for a player to win for you, and you'll be much happier. :confused:
 
Sorry, your offense puts up 30 points and your def puts up another TD for 37 points...and you lose, you can't put the blame on McNabb. The blame lays mostly on the other side of the ball. Scary thing is, in spite of the score, our offense sputtered at times. Deshaun dropped two (I think) crucial passes that ended drives, we didn't even have our WR1 or WR2 in the game, LJ is a turd. This game has me excited to watch them this year as this offense has potential to be even more explosive.

McNabb screwed up the handoff, and I was screaming about it. But then I thought to myself, why am I really angry? Its because I know, not fear, but KNOW that Dallas will now march down the field, eat up the clock, beat up our defense, and score the go ahead TD. With what expectations were for this defense, I was really disappointed last night. I was expecting, in vain, Romo to be running for his life and picking his pasty ### up off the carpet all game. Considine shouldn't be allowed to sell beer in the stadium let alone suit up. He bit so hard on the first TO TD I almost threw up. BDawk is my fav player on this team, but he is a shell of his former self. Putting him man to man against Witten was a sad sight. Why would you not have Lito in the game from the first snap. He typically owns big play WR's and TO especially.

 
JaxBill said:
uh oh

MRI FOR ANDREWSPosted by Mike Florio on September 16, 2008, 12:32 p.m. Eagles guard Shawn Andrews, who injured his back during Monday night’s game against the Cowboys, will have an MRI on Tuesday.He also isn’t expected to practice on Wednesday as a result of the injury, which apparently happened at some point in the second quarter.Andrews reportedly was seen struggling with simple physical tasks while the team was packing up its gear in preparation for the return to Philly.
My buddy told me basically the same thing, but I didn't post it because he didn't know the extent of the injury. He just said it was 'bad'.
Any insight from your friend into the return of Curtis and/or Brown and what Desean's role will be upon their return?
 
Sorry, your offense puts up 30 points and your def puts up another TD for 37 points...and you lose, you can't put the blame on McNabb. The blame lays mostly on the other side of the ball. Scary thing is, in spite of the score, our offense sputtered at times. Deshaun dropped two (I think) crucial passes that ended drives, we didn't even have our WR1 or WR2 in the game, LJ is a turd. This game has me excited to watch them this year as this offense has potential to be even more explosive.

McNabb screwed up the handoff, and I was screaming about it. But then I thought to myself, why am I really angry? Its because I know, not fear, but KNOW that Dallas will now march down the field, eat up the clock, beat up our defense, and score the go ahead TD. With what expectations were for this defense, I was really disappointed last night. I was expecting, in vain, Romo to be running for his life and picking his pasty ### up off the carpet all game. Considine shouldn't be allowed to sell beer in the stadium let alone suit up. He bit so hard on the first TO TD I almost threw up. BDawk is my fav player on this team, but he is a shell of his former self. Putting him man to man against Witten was a sad sight. Why would you not have Lito in the game from the first snap. He typically owns big play WR's and TO especially.
:stalker: What I couldn't figure out was why JJ wouldn't dial up the bl;itz on third and long. While we got pressure on Romo at times, it was non-existant when it mattered most. How many times did Dallas convert third and 8+ yards? HINT: SEVERAL!

Dropping 7 into coverage doesn't work against any NFL QB if he has literaly all day to throw, and Romo did.

A lot of posts in this thread have implied that Philly blitzed a lot. They did...but they were mostly run-blitzes on early downs. The only big third down blitz I remember was at the very end...and it resulted in a hurried incomplete pass intended for Barber, and a punt.

I put this loss squarely on JJ for a very uninspired and generally ineffective defensive gameplan.

That said...we are looking generally very good. If Andrews misses time, it looks like Jean-Gilles will fill in OK.

 
JaxBill said:
uh oh

MRI FOR ANDREWSPosted by Mike Florio on September 16, 2008, 12:32 p.m. Eagles guard Shawn Andrews, who injured his back during Monday night’s game against the Cowboys, will have an MRI on Tuesday.He also isn’t expected to practice on Wednesday as a result of the injury, which apparently happened at some point in the second quarter.Andrews reportedly was seen struggling with simple physical tasks while the team was packing up its gear in preparation for the return to Philly.
My buddy told me basically the same thing, but I didn't post it because he didn't know the extent of the injury. He just said it was 'bad'.
Any insight from your friend into the return of Curtis and/or Brown and what Desean's role will be upon their return?
They were hoping Brown would be back for Dallas. I expect to see him this week or next. Curtis we're looking at coming back after the bye.
 
a lot of great posts here and some not so great ones... without saying what many have said again.... It was a great game to watch and a herartbreaker for us Eagle fans... It seemed like the same old song and dance to me... Witten killed us... Every big play they needed he got... I wish in Week 17 (and it will matter) play Lito or Asante man up on TO and take Witten out of the game! Double/Triple him to whatever!!!! TO will get his, but Witten is far more valuable to the Boys then people give credit.... And when they need a big play, Romo looks for Witten, not TO.... (i.e. before halftime, last scoring drive, etc...)

 
I've been saying it, and I'm going to keep saying it...you want to "blame" someone or scream "overrated?" JIM JOHNSON.How many years have I been railing on the fact Reid gets so much hate yet JJ is still treated like a blessed son in Philly when it's his unit that more times than not comes up short. He's got the players this year, no one will tell me differently. Yet, JJ's vaunted aggressive scheme couldn't sack Romo yet somehow the Cowboys D was able to start getting pressure on our guys when it mattered most.
He's got the players? What down lineman is a legitimate pass rusher outside of Cole? Which one of the safeties has cover skills? If you say Demps; you didn't watch any of the preseason. Abiamiri's injury was & continues to be a big deal. Clemons & Bryan Smith's injuries have prevented them from being early contributors. This team lacks the personnel to generate an organic pass rush against a line like Dallas'. You want overrated? how about the starting defensive tackles that generate ZERO inside pressure? This team needs a healthy & contributing Abiamiri. Parker eats snaps, that's it. It needs it's defensive tackles to collapse a pocket; being stout at the POA & "battling" isn't a good enough return on the resources that have been spent. We lost the game because we failed to generate pressure despite an honest effort to address it in the offseason.
 
dirtywaters20 said:
I've been saying it, and I'm going to keep saying it...you want to "blame" someone or scream "overrated?" JIM JOHNSON.How many years have I been railing on the fact Reid gets so much hate yet JJ is still treated like a blessed son in Philly when it's his unit that more times than not comes up short. He's got the players this year, no one will tell me differently. Yet, JJ's vaunted aggressive scheme couldn't sack Romo yet somehow the Cowboys D was able to start getting pressure on our guys when it mattered most.
He's got the players? What down lineman is a legitimate pass rusher outside of Cole? Which one of the safeties has cover skills? If you say Demps; you didn't watch any of the preseason. Abiamiri's injury was & continues to be a big deal. Clemons & Bryan Smith's injuries have prevented them from being early contributors. This team lacks the personnel to generate an organic pass rush against a line like Dallas'. You want overrated? how about the starting defensive tackles that generate ZERO inside pressure? This team needs a healthy & contributing Abiamiri. Parker eats snaps, that's it. It needs it's defensive tackles to collapse a pocket; being stout at the POA & "battling" isn't a good enough return on the resources that have been spent. We lost the game because we failed to generate pressure despite an honest effort to address it in the offseason.
:popcorn: A four man rush will never generate consistent pressure against an elite O-line + a back blocking, no matter how good they are. And without consistant pressure, a QB of Romo's caliber with half decent receiving options will pick apart any secondary.It's both way too early and very unfair to declare this D-line a failure. Considering the success against the run...I'd be more inclined to declare them a success. The problem Monday night was the defensive scheme/gameplan...not the players.
 
dirtywaters20 said:
I've been saying it, and I'm going to keep saying it...you want to "blame" someone or scream "overrated?" JIM JOHNSON.

How many years have I been railing on the fact Reid gets so much hate yet JJ is still treated like a blessed son in Philly when it's his unit that more times than not comes up short. He's got the players this year, no one will tell me differently. Yet, JJ's vaunted aggressive scheme couldn't sack Romo yet somehow the Cowboys D was able to start getting pressure on our guys when it mattered most.
He's got the players? What down lineman is a legitimate pass rusher outside of Cole? Which one of the safeties has cover skills? If you say Demps; you didn't watch any of the preseason. Abiamiri's injury was & continues to be a big deal. Clemons & Bryan Smith's injuries have prevented them from being early contributors. This team lacks the personnel to generate an organic pass rush against a line like Dallas'. You want overrated? how about the starting defensive tackles that generate ZERO inside pressure? This team needs a healthy & contributing Abiamiri. Parker eats snaps, that's it. It needs it's defensive tackles to collapse a pocket; being stout at the POA & "battling" isn't a good enough return on the resources that have been spent. We lost the game because we failed to generate pressure despite an honest effort to address it in the offseason.
:mellow: A four man rush will never generate consistent pressure against an elite O-line + a back blocking, no matter how good they are. And without consistant pressure, a QB of Romo's caliber with half decent receiving options will pick apart any secondary.It's both way too early and very unfair to declare this D-line a failure. Considering the success against the run...I'd be more inclined to declare them a success. The problem Monday night was the defensive scheme/gameplan...not the players.
:confused: Aside from Cole, who in the front seven is a proven commodity when it comes to rushing the passer? Being successful at stopping the run but not generating a pass rush doesn't mean you're a success, it means you're one-dimensional. When your linebackers & safeties have trouble covering backs & tight ends (second week in a row) & you can't generate some resemblance of a pass rush, you're in trouble when you face an offense with Dallas' talent level. Blaming the defensive coordinator is easy, it doesn't make it correct. Quite frankly, he's got a lot more pedigree than the players you claim he has. With a few exceptions, the only thing they have is potential. Hopefully Monday night serves as another stepping stone in their development. I don't think the d-line is a failure (I think the defensive tackle rotation has enormous potential), but I do think they failed Monday night. Nonsense on the four man rush; Tenessee does it, as did the team that eliminated the Cowboys last year.
 
:shrug: Aside from Cole, who in the front seven is a proven commodity when it comes to rushing the passer? Being successful at stopping the run but not generating a pass rush doesn't mean you're a success, it means you're one-dimensional. When your linebackers & safeties have trouble covering backs & tight ends (second week in a row) & you can't generate some resemblance of a pass rush, you're in trouble when you face an offense with Dallas' talent level. Blaming the defensive coordinator is easy, it doesn't make it correct. Quite frankly, he's got a lot more pedigree than the players you claim he has. With a few exceptions, the only thing they have is potential. Hopefully Monday night serves as another stepping stone in their development. I don't think the d-line is a failure (I think the defensive tackle rotation has enormous potential), but I do think they failed Monday night. Nonsense on the four man rush; Tenessee does it, as did the team that eliminated the Cowboys last year.
The Giants had an ELITE line...one featuring two pro-bowlers. What I'm trying to say is that even a good line will struggle to generate a CONSISTANT pass rush on an ELITE blocking unit. There are only 2 or 3 teams in the NFL that will generate that kind of FOUR MAN pass rush on the Cowboys. It's hardly a damning comment that Philly isn't one of them. If JJ expected this young unit to generate that pressure with four men, then he screwed up. He made it worse when he didn't adjust enough after the first 4 times the Boys converted third and long with all day to throw. Basicly...he let TO's big play ability dictate how he ran the defense, and the plan failed miserably.
 
dirtywaters20 said:
I've been saying it, and I'm going to keep saying it...you want to "blame" someone or scream "overrated?" JIM JOHNSON.

How many years have I been railing on the fact Reid gets so much hate yet JJ is still treated like a blessed son in Philly when it's his unit that more times than not comes up short. He's got the players this year, no one will tell me differently. Yet, JJ's vaunted aggressive scheme couldn't sack Romo yet somehow the Cowboys D was able to start getting pressure on our guys when it mattered most.
He's got the players? What down lineman is a legitimate pass rusher outside of Cole? Which one of the safeties has cover skills? If you say Demps; you didn't watch any of the preseason. Abiamiri's injury was & continues to be a big deal. Clemons & Bryan Smith's injuries have prevented them from being early contributors. This team lacks the personnel to generate an organic pass rush against a line like Dallas'. You want overrated? how about the starting defensive tackles that generate ZERO inside pressure? This team needs a healthy & contributing Abiamiri. Parker eats snaps, that's it. It needs it's defensive tackles to collapse a pocket; being stout at the POA & "battling" isn't a good enough return on the resources that have been spent. We lost the game because we failed to generate pressure despite an honest effort to address it in the offseason.
:pickle: A four man rush will never generate consistent pressure against an elite O-line + a back blocking, no matter how good they are. And without consistant pressure, a QB of Romo's caliber with half decent receiving options will pick apart any secondary.It's both way too early and very unfair to declare this D-line a failure. Considering the success against the run...I'd be more inclined to declare them a success. The problem Monday night was the defensive scheme/gameplan...not the players.
:thumbup: Aside from Cole, who in the front seven is a proven commodity when it comes to rushing the passer? Being successful at stopping the run but not generating a pass rush doesn't mean you're a success, it means you're one-dimensional. When your linebackers & safeties have trouble covering backs & tight ends (second week in a row) & you can't generate some resemblance of a pass rush, you're in trouble when you face an offense with Dallas' talent level. Blaming the defensive coordinator is easy, it doesn't make it correct. Quite frankly, he's got a lot more pedigree than the players you claim he has. With a few exceptions, the only thing they have is potential. Hopefully Monday night serves as another stepping stone in their development. I don't think the d-line is a failure (I think the defensive tackle rotation has enormous potential), but I do think they failed Monday night. Nonsense on the four man rush; Tenessee does it, as did the team that eliminated the Cowboys last year.
I'm glad today's focus is generally on the only reason the Eagles lost the game and that of course is the lack of any passrush. For any of you guys to rip into McNabb for the way he played yesterday is literally insane. What the hell wer you guys watching???? How any Eagle fan isnt through the roof happy how good McNabb looked Mon given his injury history since 2005 is mindboggling to me. The passrsh is without question going to be what derails this team. Newsflash for all you guys moaning about the lack of an inside passrush - Patterson and Bunkley wrer brought in to plug the middle and improve thier run defense - I think they do a good job of that, and now that our linebackers look really good, I'm not worried about our run defense this year. How come no one gives JJ and Reid any credit for completely transforming this LB corps. Just two years ago, they were embarassing and now they are a strenght. Cole can only do so much, Clemons and Abrianmi hurt, but the Howard signing was a killer. They paid him elite money and he's been nothign short of a joke.

 
:lmao: Aside from Cole, who in the front seven is a proven commodity when it comes to rushing the passer? Being successful at stopping the run but not generating a pass rush doesn't mean you're a success, it means you're one-dimensional. When your linebackers & safeties have trouble covering backs & tight ends (second week in a row) & you can't generate some resemblance of a pass rush, you're in trouble when you face an offense with Dallas' talent level. Blaming the defensive coordinator is easy, it doesn't make it correct. Quite frankly, he's got a lot more pedigree than the players you claim he has. With a few exceptions, the only thing they have is potential. Hopefully Monday night serves as another stepping stone in their development. I don't think the d-line is a failure (I think the defensive tackle rotation has enormous potential), but I do think they failed Monday night. Nonsense on the four man rush; Tenessee does it, as did the team that eliminated the Cowboys last year.
The Giants had an ELITE line...one featuring two pro-bowlers. What I'm trying to say is that even a good line will struggle to generate a CONSISTANT pass rush on an ELITE blocking unit. There are only 2 or 3 teams in the NFL that will generate that kind of FOUR MAN pass rush on the Cowboys. It's hardly a damning comment that Philly isn't one of them. If JJ expected this young unit to generate that pressure with four men, then he screwed up. He made it worse when he didn't adjust enough after the first 4 times the Boys converted third and long with all day to throw. Basicly...he let TO's big play ability dictate how he ran the defense, and the plan failed miserably.
Dallas has an ELITE offense, one featuring at least 5 pro-bowlers. If you wan't to beat them, maybe you need ELITE defensive lineman/linebackers. I count one. Stop blaming Johnson. It's ridiculous. It's either death by gunshot or death by a 1000 cuts. He picked his poison & the team was still in a position to win because of it. I guess we should overlook that one of the touchdowns came via special teams & Romo was working with a short field all night long. Hell if you want to talk overrated; look at our kicker. How many touchbacks has he had recently? I honestly can remember 1 from Monday.
 
I've been saying it, and I'm going to keep saying it...you want to "blame" someone or scream "overrated?" JIM JOHNSON.How many years have I been railing on the fact Reid gets so much hate yet JJ is still treated like a blessed son in Philly when it's his unit that more times than not comes up short. He's got the players this year, no one will tell me differently. Yet, JJ's vaunted aggressive scheme couldn't sack Romo yet somehow the Cowboys D was able to start getting pressure on our guys when it mattered most.
I agree, he hardly is accountable for any wrong doing. The defense needs to BLITZ against Romo, not drop 7 back. When they were blitzing they were getting to him. McNabb made a bad play with the botched handoff and yes, he maybe should have scambled for some 1st downs, but remember the last time he did he ended up with a torn ACL. maybe that's why he tried to throw instead of run? Either way I don't put the loss on McNabb, I put it on the defensive play.
 
I learned this tonight1. Considine should have been cut preseason. He gave up that bomb to TO2. ST coach Rory Segret still sucks. SHould have been fired last season3. Reid can not do 2 minutes to save his life4. McNabb HAS to learn to run again and toss passes away5.Avant Lewis and Baskett are good WRs....3 4 5 WRs....need i say more? ( brown and curtis are not much better )6. Jackson is for real7. LJ Smith is overrated by this org.8. West makes this team go round. Take him out and Ried is a fish on land.On other notes. We alot of bad calls / non calls tonight by the refs. Seemed to be a trend this weekend.
bad calls yea. but what are you saying? there were two missed Facemask calls on the Cowboys, but the PI call to give the ball to the Eagles on the 1 was offensive PI all the way. overall not a bad officiated game.jackson is the real deal, but come on! make sure you in the endzone.
The penalty that killed me was the false start on Dallas that turned into a 15 yd gift for them. What the hell? The guy makes a move so you rush him and knock him down and they flag you? How do you disregard one penalty when it's the one that caused everything? Minimum it should be off-setting.
Dude...making contact is one thing, pummeling a guy after the whistle is another. False start is one type of penalty and unnecessary roughness is another...nothing offsetting about that...
 
:confused:

It's sad really. All of the Donovan Defenders have their blinders on and so they can't see the real point of the Donovan criticism. I'll be done with this type of post (until the next time he chokes) as i want to get pumped up for the PIT game, but let me break it down real simple for you

Donovan...chokes...in...the...clutch.

Need more? Ok, this may hurt a bit...

5 is the perfect QB for a philly sports team. He makes unbelievable plays, stomps on weak teams, and wins a lot of games. And then, when it matters most, when its time to bring a championship home to a city that desperately needs one, he will crush you. He will destroy your hopes and dreams of a parade down broad street with yet another bone headed mistake, mental fumble, or puke-fest in the huddle. He will gasp for breath, hands on his knees, showing us all what he had for lucnh that day. He will flash that smile when he misses yet another wide open receiver or bounces another ground ball down the field. Its ok though, why would anyone expect a guy with a 9 figure contract to step up and be the best?

So yeah, lay off McNabb, he is exactly what you have come to expect from your sports teams and stars...second best.

 
Guys, guys...allow me to explain why Philly still scares the poo out of me:

This is the NFC East, and it's as competitive this year as ever. Heavy is the crown of the leader of the NFC East heading into the playoffs this year, much like last. The Giants taught me two (2) things last year...1) you don't have to be the best team, you just have to be the most ticked-off...and 2) The odds of beating a division foe three (3) times in one season are astronomical. Mark my words, barring major injuries the Super Bowl champion will come out of the NFC East this year, and maybe even the next few.

To come out of the NFC East and into the playoffs this year is to come out battle-hardened and playoff ready as every divisional game will have a playoff atmosphere. Most importantly, Philly was TICKED in the post-game interviews, and Dallas acted like we expected that result...business as usual with little emotion.

And THAT my friends, is what got us beat last year. Good luck to y'all, and I'm praying week 17 has major implications and that y'all win...I want my 'Boy's hungry heading into the playoffs versus entitled...

 
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Take it for what it's worth. I tend to agree with this guy tho.

THE LAST TIME Donovan McNabb brought the Eagles back to win a game in the fourth quarter was not in the Paleozoic Era. It was last November at Washington. You remember - a screen pass to Brian Westbrook, a couple of big blocks downfield by Shawn Andrews and Jon Runyan and, 57 yards later, the go-ahead touchdown.

You see, McNabb has done it.

This year, last year and the year before, there have been six games in which McNabb found himself in the same position as on Monday night in Dallas: trailing by one score (that is, by eight points or less) and with possession of the ball in the fourth quarter.

Six times. And in three of those six games, he has left the field for the final time with the lead. That is a fine percentage, much better than the league average - not Tom Brady or John Elway, for sure, but really not bad at all.

And, so, another non-issue bites the dust.

It is complicated, of course, because football is complicated. And it is emotional, of course, because McNabb just committed a terrible gaffe on a botched handoff and then took a ridiculous sack in the final stretch of the Eagles' 41-37 loss to Dallas.

And, well, did you hear that he threw up at the Super Bowl?

Yes, he could be a better player at the end of close games. Yes, his accuracy drops. Yes, he is still too reluctant to take a chance and throw the ball downfield, even when desperate times suggest the need for desperate measures; cliche alert.

But McNabb still wins his share.

This is not some fatal flaw.

Talking about the Dallas game yesterday, especially the stumbling end of the game, Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said, "We need to execute just a little bit better, and I have to do a little bit better job there as well . . . Hopefully, we'll win two out of three of those types of games, and things will work out that way."

Mornhinweg is right in this sense: You want to get two out of three when you walk into the fourth quarter with a lead. That is about where a good NFL team hopes to be. The league is ridiculous, and getting more ridiculous all the time - it really is true that few leads are comfortable anymore. Still, you hate when you kick one away, and McNabb's botched handoff to Westbrook was the catalyst for defeat, and they all have to live with that.

But it was one game. And McNabb's failure to rally to victory after the fumble was neither unusual nor unexpected. It does not brand him as anything but a guy who lost a game in Week 2 of his 10th season.

Because he really does win his share - and deserves to win even more. Twice in the last 2 years, McNabb has engineered fourth-quarter comebacks - against Tampa Bay in 2006 and Chicago in 2007 - only to have the team lose the lead again before he could get back on the field. That knocks down his overall numbers.

Even then, he has converted comebacks 39 percent of the time. The Web site footballoutsiders.com did a 10-year study of these kinds of comebacks a little while back and determined that the NFL average was 41 percent. If you give McNabb those Tampa Bay and Chicago games, he's at 45 percent. The point is, he has the average pretty much surrounded.

He does not stink.

He is not deficient.

In comebacks, he is typical.

Dallas quarterback Tony Romo has had a much shorter career. He is at 37.5 percent so far.

The sainted Peyton Manning? He is at 41 percent for his obviously successful career.

Brady, out now with a knee injury, might be having the greatest NFL career ever. He is at an astonishing 66 percent in coming from behind in these fourth-quarter, one-score situations. He is clearly the best.

But McNabb is right there with the rest of them.

We have all been through the can-this-marriage-be-saved thing with this particular quarterback. It has been 10 tumultuous years and there have been criticisms along the way, many valid. But this isn't one of them.

Yes, the fumble was horrendous. But the truth is, he looks pretty good.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles...ly_bad_rap.html
 
Take it for what it's worth. I tend to agree with this guy tho.

THE LAST TIME Donovan McNabb brought the Eagles back to win a game in the fourth quarter was not in the Paleozoic Era. It was last November at Washington. You remember - a screen pass to Brian Westbrook, a couple of big blocks downfield by Shawn Andrews and Jon Runyan and, 57 yards later, the go-ahead touchdown.

You see, McNabb has done it.

This year, last year and the year before, there have been six games in which McNabb found himself in the same position as on Monday night in Dallas: trailing by one score (that is, by eight points or less) and with possession of the ball in the fourth quarter.

Six times. And in three of those six games, he has left the field for the final time with the lead. That is a fine percentage, much better than the league average - not Tom Brady or John Elway, for sure, but really not bad at all.

And, so, another non-issue bites the dust.

It is complicated, of course, because football is complicated. And it is emotional, of course, because McNabb just committed a terrible gaffe on a botched handoff and then took a ridiculous sack in the final stretch of the Eagles' 41-37 loss to Dallas.

And, well, did you hear that he threw up at the Super Bowl?

Yes, he could be a better player at the end of close games. Yes, his accuracy drops. Yes, he is still too reluctant to take a chance and throw the ball downfield, even when desperate times suggest the need for desperate measures; cliche alert.

But McNabb still wins his share.

This is not some fatal flaw.

Talking about the Dallas game yesterday, especially the stumbling end of the game, Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said, "We need to execute just a little bit better, and I have to do a little bit better job there as well . . . Hopefully, we'll win two out of three of those types of games, and things will work out that way."

Mornhinweg is right in this sense: You want to get two out of three when you walk into the fourth quarter with a lead. That is about where a good NFL team hopes to be. The league is ridiculous, and getting more ridiculous all the time - it really is true that few leads are comfortable anymore. Still, you hate when you kick one away, and McNabb's botched handoff to Westbrook was the catalyst for defeat, and they all have to live with that.

But it was one game. And McNabb's failure to rally to victory after the fumble was neither unusual nor unexpected. It does not brand him as anything but a guy who lost a game in Week 2 of his 10th season.

Because he really does win his share - and deserves to win even more. Twice in the last 2 years, McNabb has engineered fourth-quarter comebacks - against Tampa Bay in 2006 and Chicago in 2007 - only to have the team lose the lead again before he could get back on the field. That knocks down his overall numbers.

Even then, he has converted comebacks 39 percent of the time. The Web site footballoutsiders.com did a 10-year study of these kinds of comebacks a little while back and determined that the NFL average was 41 percent. If you give McNabb those Tampa Bay and Chicago games, he's at 45 percent. The point is, he has the average pretty much surrounded.

He does not stink.

He is not deficient.

In comebacks, he is typical.

Dallas quarterback Tony Romo has had a much shorter career. He is at 37.5 percent so far.

The sainted Peyton Manning? He is at 41 percent for his obviously successful career.

Brady, out now with a knee injury, might be having the greatest NFL career ever. He is at an astonishing 66 percent in coming from behind in these fourth-quarter, one-score situations. He is clearly the best.

But McNabb is right there with the rest of them.

We have all been through the can-this-marriage-be-saved thing with this particular quarterback. It has been 10 tumultuous years and there have been criticisms along the way, many valid. But this isn't one of them.

Yes, the fumble was horrendous. But the truth is, he looks pretty good.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles...ly_bad_rap.html
I agree with the overall premise of the article but it is worth noting that most of the examples he uses to bolster his argument revolve around Brian Westbrook taking a short pass & turning it into a big play. Westbrook is money & the most important cog in this offense.
 
I heard an interesting stat, I think it was a philly.com article stating that under McNabb the Eagles are 24-24 (.500) in games where the outcome was by 3 points or less. That tends to lead me to believe the McNabb not be the most clutch QB in the league he still has done it in the clutch. Everyone forget 4th and 26th? The REAL problem is that in games where he's absoluetly needed to be clutch more than ever, he's failed. Namely the NFC Championships they didn't win. The Super Bowl. Any game we play with Dallas. The games the Philly fan wants to win the most he generally has a tough time pulling it out in the clutch.

With that said, a QB of his caliber comes around may be once every ten year. Before he was here we had to sit through the likes of Rodney Peete, Ty Detmer, Dopug Pederson, get the picture? A good chunk of the reason this team has been good for so long is because of DMac. I want him to stay around and play at this level for as long as he can because (and no dis-respect to Kevin Kolb) it's a long shot that Kolb is going to be as good or even better than Donovan.

 
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a lot of good, level-headed posts in here, and i admittedly was fired up last night. BUT, i still have McNabb in my sights today (figuratively of course :tinfoilhat: )

You guys who defend him are like moths flying around a big bug zapper. yeah, he looked great for 3 quarters of that game. Yeah, he made plays that very few other QBs could have made. But when it comes down to it, when the game is on the line, and when you need a clutch performance at the penultimate moment, McNabb simply cannot deliver.

Of course the D is to blame for the loss. Because if they dont get McNabb a double digit lead in the 4th quarter, he will find a way to blow it. Of course the WRs need to be better. Oh wait, they found a way to get open in the 1st 3 quarters and then magically couldnt get separation in the 4th qtr. C'mon, i'm not buying it.

McNabb hit the panic button, hard. He always has and he always will. I've always been a HUGE McNabb fan. But i simply do not believe in him anymore. The Eagles will be a playoff team, at best, with him at QB. nothing more, nothing less. So, all you defenders out there, hope you enjoy your 10-6 season and the crushing playoff loss that comes with it.
You negativity about McNabb is sickening. He is one of the 5 best QBs in the league, and has brought the Eagles tons of success in the last 10 years, despite his many injuries. If there is any problem with McNabb, it is his inability to stay healthy due to his playing style.
McNabb hit the panic button, hard. He always has and he always will. I've always been a HUGE McNabb fan. But i simply do not believe in him anymore. The Eagles will be a playoff team, at best, with him at QB. nothing more, nothing less. So, all you defenders out there, hope you enjoy your 10-6 season and the crushing playoff loss that comes with it.
You say your view on McNabb has changed, yet you think he's the same QB he has been for his entire career. What has he done or not done that has made you change your viewpoint? Personally, I didn't think Eli Manning or Brad Johnson or Trent Dilfer would win a Super Bowl, but I was wrong. The Eagles and the fans know what they have in McNabb and that hasn't changed this year. If you don't like it or don't wanna cheer for the guy because he couldn't win a game in week 2 on the road against the best team in the league with a 6 point 4th quarter lead then don't. I'm as upset as most are about last night and Donovan was part of the reason they lost, but I'm not calling for the guy's head. IT'S WEEK 2.

The last time I posted in here you were claiming how they shouldn't pay Westbrook. Now you're all over McNabb. You also say the Eagles don't play well against the Steelers when in fact they've played them a total of 2 times since Reid came to town, with a record of 1-1. As a lifelong Eagles fan you're gonna come to the stadium and boo as soon as the guy steps on the field? Just stay home.

I'm sorry for the rant, but we need to relax. We have a really good group of guys and a very exciting rookie receiver. I'm looking forward to the Steelers game.
I said i dont believe in him any more. That i have lost my faith in his ability to win a big game when the pressure is squarely on his shoulders in the 4th qtr. Generally speaking, I dont think he's any different a player now than he was 5 years ago. The shine has worn off for me though. Its like when you finally start seeing all the flaws in that girl you've been dating for a while. Sometimes you can live with those flaws, other times you cant and therefore need to move on.I still dont think they should have renegotiated westy's deal...but that discussion is for another time and place

Oh, and guess what...if I am going to spend $500 to fly up to Philly, $400 on a hotel, $300 on misc expenses, and $250 on tickets you better believe that i am going to voice my opinion. I'll cheer for the eagles b/c i've been bred to bleed green and silver, but if they announce the O before the game, i will let McNabb know how i feel about his "clutch" performances.

Don't worry lil buddy, i know the fan'dom is blurring your vision now. But, 10-20 years from now, when the Eagles have a true clutch QB, you will look back at McNabb and see him for what he is.
You should really talk to the Eagles and help them out. Getting rid of their franchise QB and one of the best backs in the league is a great plan. While we are at it, we might as well fire Andy Reid because he can't win the big game. :rolleyes: You sound like a Steelers fan that wanted to fire Cowher before he won a Superbowl despite all of the success they had. Get some perspective, buddy.
I've been saying it, and I'm going to keep saying it...you want to "blame" someone or scream "overrated?" JIM JOHNSON.

How many years have I been railing on the fact Reid gets so much hate yet JJ is still treated like a blessed son in Philly when it's his unit that more times than not comes up short. He's got the players this year, no one will tell me differently. Yet, JJ's vaunted aggressive scheme couldn't sack Romo yet somehow the Cowboys D was able to start getting pressure on our guys when it mattered most.
He's got the players? What down lineman is a legitimate pass rusher outside of Cole? Which one of the safeties has cover skills? If you say Demps; you didn't watch any of the preseason. Abiamiri's injury was & continues to be a big deal. Clemons & Bryan Smith's injuries have prevented them from being early contributors. This team lacks the personnel to generate an organic pass rush against a line like Dallas'. You want overrated? how about the starting defensive tackles that generate ZERO inside pressure? This team needs a healthy & contributing Abiamiri. Parker eats snaps, that's it. It needs it's defensive tackles to collapse a pocket; being stout at the POA & "battling" isn't a good enough return on the resources that have been spent. We lost the game because we failed to generate pressure despite an honest effort to address it in the offseason.
:confused: A four man rush will never generate consistent pressure against an elite O-line + a back blocking, no matter how good they are. And without consistant pressure, a QB of Romo's caliber with half decent receiving options will pick apart any secondary.It's both way too early and very unfair to declare this D-line a failure. Considering the success against the run...I'd be more inclined to declare them a success. The problem Monday night was the defensive scheme/gameplan...not the players.
:confused: Aside from Cole, who in the front seven is a proven commodity when it comes to rushing the passer? Being successful at stopping the run but not generating a pass rush doesn't mean you're a success, it means you're one-dimensional. When your linebackers & safeties have trouble covering backs & tight ends (second week in a row) & you can't generate some resemblance of a pass rush, you're in trouble when you face an offense with Dallas' talent level. Blaming the defensive coordinator is easy, it doesn't make it correct. Quite frankly, he's got a lot more pedigree than the players you claim he has. With a few exceptions, the only thing they have is potential. Hopefully Monday night serves as another stepping stone in their development. I don't think the d-line is a failure (I think the defensive tackle rotation has enormous potential), but I do think they failed Monday night. Nonsense on the four man rush; Tenessee does it, as did the team that eliminated the Cowboys last year.
I'm glad today's focus is generally on the only reason the Eagles lost the game and that of course is the lack of any passrush. For any of you guys to rip into McNabb for the way he played yesterday is literally insane. What the hell wer you guys watching???? How any Eagle fan isnt through the roof happy how good McNabb looked Mon given his injury history since 2005 is mindboggling to me. The passrsh is without question going to be what derails this team. Newsflash for all you guys moaning about the lack of an inside passrush - Patterson and Bunkley wrer brought in to plug the middle and improve thier run defense - I think they do a good job of that, and now that our linebackers look really good, I'm not worried about our run defense this year. How come no one gives JJ and Reid any credit for completely transforming this LB corps. Just two years ago, they were embarassing and now they are a strenght. Cole can only do so much, Clemons and Abrianmi hurt, but the Howard signing was a killer. They paid him elite money and he's been nothign short of a joke.
:thumbup: McNabb is back to form, and he will give the Eagles a chance at the Superbowl this year. The lineman didn't get a pass rush, but does everyone realize that the Eagles were one fumble away from beating the Superbowl favorite in their house?
 
Since the beginning of 2006, the Eagles have lost 11 games McNabb played. Here they are:

2006 Week 2 vs. NYG: Team blows big lead

2006 Week 6 vs. NO: Saints run 9 minute drive to kick a winning field goal as time expires

2006 Week 7 vs. TB: Matt Bryant hits 62 yard field goal as time expires to win it

2006 Week 8 vs. JAX: Team as a whole got thoroughly dominated, offense couldn't do anything

2007 Week 1 vs. GB: Special teams disasters lead to GB winning field goal as time expires

2007 Week 2 vs. WAS: Team gets down to WAS 9 but can't convert tying TD on 4th down

2007 Week 4 vs. NYG: Winston Justice sabotages the team

2007 Week 7 vs. CHI: Vaunted Griese-Muhammad combo leads Bears on game winning 2 minute drive. Score winning TD with 15 seconds left.

2007 Week 9 vs. DAL: See JAX.

2007 Week 14 vs. NYG: After a failed 4th down, team gets ball back with 53 seconds left and Akers misses tying field goal.

2008 Week 2 vs. DAL: Dallas scores go ahead TD with under 5 minutes to play

I count 4 squarely on the defense, 2 on getting dominated all around, 1 on special teams, 1 on Justice/team, with the WAS, most recent NYG, and this weeks DAL game as the only games where McNabb could've even had a chance to win it in the 4th quarter.

The bigger issue is the defense. It has been and still is scary when it comes down to holding a team at the end.

 
Since we're talking about Donovan so much, this may add some interesting quantification of his abilities and "clutch" factor:

McNabb - Clutch?

McNabb's clutch-play issue

By Bob Brookover

It's fair to criticize Donovan McNabb for his botched fourth-quarter exchange with Brian Westbrook that led to Dallas' game-winning touchdown Monday night at Texas Stadium. He blamed himself.

It's fair to say the quarterback should have run when he had room to take off on the Eagles' final offensive possession.

And, yes, it's even fair to wonder whether McNabb is a really good quarterback who allows greatness to elude him because of his inability to come through in close and big games. His career record as a starter against playoff teams is 21-26. That means he has won a lot of big games, but he's lost more.

The quarterback's job at crunch time is to make the play or plays that make the difference in the game. That, of course, is everybody's job, but the quarterback has the best chance to make a difference because every play starts with the ball in his hand.

McNabb's career record in games decided by seven points or fewer is 24-24. It would be erroneous to say that all 24 of those wins or all 24 of those losses came down to something the quarterback did or didn't do.

Still, it's enlightening to compare how some of the other elite quarterbacks have fared in the same situation during their careers.

Tom Brady, for example, is 39-10 in games decided by seven points or fewer, including a 7-2 mark in the postseason. Maybe that means he has a better team, a better coach, and a better plan at the end of games. That's all part of a quarterback's greatness, too. But it most certainly means that Brady has made more big plays at the ends of games than McNabb.

Peyton Manning is 45-32 in games decided by seven points or fewer, but just 2-4 in the postseason. As brilliantly as Manning has played in his career, he also was widely criticized for his failure to come through in the clutch until he won a Super Bowl two seasons ago.

Brett Favre is 62-47 in games decided by seven points or fewer, but only 3-4 in the postseason. He, too, gets a hall pass because of that one Super Bowl victory. Favre, like McNabb, hasn't always come through in the clutch, a fact Eagles fans saw firsthand in a playoff game after the 2003 season. It was his awful wounded-duck interception to Brian Dawkins in overtime that sealed the Packers' fate after McNabb had delivered a miracle with a fourth-and-26 throw to Freddie Mitchell.

That, by the way, is McNabb's only playoff win in a game decided by three or fewer points.

None of this is meant to disparage McNabb's talent, which is immense. It's also wrong to pin all of the blame for the Eagles' Week 2 loss on the quarterback, just as it was bogus to blame him for the team's Super Bowl loss to New England. He botched the handoff to Westbrook and made some questionable decisions on the final possession, but some people will have you believe it was his fault that Jason Witten went uncovered most of the night.

"Donovan did some real good things," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "He played very well if you look at that game from a whole."

McNabb, of course, was every bit as responsible for the Eagles' being in that close shoot-out down in Texas as he was for what happened at the end.

For anybody who wants to revisit the infamous Super Bowl drive that took too long to execute, we'll pull out the tape and show you a drop by Westbrook that was just as debilitating as any event that happened that night in Jacksonville.

"It's really not fair," cornerback Sheldon Brown said. "At the end of the day, you win together as a team, and you lose together as a team. This isn't tennis, and this isn't golf. So many different things can affect the outcome."

Fair or not, the quarterback and the coach are the guys who always endure the brunt of the blame at the end of a close game. McNabb knows the deal.

"We didn't win," he said. "There were some positive things in that game, but when it comes down to it, we didn't win. I don't think anyone would say they played great because we didn't play good enough to win the game. You know, it's time to put that behind you and change the outcome this week."

That is the good thing about the NFL. The Eagles have a chance to rebound Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers in another game that's likely to be decided by seven points or fewer. McNabb should have another chance to make a play or plays that can make the difference.

There's still plenty of time this season for McNabb to prove he's at his best when the game is on the line. That's what the great quarterbacks do.
 
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You negativity about McNabb is sickening. He is one of the 5 best QBs in the league, and has brought the Eagles tons of success in the last 10 years, despite his many injuries. If there is any problem with McNabb, it is his inability to stay healthy due to his playing style.
Sometimes the truth is hard to hear. And i realize it wont be a popular comment in a thread full of blindly faithful eagles fans. But, its what i see and what i know to be true based on the facts as they exist today. Like i said, McNabb is great...until it matters most. I hope i am wrong. I hope i have to come back to this thread and eat crow on Feb 2, 2009. But, i know i wont have to as long as a playoff game comes down to McNabb having to make a play late in the 4th.
You should really talk to the Eagles and help them out. Getting rid of their franchise QB and one of the best backs in the league is a great plan. While we are at it, we might as well fire Andy Reid because he can't win the big game. :rolleyes: You sound like a Steelers fan that wanted to fire Cowher before he won a Superbowl despite all of the success they had. Get some perspective, buddy.
:shrug: please show me where i said they should get rid of Westy..or McNabb? BEFORE HIS EXTENSION, Westy was locked in through 2010, at which point he will be 31. I know McNabb is their best option right now. It just sucks to know that his inability to perform in the clutch will most likely hold this team back at a critical moment.And i admit i was fired up about AR after last year, but i've got no problem with him. He's brought stability to this franchise that it has never known (not in my lifetime anyway).Like i said, the truth is hard...especially for the blindly faithful. Its like trying to tell that guy who found jesus in his breakfast toast that its just a coincidence. Go Eagles! They'll go as far as their D takes them. Because if its left up to McNabb, well...
 
Since we're talking about Donovan so much, this may add some interesting quantification of his abilities and "clutch" factor:

McNabb - Clutch?

McNabb's clutch-play issue

Still, it's enlightening to compare how some of the other elite quarterbacks have fared in the same situation during their careers.

Tom Brady, for example, is 39-10 in games decided by seven points or fewer, including a 7-2 mark in the postseason. Maybe that means he has a better team, a better coach, and a better plan at the end of games. That's all part of a quarterback's greatness, too. But it most certainly means that Brady has made more big plays at the ends of games than McNabb.

Peyton Manning is 45-32 in games decided by seven points or fewer, but just 2-4 in the postseason. As brilliantly as Manning has played in his career, he also was widely criticized for his failure to come through in the clutch until he won a Super Bowl two seasons ago.

Brett Favre is 62-47 in games decided by seven points or fewer, but only 3-4 in the postseason. He, too, gets a hall pass because of that one Super Bowl victory. Favre, like McNabb, hasn't always come through in the clutch, a fact Eagles fans saw firsthand in a playoff game after the 2003 season. It was his awful wounded-duck interception to Brian Dawkins in overtime that sealed the Packers' fate after McNabb had delivered a miracle with a fourth-and-26 throw to Freddie Mitchell.
and each of those guys put it together enough times to win a superbowl. McNabb is 1-3 in NFC Champ games and 0-1 in his lone SB. A SB that he had a chance to win. Unfortunately, he lost his lunch and then the game that day
 
You negativity about McNabb is sickening. He is one of the 5 best QBs in the league, and has brought the Eagles tons of success in the last 10 years, despite his many injuries. If there is any problem with McNabb, it is his inability to stay healthy due to his playing style.
Sometimes the truth is hard to hear. And i realize it wont be a popular comment in a thread full of blindly faithful eagles fans. But, its what i see and what i know to be true based on the facts as they exist today. Like i said, McNabb is great...until it matters most. I hope i am wrong. I hope i have to come back to this thread and eat crow on Feb 2, 2009. But, i know i wont have to as long as a playoff game comes down to McNabb having to make a play late in the 4th.
You should really talk to the Eagles and help them out. Getting rid of their franchise QB and one of the best backs in the league is a great plan. While we are at it, we might as well fire Andy Reid because he can't win the big game. :loco: You sound like a Steelers fan that wanted to fire Cowher before he won a Superbowl despite all of the success they had. Get some perspective, buddy.
:wall: please show me where i said they should get rid of Westy..or McNabb? BEFORE HIS EXTENSION, Westy was locked in through 2010, at which point he will be 31. I know McNabb is their best option right now. It just sucks to know that his inability to perform in the clutch will most likely hold this team back at a critical moment.And i admit i was fired up about AR after last year, but i've got no problem with him. He's brought stability to this franchise that it has never known (not in my lifetime anyway).

Like i said, the truth is hard...especially for the blindly faithful. Its like trying to tell that guy who found jesus in his breakfast toast that its just a coincidence.

Go Eagles! They'll go as far as their D takes them. Because if its left up to McNabb, well...
The fatal flaw in your logic is your failure to recognize that the same arguments have been made about several HOF QB's before they were able to finally win the big one. How about Elway? More recently, Peyton Manning was crushed by fans and media for several years abut how he couldn't win the big one. Oddly enough, it wasn't until their respective teams filled other critical holes on the team that they won. (Terrel Davis, an actual NFL caliber defense)You have blasted McNabb. Folks BESIDES us "blind homers" have come back at you calling your criticism unfair. Statistics (such as in the article above) are shown proving the fallicy of your basic premise. Another poster describes each and every loss under McNabb the last three years, showing he had direct negaive influence on maybe 2, and STILL you want to attack him in here?

Go root for the Bengals, the Lions or the Rams...because that's the kind of team a "fan" like you deserves. Then, you'll have more then enough real stuff to criticize and won't have to make crap up.

 
Since the beginning of 2006, the Eagles have lost 11 games McNabb played. Here they are:2006 Week 2 vs. NYG: Team blows big lead2006 Week 6 vs. NO: Saints run 9 minute drive to kick a winning field goal as time expires2006 Week 7 vs. TB: Matt Bryant hits 62 yard field goal as time expires to win it2006 Week 8 vs. JAX: Team as a whole got thoroughly dominated, offense couldn't do anything2007 Week 1 vs. GB: Special teams disasters lead to GB winning field goal as time expires2007 Week 2 vs. WAS: Team gets down to WAS 9 but can't convert tying TD on 4th down2007 Week 4 vs. NYG: Winston Justice sabotages the team2007 Week 7 vs. CHI: Vaunted Griese-Muhammad combo leads Bears on game winning 2 minute drive. Score winning TD with 15 seconds left.2007 Week 9 vs. DAL: See JAX.2007 Week 14 vs. NYG: After a failed 4th down, team gets ball back with 53 seconds left and Akers misses tying field goal.2008 Week 2 vs. DAL: Dallas scores go ahead TD with under 5 minutes to playI count 4 squarely on the defense, 2 on getting dominated all around, 1 on special teams, 1 on Justice/team, with the WAS, most recent NYG, and this weeks DAL game as the only games where McNabb could've even had a chance to win it in the 4th quarter.The bigger issue is the defense. It has been and still is scary when it comes down to holding a team at the end.
I appreciate the effort but don't really see how this proves anything. The only way to do this is to go back & review every single play from the games in questions...a painstaking task for sure. I can already point out a couple instances off the top of my head where your you seem to shift failure from McNabb where it isn't warranted. Tampa Bay game for instance; didn't McNabb "get picked 6" trying to throw deep outs in that game? I remember that Jacksonville game; they couldn't get a damn thing going offensively the whole game, they were terrible. As the captain of that ship, I would place a lot more blame at Donovan's feet than you seem to. Even the Washington game, I specifically remember he had Curtis wide open in the endzone on the drive you mention & missed him by a mile. I agree that McNabb (like every franchise QB who hasn't yet delivered a Lombardi) will get an inordinate amount of the criticism from the fanbase for their failure to do so. I guess the upside to being a franchise qb is that they also frequently get too much of the credit when the team does deliver a champhionship. Trying to retroactively assess a percentage of who is most responsible for a loss without looking at a game in its entirety just seems like an exercise in futility to me.
 
mcnabb is an amazing talent. he can put up stats with the best of em.

yet he becomes noticeably worse when there is real pressure on him. 4th and 26's are when his talent returns because the pressure is off.

he isn't AWFUL in the clutch, but he goes from being a top 5 qb to a below average one when the game is on the line. you can plainly see him back there tapdancing around nervously afraid to make any mistake. cant believe those #### eating grins he pulls after making game-ruining mistakes. it looks like hes relieved that the burden of being in control of the outcome in a favorable position has been lifted off his shoulders. he has an inexplicable nonchalant attitude after every single game. no matter what happened its the same disinterested, detached tone of voice.

What I've realized is that he is sensitive and insecure and he doesn't really care about winning. The opinion of the general public has always been more important to him than winning. Luckily he is talented enough that he wins games basically by accident, but it is quite obvious to me that he doesn't have the same killer competitive "MUST WIN" mentality that almost all of the QBs in this league seem to have.

Westbrook has single-handedly won games at the end so many more times than Mcnabb ever has or will.

Not sure how a dumpoff to westbrook counts as mcnabb engineering a comeback(though he has been known to miss this pass quite frequently so I guess I should give him some credit for not throwing this into the ground)

tl;dr: An incredible talent turned into a sensitive baby by an overprotective mom.

 
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Pivotal 3 game stretch for the Birds. PIT, @CHI and WAS will tell a lot about this team. I think 2-1 is realistic and even 1-2 is not reason to panic, but 0-3 is a season killer. Also they need to stay healthy during this stretch (McNabb + Westy) as the schedule softens up a bit after that. But they will still have 4 games vs NFC East opponents on the back half of the schedule so they can make up a game or two if they need to.

 
Andrews is doubtful for Sunday. Thats a bit worrysome against Pitt D. MJG is OK but not great and a definite step down. McNabb could be hassled all day.

 
:blackdot: It was apparent the impact Westy has on the team. The team seemed to be moving fairly easily down the field with him in the game but seemed inept without him. Granted, Pitt is a good D but here's to hoping he's back and healthy.
The injury to mcNabb seemed to have more of an impact then the one to Westbrook. Buckhalter looked good.After McNabb took the big hit, he looked off the rest of the first half.In the second half, McNabb looked better, but the play-calling went way conservative in an obvious attempt to protect McNabb a little more, especially when it was obvious the defense was playing lights-out. While Philly will never be quite as good without Westy, I really think it was more about play-calling in the second half.This would still be a good offense without Westbrook, just not the elite one it is with him.
 
just curious, but can anyone tell me what exactly happened on this play? I was at the game and could not figure out how this occured.

3-4-PIT 39 (7:49) (Shotgun) PENALTY on PHI-98-M.Patterson, Defensive Delay of Game, 5 yards, enforced at PIT 39 - No Play.

 
just curious, but can anyone tell me what exactly happened on this play? I was at the game and could not figure out how this occured.3-4-PIT 39 (7:49) (Shotgun) PENALTY on PHI-98-M.Patterson, Defensive Delay of Game, 5 yards, enforced at PIT 39 - No Play.
I wasn't sure either. I assumed he must have touched the ball while the center was trying to grab it or something??
 
That play drove me nuts, because instead of explaining it, the announcers had to plug yet another show for CBS. No clue what happened there.

 
zadok said:
Bushead said:
just curious, but can anyone tell me what exactly happened on this play? I was at the game and could not figure out how this occured.3-4-PIT 39 (7:49) (Shotgun) PENALTY on PHI-98-M.Patterson, Defensive Delay of Game, 5 yards, enforced at PIT 39 - No Play.
I wasn't sure either. I assumed he must have touched the ball while the center was trying to grab it or something??
The only time I've ever seen Delay of Game called on the defense is for touching the ball before the snap or preventing an offensive player from being able to line up. Since it obviously wasn't the latter, it must have been the former. Not that the announcers were any help.
 

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