Prior to the last couple of days, it hadn’t been a very good year for the legions of Donovan McNabb haters. If he wasn’t the best quarterback in the league for the first six weeks of the season, he was certainly in the top three or four. He led the league in quarterback rating, threw only one interception, and the team’s two losses were certainly not his fault.
But when McNabb threw three interceptions in Sunday’s Eagles loss to Tampa Bay, including two that were returned for touchdowns by perennial McNabb nemesis Ronde Barber – while also vomiting, and failing to throw a touchdown pass at the end of the first half- I knew the Donovan-bashers would come out of their collective hole. And they have, burning up the talk radio airwaves with the usual questions about whether Donovan has the “heart” or “makes the right decisions” or is “enough of a leader” to take the Eagles to the championship.
We heard enough of this last year, when McNabb feuded with Terrell Owens and eventually suffered a season-ending injury. Boxer and Philly native Bernard Hopkins emerges every once in awhile to recycle the usual anti-McNabb talking points. Even the local head of the NAACP ripped Donovan as “mediocre at best.”
But the fact is, the McNabb-bashers are delusional. He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and has been since he arrived in town. He took the teams to four NFC title games and a Super Bowl, and has brought the Eagles a run of glory unseen in this town in quite a long time. And have you looked around the league? Would you prefer your quarterback be Bruce Gradkowski? Tony Romo? Kyle Boller? Koy Detmer?
McNabb had a bad game on Sunday –although he did lead the Eagles back to a late lead- and there’s nothing wrong with criticizing his performance in the game. But to call for his ouster, and question his skill as a quarterback, is nothing short of hysterical. And, the true motives of those who say such things must surely be questioned.
Posted by Stephen Silver at October 24, 2006 09:02 PMSweet Mary! I wish the Vikes had McNabb, but to be fair to Johnson, there would still be a lack of talented targets to throw to. Philly fans/media are bizarre.
Posted by: Dave E. at October 24, 2006 10:20 PM