PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Andy Reid was a fool, a coach who kept making the same mistakes and was too stubborn to change his ways. Donovan McNabb was a bum, a quarterback past his prime who couldn’t win the big game.
The Philadelphia Eagles were 5-5-1 and headed nowhere. That didn’t sit well with folks in this tough-minded city. Many people – fans, columnists, radio hosts – wanted Reid fired. Some wanted McNabb benched, traded or released.
Get rid of one? Send ’em both packing? That was the hot topic of conversation in newspapers, on talk shows, around the water cooler.
Seems like ancient history now.
way from hoisting that elusive Vince Lombardi Trophy.
On Thursday, callers and radio know-it-alls were discussing whether that idiot coach and washed-up QB were worthy of enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.
“I don’t think Philadelphia is any different than any other city in the country,” team owner Jeffrey Lurie said. “When you’re struggling, the coach and the quarterback are always the targets in the NFL. There’s no secret there.”
Reid and McNabb have compiled impressive resumes in their 10 years together in Philadelphia. Seven playoff berths. Five division championships. Five trips to the NFC title game. One Super Bowl appearance.
All that’s left to punctuate their credentials and possibly punch their ticket to Canton is winning that ring. First, the Eagles have to beat Arizona to get another crack at the Super Bowl.
“You just focus on the game,” McNabb said. “Anytime that you begin to lose focus of what’s at hand, then you begin to second-guess things that you’re doing. You just have to go out there and play mistake-free football focusing on the present time. Anytime you go into, ‘Well this could be it,’ or ‘I don’t know how much longer’ and all of that, then other things will get in the way on you. So, I’ve just tried to have a clear mind of just going out, having a great time and playing well.”
b’s performance is a major reason the Eagles turned their season around. He’s been outstanding since getting benched for the first time in his career at halftime of a 3-point game at Baltimore that turned into an ugly loss. McNabb has 11 touchdowns passes, two scores rushing and only four interceptions in the last seven games.
Though he’s been sensitive to criticism throughout his career, McNabb insists getting benched and hearing boos didn’t affect him. He does take offense at the suggestion he’s getting old at age 32.
“Fine like wine, baby,” he said. “That’s just something that people can just cling to and everyone goes with it. Then you have Vinny Testaverde coming in at 44 years old and winning a game. You have Kurt Warner being second for the MVP and putting up almost 5,000 yards passing. Given the opportunity, some guys flourish and some guys don’t. Thirty-two years old is really not old. That’s almost at the prime of your career.”
McNabb learned to deal with adversity long before this year. There was all that drama with Terrell Owens in 2005 and three seasons cut short by injuries. He also watched the Eagles select his potential replacement in the 2007 draft.
It seems his every pass is scrutinized and every move questioned. He isn’t accurate enough. He doesn’t run anymore. He smiles on the field after a loss. Critics always find something to complain about.
McNabb probably won’t be truly appreciated until he’s gone, just like he said in a television interview two months ago. His teammates have his back.
“Do we think it’s unfair sometimes? Yeah. All the time really,” wide receiver Jason Avant said. “A lot of the things he goes through definitely aren’t his fault. Sometimes it’s the receivers and the whole offense. But he’s the head of it, so he gets the blame and he gets the credit as well. That’s just a quarterback in this league.”
Lurie had high praise for McNabb after the Eagles beat the New York Giants to eliminate the defending Super Bowl champion from the playoffs.
“He’s been great. There’s so much on his shoulders and he’s just one of these athletes that finds a way to persevere and succeed,” Lurie said.
Reid gets ripped for everything from his playcalling to his draft record to the way he rarely gives any information in his news conferences.
While certain calls are easily debatable and some draft choices never panned out, there’s no arguing Reid’s success, either. He’s won more games than any coach in team history, and ranks second behind New England’s Bill Belichick among active coaches on the all-time winning percentage list (minimum 100 games).
one a great job,” Reid said, refusing to take credit.
The man who signs his paychecks gives Reid respect.
“He’s such a good leader,” Lurie said. “He’s so resilient. He’s been terrific for a long time.”
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