| Andrew Perna. 13th August, 2008 - 2:20 pm
 A number of NFL teams have no idea who their starting quarterbacks will be in Week One of the 2008 season – just ask Baltimore, Chicago, or San Francisco – but no team’s success hinges as much on the play of their quarterback as the Eagles.
Philadelphia can be a very patient city; if its citizens are waiting in line for a cheesesteak at Pat’s or Gino’s. As passionate as fans are in the City of Brotherly Love, they have never been known for their kindness or willingness to wait. In Philadelphia, teams are often expected to win yesterday so that they can win again today.
They aren’t as famously fickle as New Yorkers, nor are they known to be as infamously suffered as Bostonians were before we entered the twenty-first century. But, if you mixed a hard-nosed Italian from Brooklyn with a bitter Irishman from Quincy, chances are you’d find yourself with a Philadelphian.
The Eagles were 8-8 last season, dropping two close games (against the Patriots and Seahawks) in the second half of the season with A.J. Feeley running the offense. McNabb has received a significant amount of criticism over the years because of the success Philadelphia enjoyed when Jeff Garcia took the helm at the end of the 2006 season and compiled a 6-3 record (including a 1-1 postseason mark).
However, numbers indicate that the Eagles are much better when McNabb is healthy and starting.
Philadelphia is 73-39 since taking McNabb with the second pick in the 1999 NFL Draft. Only once in his career, during an injury-plagued 2005 campaign, has he compiled a losing record as the team’s starter (4-5). In contrast, the Eagles are 16-16 without McNabb over the same period of time.
At the beginning of his career McNabb provided Philadelphia with a nice dual threat, using his arms and legs, but in the latter stages of his tenure he has concentrated more on passing than running.
He averaged more than 300 yards rushing in each of his first five seasons, tallying a career-high 629 years in 2000. However, he hasn’t accumulated more than 240 yards in any of the last four years. It’s only fair to mention that the reduction of McNabb’s rushing attempts is a direct result of his inability to remain healthy.
It’s also difficult for a team to maintain its continuity when its quarterback, and star, is missing an average of three games per season (22 DNP’s since 2000).
With that said, the Eagles have been one of the most successful teams of the decade, thanks in large part to McNabb. Philadelphia has 83 wins since 2000, with only Indianapolis (89) and New England (91) tallying more victories over that period of time.
McNabb’s individual numbers have always ranked among the best when he’s 100%, but all of the blame on the former Syracuse standout can't be placed for consistently missing time. Only three active quarterbacks (Brett Favre, Vinny Testaverde, and Kerry Collins) have been sacked more in their careers than McNabb.
Admittedly, mobile quarterbacks tend to be sacked more often, but something should still be said about the fact that McNabb is among the active leaders at the relatively young age of 31. Favre (38), Testaverde (44), and Collins (35) are all considerably older than Donovan.
Terrell Owens helped McNabb enjoy his best season, both individually and in the standings, but that relationship is long over.
"It could've been great," McNabb told ESPN recently of his former No .1 receiver, now with the rival Cowboys. "What did we have, 30 TD's? You don't see that type of combination very often. That's like Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison. We would've been up there."
Philadelphia hasn’t been able to add a legitimate top-flight pass-catcher to their offense this offseason, even with a trading chip like cornerback Lito Sheppard, but McNabb does believe that improved health will help them excel in the uber-tough NFC East.
"I still put us at the top of the NFC," McNabb added in an interview with ESPN on Monday. "I feel confident in saying that because all the best teams are pretty much in our division. The Giants and Cowboys are coming off great seasons, and the Redskins had a decent year."
Tight end L.J. Smith is healthy, and rookie wide receiver DeSean Jackson has the team excited. Jackson, the team’s second round pick out of California, caught five passes for 51 yards in his first professional game, a preseason affair against Pittsburgh on last Friday.
Both Smith and Jackson will need to be legitimate threats this season in order for the Eagles to qualify for the playoffs in the NFC.
Many place the utmost importance on the health of Brian Westbrook, but the Eagles have a history of success without an elite rushing attack. Sure, his versatility gives Philadelphia an above-average offense, but Andy Reid can always revert to his pass-happy ways if need be.
It’s doubtful that a similar adjustment can be made if McNabb goes down once again.
Feeley has a reputation for playing well, but often makes a huge mistake that costs his team the game. That’s exactly what took place when the Eagles lost to both the Patriots and Seahawks last season. In those two games Feeley threw for a combined 565 yards and had four touchdowns, but he also coughed up seven interceptions in the process.
With a schedule that includes six inter-divisional matchups, in addition to a quartet of games against the equally-competitive AFC North, there will be little room for hiccups along Philadelphia’s sixteen-game slate.
Kevin Kolb is another option – entering his second year – and many fans and pundits called for him to start last season. He has yet to even throw a pass in the NFL, which means that no matter how good he can or will be, it’ll take him time to acclimate to the professional game.
As mentioned earlier, patience isn’t something that flows freely in Philadelphia.
For the ninth-straight year the hopes and dreams of the Eagles will fall almost solely on the broad shoulders of Donovan McNabb this season. More often than not he’s managed to support the load just fine, but when he’s been unable to handle either the mental or physical stress of the job the pitchforks are always quick to come out.
No wonder his shoulder is bothering him.
Andrew Perna is a Senior Writer for RealGM. Please feel free to contact him via e-mail with comments or questions on this piece: Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com. |
