After getting humiliated by a division rival the last 2 weeks, it is safe to say that the Eagles have a long road ahead of them, just to get back to the top of the division, let alone the conference. Just last year the Eagles embarrassed Dallas, ending their season and beat Minnesota in the playoffs on their turf. Now both teams, among others, are looking down on them.
Andy Reid is locked up until 2013 so there is no point wondering if he is the best guy to lead this team. There is no point to wondering if a different philosophy is what the team needs. No point to wondering what a running game would look like setting up the abilities of Jackson, Macklin and Celek. No point to wondering if a coach with the ability to adjust would be better than a guy who is too stubborn to think he could possibly be wrong.
QB is hardly the teams only issue so we will take a couple of different posts to cover all the issues.
Lets start by taking a look at the Quarterback situation. Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick are all under contract for 2010. None of them, for 2011, yet. Let's assume (hope?) that the Vick experiment is over and maybe something positive can finally come of it, like a draft pick. Any draft pick..
McNabb has led the team to a 92-46-1 regular season record over the past 11 years. He's led them to 9 postseason victories. He's played a big part in 7 postseason losses. The Eagles set the franchise mark in points scored, in each of the past 2 seasons under McNabb but he has not gotten them over the hump. He looked horrible, as the rest of the team did, in the 2 losses against Dallas. Kevin Kolb was a second round draft pick in 2007 and has played sparingly.
Kolb looked terrible in a tough spot in '08 and looked pretty good in 2 games in '09. He has completed 60% of his passes in his limited action. Close to 70% if you include his completions to the opposing team.
Andy Reid has said that McNabb will return as QB but really, what else was he going to say about a guy under contract.
I belive that Donovan McNabb is a better QB than Kolb and will always be a better QB then Kolb. But...For this team to improve I think it is best to give Kolb a shot.
With Kolb at the helm, I think the Eagles will be less reliant on the passing game. I think Reid will be forced to implement a balanced attack. Even if I am not sold on Kolb as a QB, I think there is enough talent around him for him to be successful. I also think they should draft another QB fairly early in case my previously stated thoughts turn out to be incorrect.
Donovan McNabb is 33 years old and only has 1 year left on his deal. He got a bump in his salary last year but did not get any extra years. He is owed a $6.2 million roster bonus on May 5th, which is curiously late heading into a possible cap-less year. I cannot see the Eagles initiating contract extension talks with Donovan. I cannot see McNabb being happy playing out the last year of his deal without any security whatsoever. Something has to give and I think getting value for McNabb now, is the move.
What would you do?
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Sunday, January 17, 2010
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Hard to believe--but I agree with everything you say----good year for the draft--let's load up. Let us keep the all pro fullback---take what we can get for Vick--same with McNabb--they saw something in Kolb--let's find out soon. It is time to move on---let's shore up that weak defense--make decisions about twins---hate watching plaoff football w/o Birds--unless we make drastic moves--we'll be in same position next year.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff. I agree. It's time for McNabb to go. He's been good but has had plenty of chances. Let's turn the page. Do it now. Extending him should be out of the question and having him sulking here (air-violin?) as a lame duck wouldn't be good for anyone.
ReplyDeleteI'd absolutely deal Vick too. The Eagles have plenty of needs, especially on defense, and the draft is the place to get started. Especially since their two big ticket free agent pickups the last two years have been mixed results--Asante Samuel (pretty good, not great) and Jason Peters (not so good, but I won't call him a bust until next year). Anyway, I think other teams around the league are over-valuing McNabb and maybe even Vick (Why was he brought here again??? Something about druggy kids and forgiveness? Let's just move on before I punch a hole in my wall). I keep hearing first-rounder for McNabb?? I'd drive him to the airport and wouldn't stop the car to let him out.
Let's find out now whether or not Kolb can play. He's at least showed in his limited action that he's competent and an accurate short-passer. In the West Coast offense?? Go figure!! And that brings us to the elephant in the room (literally). Reid would be gone like a fart in the wind if it was up to me, but unfortunately it's up to a couple guys that signed off on Vick coming here.
I've never been a big McNabb fan, but Reid has done him no favors. The West Coast should've been scrapped the moment they drafted McNabb. Instead he tried to jam a round (again, literally) peg into a square hole. Play to your QB's strengths! You know, one-hoppers and 98 mph point-blank passes. I kid!!!
Anyone feel worse after seeing the Vikings destroy the team that destroyed us? Jesus. Still, always nice to see Dallas get pummeled. Pussies.
I don't know, McNabb wasn't good against Dallas but I am not sure anybody could have been much better. No run game, no pass blocking and no defense also played a factor. Dallas was hot.
ReplyDeleteFix some links on the Oline, get Stew Bradley back, and address the D thru the draft.
McNabb is the guy for at least one more year. There is no reason to go to a unproven guy at this point.
Bad moves are the main culprit for this years struggles. Let Dawk go and replace with Jones? Let Runyan walk and replace with Andrews? Relying on the other Andrews? Reid and Banner deserve the most blame here not so much a guy who won double digit games with a mediocre team around him.
I have to agree, I'm ready for the Birds to move in a new direction. It's the same old story year in and year out in Philly, and this shit has gotten old. Donovan just isn't the leader this team needs - and maybe Kolb isn't either - but we'll never know unless he gets a shot. I don't blame McNabb solely for the shortcomings of the team - I've actually always had his back - but I feel like it's time for a change.
ReplyDeleteRH is right, if McNabb comes back as a lame duck it will be a total shit show. Nothing good will come from that. I'd trade McNabb and Vick for picks, load up on defense in the draft, draft a QB and pick up a veteran backup as well.
RE: Lame duck. Isn't there something to be said about a QB playing for a contract in a cap-less NFL?
ReplyDeleteAnyway - I don't think that is going to happen..
I think its up to McNabb. If McNabb is willing to play on a 1 yr contract, I think the Eagles will let him. But, I think you will hear McNabb start talking thru the media (Deon? Oh god)during Super Bowl week - maybe even Pro Bowl week now, that he is probably on that team.
For value sake, hopefully Favre and Warner retire because those teams might actually give something (1st rd?)for McNabb as opposed to going into next year with Tavaris Jackson or Matt Leinart.
Just remember that most college system QB's do not make it in the NFL...