I have been a McNabb supporter ever since he's been an Eagle. I have consistently supported him as our QB, hated the large amount of unfair criticism geared towards him over the years and have always believed that he is our franchise's best ever QB.
Yet this season, I have found myself growing more and more frustrated with his play. To the point that I even muttered the regrettable sentence "we need a new QB". Looking at the numbers, it would appear that McNabb's season has been like any other. His completion percentage is at it's second highest rate of his career. His TD total is on pace towards being the 3rd highest of his career and he's on pace to have his lowest interception total in a full 16 game season in his career and he's scheduled to go over 4,000 yards for the first time in his career. Then why am I more frustrated with him this year? Why have even his biggest backers in the past suddenly started questioning him? Why is Kevin Kolb's career suddenly looking like it will start earlier than we had thought?
One Argument is that McNabb is the Quarterback of a team that is underachieving. When a team struggles, and there it little explanation as to why, the Head Coach and the Quarterback will inevitably get the blame. In the past we could blame our struggles on Playcalling, a bad run defense, poor receivers, injuries... there have always been lots of excuses. This season the team has played the run fairly well, Andy Reid in my opinion has had one of his better playcalling seasons, the receivers in general have been able to hold on to McNabb's passes and the team has been very healthy so far. So why are we struggling?
For many, that question is answered when the QB of this team takes the first snap after the defense came up with a huge fumble recovery in their own red zone, and fumbles the ball right back to the other team. For many, that question is answered when the QB of this team rolls out of the pocket and misses his wide open X-Receiver on a deep crossing route which would have been a big play momentum-wise in the early stages of the game. For many, it's moments like these by which a Quarterback of an underachieving team is measured.
The problem with McNabb this season is obvious. He had a bad knee injury last season which required surgery and he hasn't made a full recovery yet. That isn't even a debate. We the fans know this, the coaches know this, and above all: McNabb knows this. He himself realizes that he isn't 100% yet. He realizes that he is physically crippled in his ability to make plays for this team. Which is why his play hasn't necessarily decreased, but has most certainly changed. McNabb, physically, is a shell of his former self. Mentally, however, McNabb is smarter and more experienced than ever. Which is why the offense has changed. He realizes that deep passes are no longer as easy to throw when he's less able to plant his back foot. He realizes that trying to elude the rush and make the sorts of plays that have made him a great QB in the past are no longer as likely to be successful.
So, what have we seen? We've seen a QB that has become much more conservative. This is why his completion percentage is relatively high. Westbrook had 14 receptions against Dallas. Only 3 of those were actually designed plays for #36. Checkdowns have become the staple of this team. McNabb no longer trusts his own ability as much, so that he's less likely than ever to try to squeeze the ball into a difficult spot. This is also why his interception total is low. But, it also is a big reason why this offense has stalled in the red zone, when the QB has to be aggressive. It is also a reason why converting 3rd and long has been almost non-existent. It is also a reason why McNabb is on pace to be sacked a career-high 53 times.
Sacks, Field Goals, Punts frustrate fans. This is why we've been tough on him this year. The problem with staying as conservative as McNabb has been is that, on plays like the one described earlier, in which he missed Curtis on a rollout, and the plays like the missed Corner route to Celek last week, happen. McNabb isn't going down the field, missing often on timing routes because he hasn't been throwing them enough. Another problem with this team has been the lack of your "Big Play". Plays in which the entire team steps up and decides to take the result of the game into their own hands. Plays like Dallas' blocked kick and TD run by Pat Watkin, plays like Westbrook's 57-yard screen pass for a TD last week are what I'm talking about.
When your QB does not trust his abilities, you become vanilla. This team's offense struggles because there's no spark. McNabb is still a very intelligent QB, illustrated by his audible to shovel pass near the goal line last week. Unfortunately, until he begins to believe in his own ability, he will continue to struggle when the team needs him most, which is why a good NFL QB is the scapegoat of this team.
Yet this season, I have found myself growing more and more frustrated with his play. To the point that I even muttered the regrettable sentence "we need a new QB". Looking at the numbers, it would appear that McNabb's season has been like any other. His completion percentage is at it's second highest rate of his career. His TD total is on pace towards being the 3rd highest of his career and he's on pace to have his lowest interception total in a full 16 game season in his career and he's scheduled to go over 4,000 yards for the first time in his career. Then why am I more frustrated with him this year? Why have even his biggest backers in the past suddenly started questioning him? Why is Kevin Kolb's career suddenly looking like it will start earlier than we had thought?
One Argument is that McNabb is the Quarterback of a team that is underachieving. When a team struggles, and there it little explanation as to why, the Head Coach and the Quarterback will inevitably get the blame. In the past we could blame our struggles on Playcalling, a bad run defense, poor receivers, injuries... there have always been lots of excuses. This season the team has played the run fairly well, Andy Reid in my opinion has had one of his better playcalling seasons, the receivers in general have been able to hold on to McNabb's passes and the team has been very healthy so far. So why are we struggling?
For many, that question is answered when the QB of this team takes the first snap after the defense came up with a huge fumble recovery in their own red zone, and fumbles the ball right back to the other team. For many, that question is answered when the QB of this team rolls out of the pocket and misses his wide open X-Receiver on a deep crossing route which would have been a big play momentum-wise in the early stages of the game. For many, it's moments like these by which a Quarterback of an underachieving team is measured.
The problem with McNabb this season is obvious. He had a bad knee injury last season which required surgery and he hasn't made a full recovery yet. That isn't even a debate. We the fans know this, the coaches know this, and above all: McNabb knows this. He himself realizes that he isn't 100% yet. He realizes that he is physically crippled in his ability to make plays for this team. Which is why his play hasn't necessarily decreased, but has most certainly changed. McNabb, physically, is a shell of his former self. Mentally, however, McNabb is smarter and more experienced than ever. Which is why the offense has changed. He realizes that deep passes are no longer as easy to throw when he's less able to plant his back foot. He realizes that trying to elude the rush and make the sorts of plays that have made him a great QB in the past are no longer as likely to be successful.
So, what have we seen? We've seen a QB that has become much more conservative. This is why his completion percentage is relatively high. Westbrook had 14 receptions against Dallas. Only 3 of those were actually designed plays for #36. Checkdowns have become the staple of this team. McNabb no longer trusts his own ability as much, so that he's less likely than ever to try to squeeze the ball into a difficult spot. This is also why his interception total is low. But, it also is a big reason why this offense has stalled in the red zone, when the QB has to be aggressive. It is also a reason why converting 3rd and long has been almost non-existent. It is also a reason why McNabb is on pace to be sacked a career-high 53 times.
Sacks, Field Goals, Punts frustrate fans. This is why we've been tough on him this year. The problem with staying as conservative as McNabb has been is that, on plays like the one described earlier, in which he missed Curtis on a rollout, and the plays like the missed Corner route to Celek last week, happen. McNabb isn't going down the field, missing often on timing routes because he hasn't been throwing them enough. Another problem with this team has been the lack of your "Big Play". Plays in which the entire team steps up and decides to take the result of the game into their own hands. Plays like Dallas' blocked kick and TD run by Pat Watkin, plays like Westbrook's 57-yard screen pass for a TD last week are what I'm talking about.
When your QB does not trust his abilities, you become vanilla. This team's offense struggles because there's no spark. McNabb is still a very intelligent QB, illustrated by his audible to shovel pass near the goal line last week. Unfortunately, until he begins to believe in his own ability, he will continue to struggle when the team needs him most, which is why a good NFL QB is the scapegoat of this team.
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