One other thing…I think you have to take Brady off that list of yours. He won 2 Super Bowls without Corey Dillon and could have won a third were it not for the Tyree Miracle.

Charlie Weis, for all his failings at ND, came up with a very creative way to move the ball and score points while he was there. The Pats used Antowain Smith for their power running game and they still have Kevin Faulk who has converted more 3rd and 8 plays than any human being alive or dead.

Maybe it was the videotape.

I agree with a great deal of what you’ve said. I certainly agree that McNabb needs a power back and a power scheme to complement his skills. I don’t believe, though, that he is capable of leading this team to the promised land (intentional lower case) with his legs. When the weather changes, teams need to be able to score touchdowns in the Red Zone in inclement weather. A QB running the ball is one of the worst ways to do that. I’d rather have a QB that is mobile, but who runs after passing options break down.

I think there are a lot of nuances to that conversation. Montana was supremely mobile, but he didn’t run much. Young was mobile and he often ran. Elway was mobile and ran less once the power scheme of Alex Gibbs and Terrell Davis changed that teams’ fortunes. Vick would have benefitted from Gibb’s approach, but he still needed that Big Receiver. The Falcons made a celebrated run after Peerless Price and they even featured TJ Duckett in the goal line offense. The Falcons even had Alge Crumpler as a great goal line option. That team had a ton of weapons. Remember the 34-34 tie game in Pittsburgh back in ’02? Price never panned out. Dunn was not injury prone to the extent that he missed games. He usually plays in every single game. Duckett was/is/will always be a one-dimensional player, but he had 2 TDs last week.

The problem with Atlanta, it seems to me, is that the team didn’t have a FEATURE power back. Duckett was not a feature back, but he was on the roster. Price probably spent too much time at Magic City or wherever else he may have been — but he had the table set for him to succeed in Atlanta. The Falcons, and I said this when Vick was still there, should have gone to the old Redskin scheme — two TE’s, lots of motion, play action and deep passing routes off of manipulations of the D-line. Dunn was a very good runner between the tackles. It just seems like teams always thought he’d get banged up. I can only recall 1 significant injury in his career.

Black QB’s have not played in a Classic Triplet scheme for the most part. When they have, they’ve shattered records. Exhibit A: Randall in Minnesota with Robert Smith, Moss and Cris Carter. To me, a classic triplet structure features a big-armed QB who can get the ball downfield to a dominant receiver. That receiver should have at least 75 catches, 1200 yards, 10 TDs and be able to consistently beat any coverage defenses throw their way. That means that player is going to have 5 or 6 100-yd games and maybe even a 200 yard game. The structure also features a back who can break tackles, move the pile and score in the Red Zone. That means 300 carries, 1250 yards and 10+ TDs.

Not too many Black QBs have ever played with complementary players like that. McNabb has never played in that situation. Carson Palmer has for years. You noted Manning. Romo is in essentially that position. It’s working wonders for Kurt Warner. It makes a huge difference — but with that said, I don’t believe a QB that is McNabb’s age (and with his health) would have been wise to continue running.

Black QBs have played both styles and succeeded. You don’t have to run to be a “black QB.” If Byron Leftwich were starting in Pittsburgh with a healthy Willie Parker and deep threats like Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington, it would be ON! I like the guy we have now, and he can get it downfield, but not like Leftwich…not even close. Oddly enough, it seems like what Darren McFadden did on the fields of Fayetteville may do more to redefine the position than anything Michael Vick did.

To be honest, I think McNabb was being sarcastic about the tie, but he looked serious. The Eagles need to win that game and they didn’t. And they took a comment and trying to hit him over the head with it.

If Hasselback had said something like that or Trent Edwards would ESPN and the press continue to make an issue of this?

The lack of balance ,playmakers, or poor coaching paradigms usually follow most black QBs into the NFL… and a lot of it revolves around trying to turn black QBs into the next Joe Montana. And just because a black Qb plays the game a little differently– style wise– doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to have the same weapons someone like a ELI or Peyton or Brady has had over the years.

Vick and McNabb used their mobility and they were very successful in their early years, but the pressure from the old school media and haters to do things the ‘right way’ was always an underlining factor.

Vick was more determined to define the new era of dual threat Qbs, while McNabb was slowly conforming to the old school way of thinking.

Vick’s career was derailed first by poor coaching and supbar personnel thanks to Rich McKay and coaches like Greg Knapp (who lost his duties in Oakland)..and then the law ..With McNabb, his career slowly begun to crumble with that vicious hit from the Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson nearly four years ago when McNabb was ‘in the pocket’ like a REAL QB.

Brady appreciated the Patriots getting Corey Dillion and Randy Moss.

Peyton appreciated the Colts getting Edge and McNabb’s former teammate Marvin Harrison along with Reggie Wayne.

Big Ben appreciated the Steelers keeping Bettis and using Willie Parker.

Coach Reid has been successful in turning McNabb into an immobile West Coast QB and McNabb has limited himself by suppressing his ability to run. However, if you are going to do that, then you have to have a power running game to support McNabb, not a finesse running game and offensive scheme. Brian Westbrook has had some nice stats over the years and he is very versatile, but he is not in the same category as a more sturdy and productive Jerome Bettis, Eddie George, Earl Campbell or Emmitt Smith.

McNabb’s four consecutive NFC Championship appearances which started at the beginning of the decade was fueled by McNabb’s ability to get big yards when he really needed it, but the lack of a power running game was a detriment against the more stingier defenses–especially along the goal lone.

Vick had Warrick Dunn, an injury prone, smallish runner who wasn’t the answer, but management was determined to make it work. Dunn is very similar to Westbrook, but they have limitations and management continues to overlook it and keep taking for granted that their mobile, black superstar QB will cover any weaknesses.

In the 1980′s, Randall Cunningham was NFL MVP calibur QB , but he was a one man show because he was the chief playmaker… Keith Byars was a system RB who was more of a pass catcher. See the similarities? Randall Cunningham could have used a William Andrews or Gerald Riggs back in the day and would have been a better option for Cunningham than Byars.

Cunningham’s ability to run shouldn’t have been seen as a bad thing or a source of contempt by old school coaches. However, unfortunately it was and it still goes on today?

Why not draft a Adrian Peterson to go along with a McNabb? Or why not draft a Brandon Jacobs?

Eli had Tiki Barber for awhile, but Manning’s breakthrough in 2007 and the into 2008 is derived around a power running game led by the 6’4 264 Brandon Jacobs.

People are speculating about McNabb’s declining career in Philly, but until he gets a true franchise power running back in the mold of a Larry Johnson, Brandon Jacobs or a Jerome Bettis to take the pressure off McNabb, you are going to see 50 or 60 attempt pass games which won’t usually bode very well.

Coach Reid needs to go if he can’t or won’t change.

From where I’m sitting, the Eagles have not won a Super Bowl because they really have a tough game against the Patriots — a game they could have won. If they’d won that game, no one would really care about all this stuff. It’s all about perspective. With that said, the team was unable to climb the ladder before or since because they’ve lacked reliable receivers who were end zone threats.

The Eagle GM appears not to understand the game. If you use an undersized back like Westbrook, you have to have taller, sturdier receivers once you get in the Red Zone or teams will simply key on the little guy — and with less room to operate, your team will have difficulty scoring. Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis are NOT scoring threats in the red zone. Hank Baskett is like a broken clock – no matter what else is going on, he’ll be right twice a day. The Eagles desperately need a player like Anquan Boldin or Dwayne Bowe who has the strength and attitude to score when the game is tight.

Until that happens, QBs who force passes will throw interceptions especially off of tipped passes that receivers miss because they’ve been fired in from close range.

McNabb isn’t the problem. The problem is that the hiring team and the marketing team refuse to talk to the engineers. Sad, sad.

D’Nabb looked lost yesterday which is puzzling at the least and unacceptable at the worst. I don’t know if he’s playing out the string but he owes it to his team, forget the fans and the front office, to come out ready to lead with his play and example as a professional.

I still wear my black Eagles #5 proudly because my loyalty isn’t built on a single game but to see a team with this much talent on both sides of the ball struggle is sad. Sad because McNabb is in the prime of his career and will be gone before Reid. He will be the one scapegoated once this team goes to a smashmouth mindset and everything he accomplished will be greeted with a sneer by fans who won’t bother to look deeper into the situation. He’ll be looked at as another Philly loser who didn’t have the guts, the savvy, or the intelligence to win a championship and that will be the true shame in all this.

So yeah, I’m angry about what happened yesterday and my anger is aimed at Reid, McNabb, and the Eagles but I’ll get over it. It’s still a game and I’ll still root for my team no matter who prowls the sideline or lines up behind center but when I see McNabb in the future lead another team to the heights he was never ALLOWED to reach in Philly then I’ll grit my teeth a little bit more.

LOL.

I feel your pain.

Couldn’t agree more. Also don’t forget about Dorsey Levens too when he was in green bay.

Thats why I say this is fishy, when Garcia, feely or any other QB comes in all of a sudden the passes go from 70% to 75% to like 50%.

So it seems as though reid is trying to protect the backup QB with the run.

Any fing fool knows you can’t pass 70% plus and expect defenses to play honest. Especially when you have absolute garbage at WR.

Its common freaking sense.

Clean house and bring Bill Cowher in, I don’t care who goes.

Polamalu clearly scored what should have been a touchdown.

Funny how the Bengals took the Giants and Eagles to overtime.

I told you the Falcons were going to come back to earth. They’re simply not that good. By the way, if Vick had a receiver like Roddy White, I’m sure he’d have done much better than he did. That’s not to mention a back like Michael Turner. The Falcons are mediocre, but they’ve been lucky. Turner’s versatility and White’s skill have been the unspoken keys to this team.

Don’t you feel better about the Packers now? I bet they won’t be ranked #23 next week.

How ’bout those Niners?

The Titans are going to be a tough out. Somehow people have forgotten that Kerry Collins’ problem wasn’t talent — it was alcohol. When he was at Penn State, he lit it up. He’s always been able to throw the deep ball. He took a team to the Super Bowl. It’s not like he’s a scrub or ever was a scrub. He had off the field issues that undermined his performance. If those are squarely behind him, this team will be very difficult to beat.

I remember when folks pronounced the Colts dead before the Patriot game — not you. But, it was like they forgot the schedule has 16 games — and that this team has won 12 or 13 games in a row, has won a Super Bowl, and has solid coaching, but was just really banged up. If the playoffs started today, they’d be in and some other pre-season favorites (San Diego, New England) would be home watching Donovan’s soup commercials.

Did Andy get high with his kids? Otherwise, the play calling makes no sense whatsoever. I can’t anything more than has already been said. I feel your pain — I just wish the Steelers had an O-line, then you could add Pittsburgh to your head scratching roll call. Playoffs look like a LONG SHOT.

Now I’m not the smartest guy in the world but I know if he’s got that much time that means 1. EVERYBODY’S COVERED! and 2. He can take off and get yardage. I’m not confusing him with Vick or anyone else, he can still move and he chose to sit back there yesterday and roll the dice, hence the three picks and a fumble.