Evaluating McNabb Trade a Year Later

How much should Philly fans miss #5?

We all remember the shocking move the Eagles made on Easter, trading away 11 year starter and face of the franchise Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins for a 2nd round pick. Most Eagles fans do not seem to have missed him much, as the breathtaking play of Michael Vick did not to distract us.

Yet, with a season that had Super Bowl aspirations to end once again in the 1st round, it had me thinking. Was trading McNabb truly the right decision?

From a short-term perspective, the answer seems to be "no." The Eagles played the Packers, Lions, Jaguars, Redskins, 49ers, Falcons, Titans, Colts, Redskins, Giants, Bears, Texans, Cowboys, Giants, Vikings, and Cowboys. The Eagles went 10-6 with Vick under center, and Kolb under center for a few games. Yet, how many would they have won with McNabb?

While he may have been less exciting, it's hard to imagine McNabb would have been unable to win at least 10 games this season.

With McNabb, Green Bay would have been a victory. Few play Green Bay as well as he does (see 4th and 26). Both Redskins games would have been victories. Sure, I don't see McNabb scoring 59 points, but he would have won nonetheless. The Eagles likely would have lost to the Giants the second time, as at this point in his career, McNabb is not the 4th quarter comeback player he once was. But with the way Dallas has played this year, it's hard to imagine he would have lost to Dallas twice. And perhaps he would have found a way to defeat Minnesota.

Additionally, in the Titans game, the Eagles failed to put up major points because Kolb's deep ball was inaccurate. And who throws a better deep ball than Donovan McNabb? Perhaps the Titans game would have been a victory as well.

Of course, this is all operating under the assumption that McNabb had stayed healthy a whole year, a huge assumption. But if he had, the Eagles could have won as many as 13 games, perhaps more reasonably 11 games (considering he and Reid's tendency to lose winnable games) and certainly at least 10.

As great as Vick has played, he needs to win playoff games before h can be compared to McNabb, especially with McNabb's track record (4th and 26) against Green Bay.

And with McNabb's postseason experience, and success against Green Bay and the Giants (who may have slipped into playoffs with McNabb's defeat of Green Bay and loss to the Giants) the Eagles may very well have won the first round, defeated Chicago (who McNabb also has a strong record against) and made it to the conference championship once more (although that may be where the season stops yet again).

Of course, this is all speculation, but it may be fair to say that the Donovan McNabb trade, from a short-term perspective, accomplished little. The Eagles are exactly where thy were when McNabb played his final game, a first round playoff exit and a disappointing finish.

However, the more important question may be whether or not the Eagles are well set for the future. Yet honestly that also does not have a clear answer. Will Vick return? If so, will he be franchised? Could a long-term deal be struck? Can he keep up a high level of play past this season?

A few weeks ago, the Donovan McNabb trade looked like a genius move. Now, things are not quite as clear as they once were.

Eagles Eliminated Early Again

Michael Vick could not carry this team on his back as he had in previous evenings.

Another promising season has ended too soon and left Eagles fans across the world disappointed once again. Similar to week 1 against Green Bay, the Eagles were at home and played an abysmal first half. However, rallied in the second half with a chance to win the game. Yet, Vick and the Eagles fell short once again on a game winning drive. Vick, who had in my opinion been excellent all game and sufficient at worst, threw the game ending interception to finish of the season for the Birds.

It is easy to blame Vick or Akers for choking, or Andy Reid for not sufficiently preparing his defense or offense for the game, but the truth in the end is the Eagles simply were not good enough. They could not capitalize on Green Bay's many turnovers. Their defense could not get Aaron Rodgers off the field. They could not sufficiently generate pressure to rattle Rodgers. And in the end, they could not lead another miraculous comeback to save the game, and their season.

Kevin Kolb should be traded now when his value is highest.

It is tough to swallow for an Eagles fan and certainly for everyone in that locker room. After so many big games and so many big plays, against Indianapolis, Washington, and the New York Giants, it was once again all for nothing. While many would point out that the Eagles had far exceeded expectations for the season, I completely disagree. By anointing Vick as the one to lead the team over Kevin Kolb, Andy Reid was declaring a rebuilding season a competitive season. It was another Super Bowl or Bust season. And for the 50th time now, the season has been a bust.

There will be many questions to be answered this off-season. What draft picks will be made to improve the team? Will the Eagles bring in any big-name free agents? And of course, the biggest on all of our minds, how will the Eagles handle the quarterback situation?

What better way to excite fans and players once again than to sign one of the best cornerbacks in the game?

I will answer these questions in further detail as off-season progresses, but to me the answers are simple. Draft? Linebacker, Offensive Line, and defensive line, in that order. A big-name free agent to get the Eagles over the hump? Nnamdi Asomugha. Quarterback situation? Franchise Vick, and trade Kolb.

Yet of course, I am not the Eagles or Andy Reid, so it will remain to be seen how this will play out.

Eagles Vs. Packers Matchup (Part 2)

The Eagles will need Vick to be magical once again as they take on the Packers in a rematch of week 1

If anyone remembers, I began this year with an analysis of the Eagles Packers matchup in week 1 and it seems ironic that the two teams are destined to meet again in the 1st round of playoffs. Of course, both teams are much changed since the beginning of the season, as my analysis was based upon Kevin Kolb at quarterback, which we all know is old news.

With Vick at the helm, the Eagles have scored a record number of points once again and have the most potent offense among all the playoff teams. Yet, the Packers have the 9th best offense this season and the 5th best passing offense as well. They are clearly a very dangerous team and, with Stewart Bradley likely still out and Dmitri Patterson struggling a bit recently, the Eagles are clearly vulnerable.

Yet, in the end, I believe this is a game the Eagles should win if they play their best football. The Eagles match up very well against Green Bay and if Reid devises a good game plan, the Birds should triumph.

The Eagles defense will need to step up big against a talented Packers defense

While the Packers have a top 5 defense this season, they are only 18th at defending the run. If Vick does not make poor decisions and takes off when his wideouts are contained, this Green Bay defense will be hard-pressed to keep him at bay (see Eagles Packers week 1). That combined with a combination of LeSean McCoy and perhaps Jerome Harrison to mix things up could mean a long day for this Green Bay defense.

And if the running game can be established (a big "if" considering Reid and Morhinweg's track records) then it will only further open up passes down the field, which will be key to advancing to the next round.

Only one can advance to the next round. Let's hope for a better outcome on Sunday than in week 1

Additionally, the Packers lack a reliable running game. The Eagles should theoretically have no problem shutting down Brandon Jackson. If Sean McDermott's main focus is dealing with Rodgers (easier said than done) then the Eagles may hope to limit the damage he can do. Perhaps then, with an Asante Samuel interception or two, the Eagles can continue to perform well.

Of course, this is all easier said than done. Shutting down Clay Matthews will not be easy, especially with our porous offensive line. Rodgers is also an elite quarterback with a plethora of weapons at his disposal. And also, the Eagles simply looked awful on Tuesday Night Football. But Reid is flawless after a bye week (although ours is unofficial) and the Eagles have the advantage of playing at home. And while both teams are full of holes, I believe the Eagles are simply the more complete team. Let us hope that with a week to rest, the Michael Vick Show can continue just 3 more weeks.

Meltdown Against Minnesota Raise Red Flags

The MVP talks for Vick may have just gone out the window with his mediocre at best performance.

We had gotten used to it by now haven't we? Every year the Eagles have games that they have no business losing to far inferior competition. However, after shipping out Donovan McNabb, surely things would be different this year right? Surely Michael Vick would cement his MVP status once more?

Unfortunately, things in this organization remain largely the same. The Philadelphia Eagles just blew a game against the Minnesota Vikings, led by rookie Joe Webb, and a chance at a 1st round bye and the 2nd seed. When the hype for the team couldn't have been higher, the flying high Eagles seemed to crash and burn in this one and have now again raised questions about the team.

If Reid fails to rally the team once more, he will be on the hot seat here in Philly.

The game was simply awful and the Eagles did not get it done in any category. Whether it was special teams, passing the ball, running the ball, the play of the O-line, the pass D, the run D, coaching, it was hard to believe we were watching the 2010 Eagles last night. And then, of course, the costly penalties returned, putting the Eagles in bigger and bigger holes.

Clearly, the biggest weakness of the Eagles is their tendency to collapse, as they did last season against Dallas (sorry for bringing back the memories) and this season against the Titans and now the Vikings. Hopefully, Andy Reid will take advantage of the opportunity to rest his starters in preparation for Green Bay or the Giants in round 1 and hope that we can bounce back after a week to rest.

Thoughts on Eagles

The 9-4 Eagles are currently tied atop the NFC East with the 9-4 New York Giants. While the Eagles hold the tiebreaker, that could mean little if they do not win the game against New York tomorrow afternoon. On paper, it will be a tough match up, as the Eagles are away and we all know how New York's defense was able to limit Michael Vick.

However, unless Vick gets knocked out of the game (totally possible with Osi, Tuck, and Pierre-Paul) the Eagles should win big. Many are surprised by my prediction, but the truth is the Eagles are simply a superior team. While New York's defense is certainly superior, the Eagles hold now the best offense in the league and second best offense in points per game. In the last meeting, it was a close game but the Eagles outplayed the Giants and were instead set back by their own mistakes. As December is when Andy Reid and co. historically play their best football, I have confidence that my team can get it done Sunday.

The Eagles will need rookie Jamar Chaney to step up to help contain bruising back Brandon Jacobs

New York will certainly make it a point to neutralize DeSean Jackson, so expect Maclin and Celek to see more grabs. However, with Asante Samuel's return, I believe the Eagles can hold New York to under 20 points and force Eli Manning into a mistake or two or three. And that should be enough for this offense to put the Giants away.

Of course a great deal will depend on the play of rookie Jamar Chaney, filling in at MLB. Bradley has been far from stellar this season but has always been excellent at stopping the run. Let's hope Chaney can keep up the great performance he had last week and help shut down Jacobs and Bradshaw.

So much for ushering in a grand new era in Washington.

In other thoughts, the benching of Donovan McNabb to me was a complete disgrace. Sure, McNabb is no longer the player he once was, but the failures of the Washington Redskins certainly cannot be placed on his head. Anyone who has seen Redskins games this season will know that McNabb often kept games close with his big plays, something Jason Campbell often failed to do. Sure he wasn't accurate, but accuracy has never been his strong point. And a 58% completion rating to go along with his receiving corps. and joke of an O-line could be far worse.

As many players have vocally criticized this decision, it is clear that McNabb is being used as a scapegoat. Upon arrival in Washington, the Shanahans have done little but divide that locker room and create unnecessary drama.

As an Eagles fan, however, I rejoiced at the news. Not because I am a McNabb-hater. I was/am Donovan McNabb's biggest fan. But now he will get a chance to play somewhere where he can be successful (Arizona? Minnesota? Perhaps even Cincinnati?) And now the threat of having McNabb in our division will be non-existant next season. And the way Mike Shanahan has been handling things, let's hope he keeps his job in D.C. as long as possible

Eagles Flying High

Even with a pedestrian performance by Vick, the Eagles still managed to cool down a red-hot Cowboys team

9-4 and with an opportunity to nab a first round bye? Who would have ever expected this from the 2010 Eagles! This team has shown again what I've been saying since week 3, they are Super Bowl contenders.

Of course we still have issues. The red-zone offense is still not solid and the red zone defense? Don't even get me started... The passing defense is also shown to be mediocre at best without Asante Samuel. But with Samuel returning soon, expect the passing defense to be much more effective and more turnovers generated.

Samuel's return is much needed in the rematch with the Giants

The news about Stewart Bradley and Brandon Graham could be better, but also could be much worse. As much as it hurts to hear this Eagles fans, Bradley has been an average MLB this season, nowhere near his 2008 form. If Jamar Chaney plays like he did last night, while he is certainly a downgrade the defense should not miss too much of a step. Graham also will not be missed that much with the return of Jacqua Parker, as well as having the likes of Daryll Tapp to fill in for him.

Without the leader on the defense (I believe it is Samuel at this point) and with Vick playing only an okay game, the Eagles were still able to cruise to a win over a red-hot Dallas Cowboys team. Next week will be a challenge, but the game against the Giants is a must-win. Especially if the Giants lose to the Vikings, it could very well clinch the division. With a win over New York, the Eagles would have the momentum to win out the remaining schedule (Minnesota, Dallas, both at home) and with the way the Bears are looking I believe they would seize the 1st round bye.

The Eagles may be the only team in the NFC capable of stopping the Patriots from earning their 4th Super Bowl victory.

Not that it would matter that much in the long run, as so long as the Birds make postseason, barring an injury to Vick or Jackson I can't see us not advancing to at least the NFC Championship, as I don't see a team that could stop us on paper except the Falcons with their homefield advantage. But who knows? Maybe a 1st round bye and extra week of rest is what will rejuvenate the team and allow Vick to do away with his former team. And the Eagles are likely the only team with a potent enough offense to stop the Patriots, who I believe will make their 5th Super Bowl appearance under Bill Belichick.

Random Thoughts and Such

Vick is having an MVP worthy season

So after 12 games of football, the Eagles are 8-4, a remarkable feat considering the team's expectations prior to the season. One can make a case for Andy Reid as coach of the year with his decision to play the resurgent Michael Vick.

While the Eagles lost a tough game against the Chicago Bears, the Eagles bounced back with a win over Houston and remain in the driver's seat in the NFC East. At 8-4, and with the Eagles entering a period when they historically play their best football and getting healthier, while this may be premature it may be safe to say the Eagles will make the playoffs.

Is Andy Reid the coach of the year?

However, the remaining schedule is no longer the cakewalk it appeared to be a week or two ago. Dallas remains to be played twice and is finally translating the talent they have onto the field under Jason Garrett. Anyone who has followed the Eagles in 2009 knows how much of a potential spoiler Dallas can be. The Giants are coming up in week 15 and while the Eagles triumphed in their past meeting, the Giants were the first team to find a strategy to slow Vick down (although still allowing over 250 yards in the process). Minnesota even remains as a potential spoiler with the improved play since Childress' firing.

While this schedule is not a breeze by any means, every game on that schedule is a game the Eagles should win. Therefore, if they play to their potential, the Eagles at 12-4 would likely take the 2nd seed and a 1st round bye, as the Bears have a tough schedule ahead (with Patriots, Jets, and Packers all remaining).

The return of Samuel will do wonders for the leadership on defense.

The return of Asante Samuel will be crucial to our chances of winning out. It's not just his improved coverage abilities, but Asante is an important leader for the defense. I think few people are noticing the continued impact of the loss of Brian Dawkins 2 years ago. Since Dawkins' departure, his void has not been effectively filled. It has been a combination of more vocal players on the field making up for the loss in leadership. As a result, the loss of any such leaders has substantial consequences. Vick is the undisputed leader of the offense, but the return of Samuel will be crucial to the defensive chemistry.

And after throwing 15 touchdowns this season with only 2 INTs and leading the Eagles atop the NFC East, is Michael Vick MVP worthy? I believe he is but it will be difficult, as many others are just as worthy, such as Philip Rivers, Tom Brady, and Matt Ryan. One thing is for sure though, if officials continue to ignore late hits and personal fouls against Vick, he may not last long enough to be eligible for such talks.