McNabb Can Withstand Any Rush [Limbaugh]

Washington Post ^ | 1/15/04 | Leonard Shapiro

[Dr. Scarpetta]

From Limbaugh to Blitzers, Eagles' Quarterback, Donovan Mc Nabb, Has Persevered. Donovan McNabb and his Philadelphia Eagles teammates would prefer not to be remembered as a team that played in three straight NFC championship games and lost every one of them, including two at home.

"Really, it doesn't motivate me," McNabb said Wednesday as the Eagles prepared to play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, with a trip to the Super Bowl in the balance. "At times, it ticked me off. I'm just being a man about it. You go on and prepare and you can't get it done. Well, you use that as a little fuel to the fire. . . .

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Not much has slowed down McNabb this season. Not Rush Limbaugh saying he was overrated because he was a black quarterback.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

*Ping

[apillar]

Unfortunately, this whole thing was a lose/lose for Rush.

If McNabb had the worst season ever the media would be saying the reason was because he was demoralized my Rush's "racist" comments.

[stylin_geek]

I watched McNabb play this last weekend, and I don't think he is near as good as Peyton Manning, or even Trent Green.

[robjna]

except for couple of scrambles , mcnabb played like shit on
sunday, he got sacked 7 times, couldnt hit a reciever most times and philly got away with a win not because of what they did but because of what the packers didnt do. no way is philly going to win a super bowl , and if they do , i will donate 1000.00 dollars to free republic. the panthers won't be as stupid as the packers this week.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

*Ping

[Dr. Scarpetta]

*Ping

[discostu]

He got sacked 8 times. He also put together a 110 yard drive that had every single positive yard come either from his arm or on his feet. He's an OK QB who desires to make every play work, he also has a supporting cast of receivers that belong in the arena league which doesn't make his job any easier.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I never heard Rush use the tagline from the Broadway show "Now and Forever" (Cats) to his statements about McNabb. I guess his detractors decided to add it.

Rush was right at that time.

[blau993]

McNabb is a very good QB who does not play consistently up to his potential. He can take over and produce miracles. He can also throw the ball into the dirt with the worst of them. I watched him do both last Sunday.

I don't agree with your comments on the Eagle receivers. They don't have mega-stars, but their is some talent in that bunch. Witness the way Todd Pinkston circled back to the corner of the end zone (to catch the pass for the second TD) when he saw McNabb was in trouble.

I think the Eagles may surprise Carolina on Sunday. They are beat up and they are creaky, but they managed to keep the wheels on last week, and I think they can do it again. But hey, I may be an ex-Philadelphian, but I'm still a fan!

[ejo]

Rush's "racist" comment

Excuse me, have you heard the transcript of that debacle.. If you are truly honest to yourself you must admit that it is mcnabb "playing ability" that was referred to.

[discostu]

I'd give McNabb a C as a pure QB and bump him to a B- for what he gains from his scrambling (which is really what he gains for being HUGE and able to break tackles while scrambling, not really a QB trait but it helps).

Continuing to try to get open until the ball has been thrown does not make someone a good receiver, it makes them a professional that deserves to get paid to catch footballs. Arena league players are pros, my diagnosis stands. Philly's receivers aren't fast, they don't have good hands, they aren't crisp route runners, they don't block very well for the running game. They don't quit on plays, this is a good thing but if it's the only good thing you can say about a group of receivers they clearly aren't very good.

Suprise Carolina like how? They already beat Carolina once this season, the only suprise would be if they fell apart and let Carolina go to the big dance... of course having lost the last two NFC championships maybe that wouldn't be a suprise after all.

[general_re]

...he also has a supporting cast of receivers that belong in the arena league which doesn't make his job any easier.

Allow me to concur. IMO, it's beyond question that Pinkston and Thrash - his one and two guys, for crying out loud - are benchwarmers on virtually any other team in the NFL.

[SengirV]

It's amazing what one can do with other quality players around them. Do you think Aikman would have won without Irvin, or Emmitt? Bradshaw without Swann, Stallworth, Franco? Manning has Marvin, Edgy, etc.... Green has Tony G. Priest Holmes, etc.. McNabb has a bunch of second stringers in starting positions around him(Westbrook looks like a future star, but he is out the rest of the season). Doesn't look like the defense is carrying the Eagles this year.

I think "Rusty" was desirous to push his political agenda on a sports show. And even worse, bringing up race, to a city that saw how wrong he is with what Randall Cunningham went through.

[Richard Kimball]

If you rate McNabb by standard QB ratings, he comes up short. McNabb plays like a halfback who isn't afraid to get friendly with a center. QB's like McNabb screw up a defense, like the 21 yard scramble early. This style QB will give a defense fits, make mistakes, and make both the offense and the defense look like a schoolyard game, because he operates outside of the designed playbook so much.

In the GB game, neither QB won the game. McNabb threw what should have been an INT in regulation that would have lost the game. Farve threw what WAS the losing INT in overtime. BTW, one of the reasons McNabb hit so many receivers in the feet is because he's not that accurate, and he was trying to avoid interceptions. Low balls hit the ground. High balls get intercepted.

Is McNabb overrated? Yeah, absolutely. His number of commercials and endorsements is way out of line with his performance on the field. OTOH, if you look at any five players standing together on the field, by the time the announcers are done, you'll believe that three of them should be in the pro bowl. So McNabb ain't the Lone Ranger in terms of being overrated.

[uncbob]

You may be right
With Troy Vincent--Hollis Thomas--Paul Grasmanis--Carlos Edmunds--Brian Westbrook out they are really hurting especially since Edmunds and Westbrook played in the first Panther game

BUT the Eagles have been doing it all year so I wouldn't bet against them
No other team could have done what THEY DID AFTER LOSING ALL THOSE MAJOR PLAYERS

[secret garden]

Something for xshub to read. :-)

[uncbob]

They already beat Carolina once this season,

Carolina's kicker had some kind of mental lock that game

Also the Eagles are really going to miss Westbrook and Edmunds

[discostu]

ROFL. Yeah plenty of overrated players in the league. Especially in the QB spot, the sports press hasn't seemed to realize that the glory days of the QB position are gone, Marino is a VP, Elway is a used car salesman, Young is a talking head, Montana is a spokesperson. We've got Brett Favre hanging on from the glory days (and possibly past shelflife but I ain't gonna be the one that tells him). We've got Manning who's proven that if you study tape like a coach you don't have to be a great QB to get great numbers (I give Payton a lot of credit for developing veteran QB knowledge long before being a vet, makes up for a lot). And then there's good ol' blood and guts McNair. The good ol' days is gone for good.

[Tricorn]

Here's the bottom line: McNabb is NOT an MVP caliber QB. End of story. What is this, his 5th year? In Favre's 5th year, he won the first of 3 consecutive MVP awards and was far and away the best QB in the league in an NFL that had many top-notch QBs.

The media wants us to believe that McNabb is an MVP caliber QB. When McN was out last year, Feeley (or Freeley, or whatever his name was) out-performed McNabb -- and had a better record. Look, McNabb is a competent QB on a good team.

Why is this so difficult for the sports media to understand or accept?