Posted on 11/17/2005 12:03:00 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Donovan McNabb was told Thursday to have surgery that probably would end his season.
The Eagles' quarterback is considering his options.
McNabb will miss Philadelphia's game against the New York Giants on Sunday with a groin injury, but hasn't made a decision beyond that.
McNabb has played with a sports hernia most of the season. He re-injured his groin while trying to tackle Cowboys safety Roy Williams following an interception on Monday night. Williams returned it 46 yards for a touchdown with 2:43 left to lead Dallas to a 21-20 comeback victory over the Eagles.
Dr. William Meyers recommended that McNabb have surgery now to correct the sports hernia after an examination Thursday morning.
McNabb had planned to have surgery after the season, but he said Wednesday he wasn't sure if he'd do it sooner. Mike McMahon, who had been the third string quarterback, will start in McNabb's place.
"He's our leader. If he's out, it's a major hit," tight end L.J. Smith said. "It's definitely a blow to our offense."
ADVERTISEMENT A five-time Pro Bowl selection, McNabb clearly hasn't been the same quarterback who led the Eagles to the NFC championship game the last four years. He has thrown a costly interception in the fourth quarter in each of the last three games, and has nine picks this season.
He threw just eight interceptions last season when he became the first player in NFL history to throw more than 30 touchdown passes (31) and fewer than 10 interceptions.
Overall, McNabb has passed for 2,507 yards, 16 TDs and has a passer rating of 85.0 this season. His troubles started off the field with the turmoil between him and Terrell Owens.
McNabb feuded with Owens throughout the summer after he was criticized by the All-Pro wideout, and the two didn't speak for a prolonged period. They clicked on the field, however, with Owens catching 47 passes for 763 yards and six TDs in seven games.
Owens was suspended on Nov. 5 following a series of incidents, including repeated criticism of McNabb and lashing out at the organization. He was told not to return to the team last week.
McNabb hurt his chest in the season opener and has been bothered by the sports hernia for months.
Sports hernias are most common among male athletes. A diagnosis sometimes can be tricky because, unlike more common hernias, there is not always a visible bulge in the leg or groin area. And with about 18 different variations, sports hernias can range from torn muscles to frayed muscles to a weakness in the abdominal wall.
Sometimes, the symptoms masquerade as a hip joint problem, a groin pull, a strained abdominal muscle or bursitis in the hip.
Philadelphia Eagles quaterback Mike McMahon smiles during a news conference, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2005, in Philadelphia. Donovan McNabb will miss Philadelphia's game against the New York Giants on Sunday with a groin injury. McMahon, who had been the third-string quarterback, will get the start over backup Koy Detmer. AP - Nov 16, 3:42 pm EST More Photos In four seasons with Detroit, McMahon started seven games. He had a 43.8 completion percentage with 10 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions, but ran for 273 yards on 46 carries.
"Mike has a strong arm, he has good speed and he makes good decisions," running back Brian Westbrook said. "I'm confident in his ability to go out and make plays."
McNabb had started the last 37 games, excluding the meaningless regular-season finale last season. He's missed a total of seven games due to injury during his seven-year career, including the last six regular-season games in 2002 after breaking his ankle.
Koy Detmer and A.J. Feeley filled in for McNabb that season, leading the Eagles to a 5-1 finish and the No. 1 spot in the conference. McNabb returned for the playoffs, but the Eagles lost the NFC championship game to Tampa Bay.
Offensive coordinator Brad Childress said the transition to McMahon should be smoother than the one to Feeley, who went 4-1 playing for McNabb in just his second season.
"It's easier from the standpoint that (McMahon) has actual game experience," Childress said. "I think he'll play a lot like A.J., disciplined in the system. He has more movement abilities than A.J."
he should have the surgery....the eagles season is already in the toilet..too bad
Man, things went to hell real fast for the Iggles.
Good excuse for the season. My team (Oakland) has been playing the last couple of years lake someone kicked them in the b@11s.
Just tank the year and get a quality RB in the top of the 1st or 2nd round of the draft.
Too bad for the Iggles, but they were unlikely to even qualify for a wildcard slot this season. They've only won one conference game all year.
They just resigned Westbrook to a big contract. Do you feel that he will not ever be used as their main running attack? Westbrook feels that he can shoulder the load of running hard in the NFL and that he just hasn't been given the chance.
It seems like the Eagles need a big time receiver that has a reputation for being very low key off the field. If the Eagles had been smart instead of stubborn, they would have traded Owens for such a receiver during the off season when he still had tons of trade value.
Their defense kept them in every one of those games except for the first Dallas game. What would be really funny is if the Eagles made the playoffs with McMahon at QB. I would love to see how McNabb would deal with that.
Westbrook is mistaken. I think it's hilarious that he considers himself a power back. Maybe he doesn't know what one is. He can't be serious.
Even before TO's dust-ups, they were basicly last in rushing. That's not accidental. There are more than a dozen backs that could easily move them into the 110-yd/game range. That's why they suck.
I think it's less of being stubborn, than more of being (naively?) optimistic. IMHO, it seemed to me that Coach Reid was hoping the T.O. mess would be resolved - with the assistance of the "team leader" McNabb - who didn't help matters, really.
Reid apparently wanted better for T.O. as a person, not just a player - a sports writer wrote recently that Reid was hoping he could keep T.O. from being an angry 51 year old as much as he is an angry 31 year old.
The curse of T.O. strikes again. After getting the coach fired T.O. left a miserable SF team which may not recover for another two or three years.
Looking for some sympathy for the Eagles........damn just can't find any.
It wouldn't be funny but a clear case of divine intervention. They may not win another game this year.
"...a miserable SF team which may not recover for another two or three years...."
San Fran's problems started in 1994 when they signed a dozen mercinaries for the express and stated reason to beat Dallas. The bulk of the mercs were signed to one year deals and paid tons of bucks which is still haunting them today. They mortgaged their long range future in doing that. They got to and won SB 29. Even after Dallas spotted them 21 points, the Cowboys nearly won the NFC Championship Game and THEY would have gone to SB 29. That's water under the bridge now. Having that POS TO on their team didn't help. He was a cancer there as well as one to the Eagles. As a Cowboys fan, all I can do is sit back and laugh at their misfortunes. It helps Big D either way. But I think that Donovan needs to have that operation now. If he tries to come back in a few weeks, he would be committing career suicide. If Reid allows him back to play, he would bear a lot of the blame for worsening McNabb's injury. He's too good of qb to risk on such a boneheaded decision.
Think it started with Terrell Davis of Denver and has continued with every other NFL star who has been Campbell's spokesman.
Took longer for McNabb than any other.
That and the curse of the Madden game box cover
Anyone who wants to get on the cover of THAT particular game deserves whatever curse comes their way.
NFL 2K*, we miss you already...
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