Rush's PERFECT comments Re: Donovan McNabb

me

[Pukin Dog]

For those who missed it, Limbaugh performed the most perfect comments on Donovan McNabb this morning by not even mentioning his name.

Instead he contrasted the way that Payton Manning came out and took responsibility for his performance against the way that the media instantly set out to blame the Eagles' wide recievers for what happened to them.

It was the best revenge, because by not mentioning McNabb, no one in the media can say that Rush attacked McNabb, but to all us football fans, what Rush DIDNT say, was LOUD AND CLEAR. Thanks Rush!

[N. Theknow]

While McNabb's style is effective during the regular season, NO "scrambling" QB has ever won a Super Bowl to my recollection. For such a QB, once Option "A" is taking away, Option "B" had better be good enough to win the Big Game in the NFL. McNabb's "Option "B" obviously isn't.

Precisely!

NO scrambling/running QB has ever won an NFL Championship!

By the time scrambler/runners do win like Staubach and Elway, they have finally gotten the giddy-up out of their brains and ONLY use that ability to get open to throw. They become throwers first and runners second.

Early in their careers they scramble and run and force passes which become intercepted when receivers are forced to scramble to get open and have the ball thrown to them in awkward positions.

Later on they realize that perhaps taking a sack or throwing the ball away is perhaps a better idea that retains possession and/or field position. It doesn't take them out of field goal position and gives the rest of the team a chance to win, which is much easier to do when your team has the ball.

McNair is a much better QB when he is hurt and cannot run, although he is reaching the point where he realizes perhaps running is not in his or the team's best interest, even if he can get a first down doing so.

McNabb was a better QB when his ankle was broken and he was thinking pass first, run second. Elway lost what, 3 SB's before he got wise to how QB's win games. Same with Staubach. And especially the same for Steve Young. He got his MVP for 6 TD passes in the SB NOT for getting a first down running. Fran Tarkenton never learned.

Norm Van Brocklin said it best. "Quarterbacks should only run when in fear of their life."

Terry Bradshaw, closest QB to ever be a scrambler and win a SB. However, nobody ever thinks of or describes Bradshaw as a runner/scrambler.

Which as a Falcons fan you have to wonder. If Michael Vick is the answer - the Falcons obviously don't understand the question.

[NittanyLion]

I don't think Philly is it. He has so much more to learn about being a great passer, and I don't think Andy Reid is the guy to teach him. BTW, who is the QB coach in Philly? If he truly has potential, then that potential needs to be developed. But if Philly keeps relying on his scrambling skills, they will never make it to the SB.

Andy Reid was a pretty good QB Coach himself, so I'm not sure that's it. I think in general the Eagles offense is too conservative. Whether that's by design, due to poor receivers, or as a result of McNabb, is anyone's guess.

[discostu]

I don't see a reason to have given up on McNabb, his throws weren't bad but the receivers weren't catching. Notice they didn't play any better for Detmer.

[rintense]

Well when an offense relies on the QB to get rushing yards, the passing game will always suffer. I predict you'll see some players bolt the Eagles in the off season.

[discostu]

Hiding injuries isn't a good thing. Look at what Kurt Warner did to the Rams when he was hiding injuries that were screwing up his skills. Hiding injuries is high selfishness in a team game.

Since I'm not disputing that he's overrated and overhyped I wouldn't expect my post to contradict that. I'm disputing that he wimped out. I called McNabb overrated long before Rush got on ESPN.

[UCANSEE2]

This game reminded me of the last Chief's game.

The Philly players started asking themselves, "What if we lose this game?" and thereby set their own future. The Chiefs did the same.

Both teams (Chiefs and Eagles) lost before they came out of the locker room.

[F16Fighter]

" I'd say an additional factor is the lack of physical receivers on the Eagles' team - good defenses in the playoffs are jamming them at the line, and these receivers can't get into their normal route as a result."

Point well-taken -- especially against the Panthers -- but I would maintain McNabb has made a bad habit of thinking "scramble" and unnecessarily bolting from the pocket before his receivers' routes are fully developed.

[CyberCowboy777]

I recanted the statement that he wimped out.

[N. Theknow]

Running QBs cannot get you a championship Roger(the dodger)Staubach, and Steve Young fans will differ. What was Steve Young, but a slightly slower white version of Michael Vick?

See my post 361 for a little more on this.

[discostu]

Then we're in complete agreement.

[ex-snook]

"I've got to disagree here. I think I have now seen the play over a hundred times at various speeds. It was a glancing blow at best with most of the weight landing on the ground. I'm not arguing that it didn't cause an injury, just that his "full body weight" did not land any place but the ground. "

My look was as yours. McNabb staggered back and was on the ground. He raised his legs as the tackler approached. Then the tackler fell on him. The pic in my paper showed the tackler had an arm on the ground [so not full weight]. No whistle - no late hit. [maybe ref's fault]

In any event I could not see the guy hitting McNabb's ribs because McNabb had his legs up covering himself. Maybe he was hurt earlier.

[dmzTahoe]

"I don't see a reason to have given up on McNabb, his throws weren't bad but the receivers weren't catching. Notice they didn't play any better for Detmer."

The ones that Detmer got to the receivers, they caught them. The interception he threw never got to Staley to try to catch it.

Of the three McNabb intercepts, only the one that was knocked from the receiver was not Leon McNabb's fault. How long did he hold on to the ball? How many reads did he miss? The coaches and receivers know the real answers, and the press is not helping McNabb win friends by holding him blameless.

[CyberCowboy777]

And I do not care what Rush said.

Rush was a media stunt that back fired.

[NittanyLion]

Point well-taken -- especially against the Panthers -- but I would maintain McNabb has made a bad habit of thinking "scramble" and unnecessarily bolting from the pocket before his receivers' routes are fully developed.

I've noted the same. And there's little doubt the two play into each other. Receivers aren't rewarded for running their routes because McNabb doesn't look down the field; when McNabb actually looks down the field receivers haven't run their routes...and round and round we go...

[blackie]

"The Eagles aren't the winningest team of the last 4 years by accident..."

Maybe it's strength of schedule ~ how else can you explain their total collapse and big time choke when they get to the big games?

[discostu]

Actually Pinkerton continued to run routes and not look for the ball up until the last play of the game. They continued to suck.

The slant pattern was entirely the receivers fault, he stopped and shoved the corner forward to get behind him. Slants are all about being in front of the corner, being behind the guy is completely missing the point of the play. The coaches and receiver do know the real answer, at least half a dozen catchable balls, balls that hit BOTH hands on the receivers were DROPPED. Those are 100% the fault of the receiver. McNabb shouldn't want friends in that receiving core, they stink.

[Cboldt]

Actually it's Rush's fault Philly lost. His racist comments put so much pressure on Mcnabb that there was no way he could live up to the pressure. There should be a govt. program to help out with these sort of problems.

Piece of cake. Extend the Campaign-Finance Reform laws to encompass sports commetary. Viola.

[NittanyLion]

Well when an offense relies on the QB to get rushing yards, the passing game will always suffer.

Without question.

I predict you'll see some players bolt the Eagles in the off season.

The Eagles have lost some of their best players each year now (Hugh Douglas, Brian Mitchell, Jeremiah Trotter) because the Eagles refuse to shell out top dollar for guys over 30. Duce Staley is no doubt gone, but aside from that the core will be back. Outside NE, the Eagles still have some of the best odds at winning a Superbowl. I don't expect you'll see players fleeing this team.

[Land of the Free 04]

It is racism on the part of the MEDIA, not Rush.

Absolutely.

[golas1964]

So you call Rush an 'ass' for injecting politics, but if his critics do it, that's ok by you. (typical hypocrasy)

If a policy, however good-intentioned, favors one skin color over another, I define that as racism.

Rush DID comment on the hiring process on the same show a week or two earlier. If it was inappropriate to the show, the ESPN producers would have nixed it, but they didn't. To Rush the McNabb press hype was part and parcel of the same argument.

Other people have been critical of McNabb. Rush was singled out because he was 'profiled' by his enemies. (more hypocrasy)