NFC Championship Game: Carolina Panthers 14 vs. Philadelphia Eagles 3 (Final)

1/18/04 | me

[baseballfanjm]

It's game time!

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

Feeley and Detmer bailed the Eagles out last year.

[cincinnati65]

"McNabb was Houdini and Superman all in one": Chris Berman.

No overhype, really.

[Paleo Conservative]

Feeley and Detmer bailed the Eagles out last year.

But still putting in a backup who only threw the ball 5 times during the season in the championship game with a 10 point deficit is a bit much to expect. There were some good passes from Detmer that receivers dropped possibly because they weren't accusomed to his timing. I think it is foolish for a team with a big lead in the second half to keep in the starting quarterback. You never know when the backup is going to be needed. It's better if he has some playing time to keep sharp.

[Richard Kimball]

Did the recievers stay on the pattern on the ones that McNabb under threw into the dirt?

McNabb has always been an inaccurate passer. Throwing low puts the ball in the dirt. Throwing high gets it intercepted. McNabb's strength, and I think he's a pretty good QB, although nowhere near as good as people claim he is, is that he's strong enough to break tackles and keep a play alive. Yeah the receivers break patterns. They break them to come back to McNabb after the original play breaks down and play "toss and catch." While it's not traditional QBing, they've won a lot of games with it. To play McNabb and win, you assign someone to mirror him and maintain lane control, so he can't run out of the pocket. Your DB's have to be able to play man, and you need some underside help, as most of his completions are under the defense, not over it.

As to being a great QB, I can't think of other QB who's considered great that's never even won a conference championship. McNabb should kiss Limbaugh's *ss, because now it's considered illegal to say anything negative about him. I still want to know why it's illegal to mention that Ray Lewis plea bargained out of a double-homicide charge.

[Richard Kimball]

Maybe he meant to say, "Donovan McNabb can't do it {at} all..."

[gitmo]

[ATCNavyRetiree]

Hate to be an Iggle fan.
Rush was RIGHT!...McNabb is a GOOD quarterback, NOT a GREAT quarterback.
GREAT quarterbacks play great consistently...and win Super Bowls!
...And they play with pain.

[ATCNavyRetiree]

GREAT POINT!!

[cherry]

"Howie Long should talk about blame...I lost track of how many times the over-rated Long jumped offside at a crucial moment in key Raider games. It takes an over-rated player to cover for another over-rated player."

yeah, like Sean Salisbury...

[baseballfanjm]

Well, playing hurt can do your team more harm than good a lot of the time. But three straight NFC Championships lost says something. I mean, at least the Bills made it to their Super Bowls before losing.

[Richard Kimball]

You can erase the "south" out of that logo now.

[sully777]

Don't have time to read all comments. Forgive me if this point was made already. I can't recall any QB like McNabb that was ever effective in the BIG GAME. For example, Tarkenton made it to the Superbowl several times but his team made it on the backs of the defence (purple people eaters) which later proved not as good as originally believed. Tarkenton was overrated--simple truth. And if Tarkenton did not have his Chuck we'd be asking "Tarkenwho?"

Some QBs like Stabler, Favre, Young, Montana, and that guy from Denver that lost 4 or 5 Superbowls before winning his last two could scramble if they had to scramble but they were QB first. But even these guys must admit they had an awesome D and a great running from HB/FB when it counted.

The point is that scramblers scramble because they don't have the experience, the arm, or the ability to read the field completely. McNabb is a scrambler. He is an overrated QB. His accuracy is not good. He was throwing stuff all over last week and this week. But the media always loves scramblers because it adds excitement to game which translates to better ratings.

Skin color has nothing to do with the truth about scramblers, except that most older QBs nowadays that scramble are black, or they're white rookies on the field.

Anyway, I believe the media is biased toward Philly and McNabb just as much as they are biased toward 49ers and their QB in their day. Some teams can do no wrong. I remember my beloved Giants destroying Montana in the playoffs and the media was insisting that their 49ers would still win with seconds on the clocks, using phrases like "Montana's back is broken but what an artist."

Some teams can no right like the Patriots that are going to their forth of fifth Superbowl, second in last three years. And Carolina is no one's favorite, apparently even in Charlotte. But that's how I like my football--working class no frills smashemcrashem D&O.

[sully777]

"How would you like to be the Philly Wide-outs????
Every fricken sports-show got the McRibb TALKING POINTS:
Bad receivers-can not catch. McRibb is superman but he can not be with bad ribs. There is Media bias and they tear down others to make him look good."

You are so right. Reminds me of that new commercial--think it's BUD. The player is in the locker room (post-game) answering the question why his team lost. He says that everyone knows it can't be his fault so it must be his teammates, the coaches, the officials, the refs, maybe it's even the inteerviewers fault.

LOL. Perfect mirror image of the McNabb orgy by the media!

[sully777]

I listen to football in the car, which gives the game a distinct feel you can't get from TV. IMO, you see more and you think about the subtle strategy. You almost feel the pulse of the receivers, running game, D and QB routine.

I listened to four Eagle games during season and the two playoff games. Philly receivers had to stretch and fly to retrieve the CRAP McNabb threw. Truth be told, if it wasn't for the receiver corps, McNabb's #'s would be basement. McNabb ran in the Green Bay game because Green Bay's D shut down run and pass. Then they figured out how to stop his running. The rest of the game was a total question mark to me (personal theory is that the game was thrown).

McNabb is absolutely overrated and his WR and his RBs should be given metals of valor for going beyond call of duty to fly into enemy territory try to pick out of the air MCNabb's constant flubs and wobblers.

[Fledermaus]

Other than this year and the last time the Patriots were in the Superbowl two years ago...I'm pretty sure they've never been there before.

[sully777]

Chicago Bears pummeled them 48 to 3 or somesuch score in 1986 and the Green Bay Packers beat them in 1996 or 97. There may have been another time but not sure. Then you have the Rams/Pats game after 9-11 and this year.

Fledermaus, you are like a bat. Do you ever go to bed? Saw you the other night on the Bush poll thread. Just got home from work, myself.

[Vigilantcitizen]

As an unapologetic falcons fan, I'd like to point out that for the second straight year, the NFC south is sending the NFC represenative to the SB.

And that next season, with a new coach, Vick in a version of the west coast offense, and a defense, I'm very excited about the falcon's chances.

One last thing...the playoff games this year were awesome. Maybe parity isn't such a bad thing.

[Fledermaus]

My mistake. You are right. 86 and 97 and they lost.

Sorry I doubted it without checking first.

And yes, I do go to bed...when that yellow ball thingy comes up. What's with that?

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

WHAT A WIMP!! Chicken Sh** player! Others before him have played HURT! What a total let down for his teammates and fans!

Remember Stan Humphries with a separated throwing shoulder in that playoff game ('95?)? Talk about pain! He stayed in and led his team to the Super Bowl. McNub sucks.

RUSH IS RIGHT!!!

[sully777]

"Sorry I doubted it without checking first."

No problem with the momentary loss of memory. I get it often at 555EST/455CST/355MST/255PST--depending where I'm driving at the moment I look at the clock.

"And yes, I do go to bed...when that yellow ball thingy comes up. What's with that?"

I think it's called the sun. My children afford me about five hours of semi-restful sleep. So, I get to see Mr. Sun more often that probably you. I'm usually more cordial to Mr. Sun after my second cup of coffee. I'm usually more cordial to my family after my third. LOL.