Posted on 02/08/2005 8:30:44 PM PST by bikepacker67
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Patriots knew Donovan McNabb couldn't beat them with his arm in Super Bowl XXXIX. But they did suspect McNabb could beat his own team with it.
He complied.
Sunday night, McNabb cobbled together a mishmash of inaccuracy, indecisiveness, inconsistency and ineptitude. If he merely played OK, the Eagles might have pulled the upset over the Patriots. But OK was too tall an order.
The statistics tell a tale of a valiant effort by the Philadelphia quarterback -- 30-for-51 for 357 yards with three touchdowns. But the three picks he threw -- one to Tedy Bruschi during crunch time, another horrendous underthrow into double coverage at the goal line that Rodney Harrison snared, and the final one that brought a merciful end to a laughable excuse for a two-minute drive -- undid the good. He also took four sacks and forced his receivers to make spectacular catch after spectacular catch for what were often minimal gains.
The number of accurate throws McNabb made -- completions that his receivers could turn into yards after the catch -- could be counted on one hand.
He had a third-and-8 dart to Todd Pinkston for 17 yards. His touchdown throw to L.J. Smith was terrific. And the
30-yard touchdown to Greg Lewis was perfect. And what? A few throws on the Eagles third-quarter scoring drive that the Patriots were conceding along the sidelines.
Perhaps some would mention his second touchdown throw of the day, a back-pedaling, seeing-eye floater to Brian Westbrook that barely eluded the hands of both Dexter Reid and Mike Vrabel. Bad decision, but good result.
"As good a game as he played, there were some throws that we thought were underthrown or overthrown," Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said diplomatically. "That's just good coverage, good rushing, putting some pressure on him."
The Patriots had the book on McNabb. He'd given it to them last year when he had one of his worst games as a pro, going 18-for-37 for 186 yards with two picks and eight sacks. The only damage McNabb did that day was with his feet so the Patriots decided to take that option away. They would blitz. But the blitzes would be controlled, not reckless. And they wouldn't lose containment on the edges. They would sit linebackers like Mike Vrabel and Roman Phifer in zone coverage about 10 yards downfield to disrupt crossing routes and dissuade McNabb from taking off. And while they would have mismatches in man-to-man coverage on the outside, they'd make sure the receivers didn't get behind them and hope McNabb would struggle with his nerves and accuracy.
The Pats would be light against the run, but they felt they had enough skill and speed in the front seven to deal with a quick but smallish outside runner like Brian Westbrook.
"We wanted to keep McNabb from getting out of the pocket, from what we call playing against extended plays where he goes back and runs around and then becomes a double threat in terms of running with it . . . or buying more time in the pocket while the receivers get open," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said yesterday morning. "We wanted to get as much speed and athleticism to rush the passer on the field."
McNabb ran once. He was stopped for no gain.
On the third-quarter scoring drive, when McNabb went 6-for-7 and tied the game at 14, he looked like the quarterback worthy of all the praise he gets. Then the Patriots switched from man to zone and McNabb went 10-for-19 with two picks. He also looked defeated, disinterested . . . dis-something during the fourth quarter. But he definitely didn't look like a quarterback bound for glory.
The dispassion and utter lack of urgency Philadelphia showed in the final minutes of the fourth quarter lands at McNabb's feet, as well. It's on him to get his offense in and out of the huddle with precision. If the sideline's not calling the plays in quickly enough, he has to make sure they do. Or take over.
And when there's 48 seconds left in the game and you're at your own 4-yard line, you don't wander around the end zone, then throw for a 1-yard gain in the middle of the field as McNabb did. Or throw a bouncing pass behind Terrell Owens on second down after chewing up 26 precious seconds.
"I bet you everyone was on the edge of their seats when we went back out there with 50-some seconds left," said McNabb.
Maybe if it was Jake Delhomme. Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games. McNabb came up tiny.
But Owens -- the guy a lot of people loved to hate -- was brilliant. If there was an MVP runner-up, it would have been him. But McNabb wasted Owens' performance -- and a fairly decent performance by the Eagles defense.
Donovan McNabb gagged on Sunday. Just as he gagged last year in the NFC Championship Game against Carolina.
"As the quarterback, you want to make sure you take care of the ball," McNabb said, stating the obvious that he must have forgotten during the biggest game of his life. "Turnovers kill you. They hurt us today.
"We got so close today, but you'll be writing about us sooner or later" as Super Bowl champions, he predicted.
Bet on it being later.
Who, except you, said anything about hating McNabb? We're simply judging his performance in the Super Bowl and stating whether or not we think he's overrated as a quarterback. Sorry if that bothers you.
Owens, love him or hate him, played brilliantly...the more so because he was clearly not 100%. Westbrook is a marvelous football player. Eagles' defense is very solid, but -- for various reasons including getting absolutely fooled a few times -- didn't put much pressure on Brady. And, the Eagles erred badly in not blanketing Branch, who thoroughly deserved the MVP award IMNNHO.
Net bottom line: today's Pats are easily the most complete team in the league, and Belichek couldn't care less about beating the spread. 3 Super Bowl wins, each time by 3 points?
Recalls a fellow named Al Davis to some extent: ''Just win, baby.''
"The McNabb haters are really getting pathetic".
I would remove "getting" from your statement to agree 100%.
Sounds like you are the one hung up on race, maybe not the media.
A pick is an interception.Unless, of course, it's Freddie Mitchall committing offensive holding.
"That's unfair, the guy was sick as a dog... really shouldn't have been out there trying to play if you ask me... "
- I believe that to be a fair statement. The argument seems to be over what made him sick. Was it the flu, or did his mind and body seize up from tension and fear of failure?
Throwing out the "Race Card" like your Johnny Cochran defending this good but NOT GREAT QB.
McNabb is NOT a premier QB. Yes he wins many regular season games. Yes he usually manages to beat the weak NFC teams that he SHOULD BEAT.
A 1 for 5 Championship Game winning percentage is not the resume of a winner.
*************
"Preview". We have "Spell", too. :)
Wow, you think? Well, never mind. (McNabb was sick.) This was all over the news in New England yesterday, clearly a cover for between the lines.
Hmm, you wonder why the coach didn't pull McNabb when he saw he was sick. Big egos involved, and nobody likes to have 'choke' hung around his neck. Tough deal, but they'll be back.
Somebody told me yesterday that the Eagles had the softest schedule in the NFC this year...which explained why they made it to the Superbowl.
Rush was RIGHT.
No the Bears was worse. They did not have an offense at all.
The NFC was weak the past year.
Don't start with that "he played throught the pain (or nausea)" excuse-making. Tom Brady had a 103 degree fever and was hooked up to an IV the night before the AFC Championship game with the Steelers and wound up decimating them. A champion plays like one even in the face of adversity.
See my post #78...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.