McNabb: The forgotten man?

A controversy is brewing in Philadelphia, or at least the sportswriters are trying to stir the pot. Philly.com has a story about how Donovan McNabb is handling Jeff Garcia's success in his absence from the lineup. Donovan's mom is blogging about how she feels about the team's current run, and the mixed emotions she has watching the team play so well without her son. To top it all off, my friend and co-blogger Brandon sent me an email this morning saying he can't wait for next year when the Philly fans are pushing for Garcia to start over McNabb.

Enough. Donovan McNabb is handling this situation in the best way possible, he's stepped aside. His job now is to rehab that knee and be ready for next season. He realizes the world doesn't stop spinning because he got hurt, and he's not going to distract his teammates from the ultimate goal. Jeff Garcia has done an excellent job in replacing McNabb in the starting lineup, but he is not McNabb. This offense is putting up yards and points, but not in the same manner it was when McNabb was under center.

If anything, this change should help the Eagles play more effectively with McNabb in the lineup. When McNabb went down, the Eagles coaches stopped relying on their quarterback's amazing talent and started utilizing everyone (meaning, they became committed to the run). This change in philosophy, coupled with the defense's emergence from a 2-year nap is what has powered the Eagles on their 4 game winning streak. Garcia has not made mistakes, and made big plays to keep the chains moving. This is all they need him to do, and he's done it. With McNabb the offense is dynamic and explosive, capable of scoring on any play from any spot on the field.

Let's hope the Eagles beat writers can dig up something more important to write about in the coming days and stop fomenting a controversy which doesn't exist. The Atlanta game this Sunday is the biggest the Eagles have played since the Superbowl over 2 years ago, and they keep getting bigger from here on out. McNabb is letting the players focus on that, rather than his ego. That's what a leader should do.