After a month of hearing and reading about trade suitors, it was inevitable that Donovan McNabb would be traded. Regardless of whether you expect it to happen or not, it’s a strange feeling when a franchise player, someone you’ve seen week after week for the last decade, is officially sent out of town.
I am a sports fanatic. Maybe I’m too into sports, but last night was like taking your dog to the vet. After my wife found out about the trade, she looked at me and sincerely said, “Are you okay?” When his wife asks if he’s okay after a sports exchange, he’s either too involved or it was a really big exchange. This was a really great exchange. Here are my thoughts.
Why the Washington Redskins in the first place? When you dump an underachieving girlfriend, you DUMP her. No more movies, no more hanging out, no more future. They break up and that’s it. Why the hell would you give him an exclusive pass to spend two holidays with you and your family every year? You wouldn’t… unless you’re Andy Reid.
Reid dropped off Donovan McNabb on Sunday night, then invited him to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with the Eagle family. Now, Donovan, we traded you, but we really like you, so we want you to visit us twice a year. How is that sound?
That sounds great for the jilted girlfriend, of course. You’ve just given her the opportunity (and the motivation nonetheless) to get in shape, become a supermodel, maximize her potential, and show up twice a year to give it to you. Not only are you embarrassed, but her presence and her dead stare humiliate you in front of your whole family. Your uncle laughing and asking: “You threw His?!?!” is the icing on the cake.
Obviously, McNabb’s revival isn’t guaranteed, but it’s likely (at least in my opinion). Athletes (as McNabb has shown) are not the most confident people on the planet. Their feelings get hurt over silly things, and they often come out at their best when motivated by revenge. Regardless of how amicable the trade process has been, McNabb will watch the Eagles twice a year with an overwhelming desire to prove himself and burn his former employer. As anyone in Wisconsin can tell you, there are rules to follow when he moves a franchise quarterback. Rule #1: Never give him a chance to embarrass you twice a year.
Well played, Andy Reid. Well played.
Moving Donovan McNabb makes sense. I have already explained my position as an apologist for McNabb. I thought he gave the Eagles the best chance to win in 2010. I know he’s not Brady, Brees or Manning, but he’s still one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL.
That said, I’m not outraged about moving McNabb (except for the division rival thing). It was clear that the relationship between him and the team was strained and that a change was needed for both parties. Many, including the front office, believed he took the Eagles as far as he was going to take them. Therefore, a trade was necessary to implement Kevin Kolb. (By the way, Reid is the main culprit for never winning a title. When did McNabb have a running game AND a solid defense? Brees, Manning (Eli and Peyton) and Roethlisberger won with both.)
If the Eagles are really rebuilding their roster (which it appears they are), I support moving McNabb. Having a young team growing together is the best formula to build a champion and possibly a small dynasty. I was thrilled when they moved the overrated Sheldon Brown and released veterans like Darren Howard. If the plan is to rebuild, McNabb had to be moved. Kolb needs time and reps to grow with the Eagles’ young playmakers. Supporting McNabb would only delay that process. For the Eagles’ future, trading McNabb was the right move.
The trade may actually benefit Donovan McNabb. For the first time in a while, McNabb will finally have a reliable running game. Moving to a Mike Shanahan-led offense guarantees that. No longer will McNabb have to throw third-and-inches, attempt 35-plus passes week in and week out, and watch the defensive lineman cover his ears and attack. A balanced offense will give McNabb another chance to show he can still play at a high level.
Yes, McNabb had offensive weapons in Philly, but he was rarely (if ever) protected by a solid, consistent running game. You see, a game of running is Andy Reid’s equivalent of a salad. It has no purpose. It’s useless, unsatisfying and not worth your time. Shanahan is the master of the running game. He did 1,000 unnamed yard rushers in Denver. Expect Washington to be in the top 10 in rushing next year and expect McNabb to thrive on that.
Despite a rough patch the past two years, the Washington Redskins also have some good offensive talent. Add that talent with the offensive genius of Mike Shanahan, and the Redskins could be a force in the NFC. They have talented tight ends in Chris Cooley and Fred Davis, young receivers in Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly, and a proven running back who has already thrived under Shanahan’s system in Clinton Portis. McNabb is moving into a situation where he can win right away.
Plus, he FINALLY has great physical receivers who can go after his errant throws. Only once in his career has McNabb been paired with a receiver of this prototype. His name was Terrell Owens. I’m pretty sure he did well (at least on the field). Devin Thomas is 6’2, 215. Malcolm Kelly is 6’4, 225. In other words, they could both eat DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. (I’m not saying they’re better, just that you could literally eat them.)
This could be a significant advantage for McNabb. On Reid’s West Coast offense, McNabb needed to be precise with his passes. Accuracy isn’t exactly his strong suit. With Thomas and Kelly (if Shanahan can get him to perform), McNabb will be able to play more to his instincts and give his receivers bigger opportunities to go up and get the ball. The shots don’t have to be perfect because both should have an advantage over the smaller defensive backs.
The trade won’t turn McNabb into Peyton Manning, but it should improve his numbers and relieve some of the pressure of carrying an entire offense like he did in Philadelphia.
A history lesson. There is a classic saying; history often repeats itself. A few months ago I pointed out how similar McNabb’s career to date has been to that of John Elway (http://4thanddone.com/abandon-ship). When Elway finally won two Super Bowls in his later years, he was a young coach who got him there through a ferocious running game. What was that coach’s name? Oh yes, that’s right. He was Mike Shanahan. Just say.