D’Arcy Maine, NFL Draft Bible
What did we learn last week? Never underestimate Donovan McNabb.
After a week filled with intense media-scrutiny for his on and off-field actions, McNabb was in desperate need for a win. And win he did as he led the Eagles to a 56-21 victory over the Lions on Sunday in a phenomenal performance. The Philadelphia quarterback helped deliver touchdowns on all of Philly’s first five possessions.
After poor play in the Eagles first two games- losses to the seemingly-surging Packers and the Redskins- McNabb drew fire from local and national media. Many claimed he had not fully recovered from last year’s season ending injury; others believed the 30-year-old had lost his competitive edge. Regardless of the cause, the tabloids began to swirl last week promising McNabb’s demise in Philadelphia.
The headlines continued after McNabb appeared in a pre-taped interview on HBO where he proclaimed, “there's not that many African-American quarterbacks, so we have to do a little bit extra” and furthered by commenting on the larger amount of criticism black quarterbacks receive compared to their white counterparts.
But McNabb is no stranger to controversy and criticism and he in fact seems to thrive when all else seem to doubt him. Despite his introduction being received by a chorus of boos from the Boo Birds, a focused and determined quarterback emerged on Sunday ready to prove his ability to the world in a dominating fashion associated with only an elite class of the position.
McNabb threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns. And, like a top quarterback should do, he made everyone around him better. Kevin Curtis, the previously rarely-discussed wide receiver had 221 receiving yards and three touchdowns, breaking virtually all of his career-bests. Brian Westbrook, arguably one of the top running backs in the league when he is healthy, had 110 rushing yards, 111 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
The defense, perhaps inspired by the phenomenal play of the offense, proved their worth by making the Lions to go three-and-out on four on their first five possessions. This helped set the tone early, allowing McNabb and the offense dominate.
Every football fan wants their quarterback to succeed, regardless of their race, and the easiest way to quiet disgruntled fans is with a huge victory. But nonetheless don’t discount McNabb’s comments. We don’t live in an equal world and like in most segments of our society, the historically oppressed are more harshly judged, particularly in jobs or positions where they have traditionally not been a part.
But the best way for McNabb to combat criticism and to help the next generation of black quarterbacks is by silencing his critics by winning games and remaining the poised and intelligent athlete he has shown to be. Sunday looked like he was on the right track.
This week’s match-up against their division rivals, the New York Giants, should be a good test for the re-energized Eagles. Westbrook’s status for the game is questionable, but even without their star running back, count on McNabb to make magic happen with the rest of his receivers. This week will prove if last week was merely a fluke or if the Eagles are truly back.
NFL Draft Bible columnist D'Arcy Maine breaks down all the intrigue from around the league each and every week exclusively at 4th & Goal.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
GARCIA BUC-ING THE ODDS
By Ralph Mancini, Fantasy Football Insiders Sr. Writer
Professional football is a cruel, heartless sport where one slight dip of skill quite often means you’re out of the league for good no questions asked.
No position is as thankless as that of starting quarterback. Physical stallions with rocket arms have often resigned to bow out of the game unceremoniously just because they lost that one-half step that at an earlier time put them among the pantheon of greats in their profession.
Nowhere was this more evident than with Dan Marino, who had the Miami Dolphins turn their back on him at the end of the 2000 season.
Drew Bledsoe was also faced with the stark reality that not one team viewed the first player chosen in the 1993 draft as a starting-caliber passer.
Giants great Phil Simms was also forced to come to grips with the fact that then-New York head coach Dan Reeves didn’t have a spot for him anymore following a shoulder injury after his 2003 campaign. Despite brief talk of a comeback with the Cleveland Browns, Simms did an about face and decided to call it a career.
What’s amazing about all three quarterbacks is that they were gone in an eye blink. In any other major sport, name-brand players hang on until they become a mere shell of their former selves.
The NFL is a “now” league where you’re only as good as your last play. There’s no chance of seeing a 43-year-old Robert Parrish hobble up and down the court in the hopes of winning last championship as the twelfth man on the Chicago Bulls.
If Tampa Bay quarterback Jeff Garcia would’ve followed the pattern set by most noted signal callers, he would’ve most likely retired four years ago when at the end of the 2003 season, the 49ers determined that he was no longer in their plans.
Unlike most NFL quarterbacks, Garcia never had the size, pedigree or arm strength that would’ve made any scout or general manager even consider making him a backup, let alone starting quarterback.
Yet after a successful collegiate career at San Jose State, the native Californian went on to make his bones in the CFL where he served as Doug Flutie’s backup with the Calgary Stampede.
Not only was he forced to play in the outer reaches of the professional ranks, but his path to stardom was almost hopelessly obscured by a Canadian league legend who was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player an unprecedented six times.
It took an injury to the mighty Flutie midway through the 1995 season for Garcia to finally get his long-awaited opportunity to show his wares.
In his three years as the Stampede’s starting field general, Garcia led his squad to records of 13-5, 10-8 and 12-6. In 1998, the Garcia-driven Stampede earned the coveted Grey Cup.
The late Bill Walsh took notice of the budding superstar and made one of his finest moves as general manager by signing the skinny, little Canadian-leaguer as the backup to Steve Young.
The scrappy six-footer eventually became San Francisco’s starting quarterback when Young wisely opted to call it quits after suffering his last in a long line of concussions during the 2000 season.
Garcia played an equally reckless and breathtaking brand of football during his 49er years, displaying the uncanny ability to scramble and throw on the run.
Garcia and receiver Terrell Owens combined to form one of the most prolific passing tandems from 2000 to 2004, as Garcia threw for over 4,000 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2001 and 3,538 yards and 32 touchdowns the following year.
In a memorable playoff game versus the Giants in 2003, the onetime CFL standout inspired his team to come back from a 38-14 deficit and threw for 331 yards and three touchdowns, and also ran for 60 yards and a score en route to an improbable 39-38 win.
His remarkable skill of making plays out of the pocket also made him susceptible to absorbing big hits. Garcia would absolutely get crushed on some plays, but always find a way to dust himself off and huddle up for the next play.
The punishment finally took its toll in 2003, when back issues prevented the mobile master of improvisation from performing at his standard levels.
The Niners decided to part ways with him at the end of the season, as the three-time All Pro had no choice but to sign with a struggling Cleveland Browns team.
His tenure in Cleveland was short lived as the fiery red head frequently clashed with coach Butch Davis, who was never too fond of the quarterback’s “skittish ways” in the pocket.
His stay with the Detroit Lions didn’t fare much better, as general manager Matt Millen ultimately elected to stick with the underachieving Joey Harrington as his franchise leader.
At 36-years old, the former Niner was now viewed as a beat up has been with a dishrag arm. Garcia’s subsequent stop in Philadelphia hardly made any waves. At this point, many considered him pretty fortunate to still be on an NFL roster.
But as fate had it, the old gunslinger still had a few bullets left in his holster. Taking over for an injured Donovan McNabb, Garcia guided the Eagles to the playoffs last year with a 5-2 record in his starts.
So impressive was his play that Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden signed him in the offseason and eventually handed him the keys to the Buccaneer offense. Gruden’s decision to go with the ageless journeyman has so far been a slam dunk.
Despite lacking a howitzer arm, Garcia has proven to be right choice to operate his coach's west coast scheme by making quick reads and hitting his best (and only) playmaking wide out Joey Galloway with weak-side slants that have gained big yardage.
When not throwing it to Galloway, Garcia has managed to spread the ball around effectively by hitting previously overlooked options, such as former Giant Ike Hilliard.
The quarterback’s mastery of various forms of the west coast offense was a key factor in Gruden’s endorsement of Garcia over the bigger rifle-armed Chris Simms. The sixth-year coach’s hopes of continuing his regime in Tampa are squarely resting on the shoulders of a 37-year-old in the process of resurrecting his career and, once again, proving his doubters wrong.
Regardless of whatever else takes place in his winding journey through the NFL, Garcia will always be regarded as unrelenting fighter who fearlessly charges ahead because he knows no other way. That is the true definition of an ultimate warrior who has truly bucked the odds.
Professional football is a cruel, heartless sport where one slight dip of skill quite often means you’re out of the league for good no questions asked.
No position is as thankless as that of starting quarterback. Physical stallions with rocket arms have often resigned to bow out of the game unceremoniously just because they lost that one-half step that at an earlier time put them among the pantheon of greats in their profession.
Nowhere was this more evident than with Dan Marino, who had the Miami Dolphins turn their back on him at the end of the 2000 season.
Drew Bledsoe was also faced with the stark reality that not one team viewed the first player chosen in the 1993 draft as a starting-caliber passer.
Giants great Phil Simms was also forced to come to grips with the fact that then-New York head coach Dan Reeves didn’t have a spot for him anymore following a shoulder injury after his 2003 campaign. Despite brief talk of a comeback with the Cleveland Browns, Simms did an about face and decided to call it a career.
What’s amazing about all three quarterbacks is that they were gone in an eye blink. In any other major sport, name-brand players hang on until they become a mere shell of their former selves.
The NFL is a “now” league where you’re only as good as your last play. There’s no chance of seeing a 43-year-old Robert Parrish hobble up and down the court in the hopes of winning last championship as the twelfth man on the Chicago Bulls.
If Tampa Bay quarterback Jeff Garcia would’ve followed the pattern set by most noted signal callers, he would’ve most likely retired four years ago when at the end of the 2003 season, the 49ers determined that he was no longer in their plans.
Unlike most NFL quarterbacks, Garcia never had the size, pedigree or arm strength that would’ve made any scout or general manager even consider making him a backup, let alone starting quarterback.
Yet after a successful collegiate career at San Jose State, the native Californian went on to make his bones in the CFL where he served as Doug Flutie’s backup with the Calgary Stampede.
Not only was he forced to play in the outer reaches of the professional ranks, but his path to stardom was almost hopelessly obscured by a Canadian league legend who was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player an unprecedented six times.
It took an injury to the mighty Flutie midway through the 1995 season for Garcia to finally get his long-awaited opportunity to show his wares.
In his three years as the Stampede’s starting field general, Garcia led his squad to records of 13-5, 10-8 and 12-6. In 1998, the Garcia-driven Stampede earned the coveted Grey Cup.
The late Bill Walsh took notice of the budding superstar and made one of his finest moves as general manager by signing the skinny, little Canadian-leaguer as the backup to Steve Young.
The scrappy six-footer eventually became San Francisco’s starting quarterback when Young wisely opted to call it quits after suffering his last in a long line of concussions during the 2000 season.
Garcia played an equally reckless and breathtaking brand of football during his 49er years, displaying the uncanny ability to scramble and throw on the run.
Garcia and receiver Terrell Owens combined to form one of the most prolific passing tandems from 2000 to 2004, as Garcia threw for over 4,000 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2001 and 3,538 yards and 32 touchdowns the following year.
In a memorable playoff game versus the Giants in 2003, the onetime CFL standout inspired his team to come back from a 38-14 deficit and threw for 331 yards and three touchdowns, and also ran for 60 yards and a score en route to an improbable 39-38 win.
His remarkable skill of making plays out of the pocket also made him susceptible to absorbing big hits. Garcia would absolutely get crushed on some plays, but always find a way to dust himself off and huddle up for the next play.
The punishment finally took its toll in 2003, when back issues prevented the mobile master of improvisation from performing at his standard levels.
The Niners decided to part ways with him at the end of the season, as the three-time All Pro had no choice but to sign with a struggling Cleveland Browns team.
His tenure in Cleveland was short lived as the fiery red head frequently clashed with coach Butch Davis, who was never too fond of the quarterback’s “skittish ways” in the pocket.
His stay with the Detroit Lions didn’t fare much better, as general manager Matt Millen ultimately elected to stick with the underachieving Joey Harrington as his franchise leader.
At 36-years old, the former Niner was now viewed as a beat up has been with a dishrag arm. Garcia’s subsequent stop in Philadelphia hardly made any waves. At this point, many considered him pretty fortunate to still be on an NFL roster.
But as fate had it, the old gunslinger still had a few bullets left in his holster. Taking over for an injured Donovan McNabb, Garcia guided the Eagles to the playoffs last year with a 5-2 record in his starts.
So impressive was his play that Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden signed him in the offseason and eventually handed him the keys to the Buccaneer offense. Gruden’s decision to go with the ageless journeyman has so far been a slam dunk.
Despite lacking a howitzer arm, Garcia has proven to be right choice to operate his coach's west coast scheme by making quick reads and hitting his best (and only) playmaking wide out Joey Galloway with weak-side slants that have gained big yardage.
When not throwing it to Galloway, Garcia has managed to spread the ball around effectively by hitting previously overlooked options, such as former Giant Ike Hilliard.
The quarterback’s mastery of various forms of the west coast offense was a key factor in Gruden’s endorsement of Garcia over the bigger rifle-armed Chris Simms. The sixth-year coach’s hopes of continuing his regime in Tampa are squarely resting on the shoulders of a 37-year-old in the process of resurrecting his career and, once again, proving his doubters wrong.
Regardless of whatever else takes place in his winding journey through the NFL, Garcia will always be regarded as unrelenting fighter who fearlessly charges ahead because he knows no other way. That is the true definition of an ultimate warrior who has truly bucked the odds.
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