The City Championships Forgot is getting squeezed right now when it comes to their Birds and Andy Reid.
Half of you sees coach Reid's continued missteps in his offensive play-calling, knows that 75 percent of the coaches in the NFL are superior at game management.
This part of you wants to scream out for his head.
The other half realizes, though, that there have been far darker days than these. The memory of four straight NFC Championship appearances and one recent ticket to the Big Show remind you that this has been the most successful tenure in Eagles history.
One thought of Rich Kotite or Joe Kuharich and you quickly fall back in line.
So we know a couple things: That it's borderline impossible for this team to win it all while making poor in-game decisions and setting up the pass with the pass. And that Reid is one of the more valued commodities in the league and the single biggest reason that this franchise has thrived for as long as it has.
So what do we do?
There is one solution: Pry the play-calling from Reid's tight grip.
It can still be his offense -- his plays, his input, his ingenuity -- only someone else (read: Marty Morningweg) would control which play goes where in-game.
This solves numerous problems:
1) Reid, no matter how much he vows to run the ball in the offseason or midweek, simply cannot help but go right back to his baby; this takes away that option.
2) The chain loses a link. No Morningweg (suggestion) to Reid (decision) to McNabb (execution). Morningweg calls it in, McNabb calls it out, the offense gets to the line with plenty of time to spare (imagine that).
3) Reid's attention can be directed solely on managing the game, therby reducing the amount of timeouts, personnel miscues and poor overall decisions.
The Eagles are not that far off. The offense is the best (statistically) in the league, it just needs more balance and less turnovers. The defense, which despite frustrations is strong from front to back, simply needs less time on the field and more green behind them once they get on it.
Super Bowl this year? Why not. Top-flight QB, top-notch coaching staff, potentially devastating defense, immensely dangerous running back, less-than spectacular conference...
It's all there for the taking.
Reid just needs to learn that sometimes you need to give certain things up to get something back.
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Copyright 2006 The Phanatic
1 comment:
You are in denial. The Eagles rush defense can be rushed on at will and the final line of defense features a player who isn't what he used to be (B-Dawk) and a revolving door of mediocrity (Lewis, Considine)...And I love how you Eagle fans always think you have all of the "pieces in place" for a Super Bowl run. You can't run the football and you can't stop the run. Period. Game over. Maybe it's the lack of a ring on your finger, maybe it's jealousy that the Ravens won with Trent Dilfer, the Bucs with Brad Johnson or the team on the other end of the state won it all with a second-year QB. The fact of the matter is Donovan isn't a winner. Never will be. Couple that with a weak run D and no thought to running the ball offensively and u are what you are. A .500 team! PEACE OUT.
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