There is no grey area for Andy Reid. Donovan McNabb is his starting quarterback. He made that clear in a press conference on Monday. One day after removing McNabb as the quarterback at halftime of the loss in Baltimore, Reid couldn't have been more emphatic about this decision to go back to his veteran against the Cardinals.
And beyond.
"Donovan McNabb is the starting quarterback," said Reid.
Reid stepped forward without hesitation and made his decision. No doubt he spent long hours on Sunday night reviewing what he saw in the loss to the Ravens. No doubt he wondered how in the world the Eagles could have turned the ball over nine times in two games, something Reid termed "ridiculous."
No doubt Reid understands that he has a lot of work to do right now, that the Eagles are a struggling 5-5-1 team that needs somethi good to happen to it right here, right now.
Thursday night against Arizona, McNabb is the starting quarterback, with Kevin Kolb the backup. And that's the way it is.
So we move on and hope for the best for McNabb and for the Eagles. We hope that maybe McNabb's one-half demotion is akin to the move the Phillies made when they sent struggling pitcher Brett Myers to the minor leagues. He came back a different man and a different pitcher.
Maybe a half on the sidelines provided McNabb a perspective that he needed.
The season is riding on maybes, no question about it.
There is a long list of areas that need to be worked on here, and we have discussed them and will continue to do so. The Eagles have a bunch of hurting players who have to play on a short week. They have to hope that the walking wounded can rebound and provide a spark and win a game they so desperately need to win.
McNabb gets a chance, donning a black jersey and in front of the home folks, to get his rhythm back. He lost it weeks ago and has not been able to get it in Cincinnati and then in Baltimore. Oh, he started fine, completing 6 of his first 7 passes, and then it all went south in a three-turnover second quarter.
Can McNabb do it? This is a chance, right here. Thursday is so incredibly crucial for McNabb, for the Eagles. Everyone needs to rally around him. Everyone needs to do a better job. Everyone needs to get out of this funk.
McNabb is the guy, after about 20 hours of wondering. For now, for as long as we can see, Five is alive at the quarterback position for the Eagles.
