Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesMake no mistake, I have the utmost respect for Donovan McNabb. I have spent countless hours arguing on his behalf on Bleacher Report and other sports websites, as well as with friends and fans of other teams.I was also a little biased because I am a passionate Eagles fan. Now that Donovan is gone, I understand his career more completely. I've learned a lot about his career that was difficult to comprehend during his time with the Eagles.1. He was a very good but not great quarterback in the regular season throughout his career.McNabb played 12 seasons, including 2010, and turned in six Pro Bowl seasons.He ranks third in NFL history in interception percentage and is one of the ten best scramblers ever.But he was never a great quarterback for more than a year or two. McNabb's biggest strength--his ability to not throw interceptions--was also one of his biggest weaknesses. His tendency to bounce passes is well documented, and he frequently threw passes so receivers would have to dive for the catch instead of leading them for a potential touchdown.McNabb was consistently good throughout his career. He'd get you 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions, with a passer rating in the mid 80s. But he wouldn't toss 26 touchdowns Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
with a passer rating in the mid 90s.Will Donovan McNabb make the Hall of Fame?Will Donovan McNabb make the Hall of Fame?Yes35.9%No48.7%Needs a few more seasons15.4%Total votes: 392. He had no idea what he was doing in the final two minutes of a game (or a half). I can't deny this. Nobody can.He hasn't thrown a game-winning touchdown pass in the final two minutes of a game since 2003, when his six-yard touchdown pass to Todd Pinkston gave the Eagles a 17-14 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football.When the Eagles trailed by four with three minutes left in the game, you knew McNabb wasn't going to get it done. He usually wouldn't throw an interception. He rarely did. But he'd lead the Eagles for 20 yards and then the drive would stall with two incompletions, a sack, and a fourth down incompletion.He's had his share of fourth quarter comebacks, but they're the type where the Eagles trail 17-14 entering the fourth and win 28-17. He never put the Eagles on his back with the game on the line. Never.People wonder why McNabb wasn't more popular during his time in Philly. This is a large reason why.3. He played his heart out during Super Bowl XXXIX.In Super Bowl XXXIX, Brian Westbrook was shut down. He rushed 15 times for 44 yards.The offensive line was terrible. Center Hank Fraley was abused all game.Star wide receiver Terrell Owens was recovering from a broken ankle and wasn't fully healthy. Number two receiver Todd Pinkston had to leave the game at halftime with an injury. He caught four passes for 82 yards in two quarters of play.McNabb was asked to rally the Eagles from a ten-point deficit in the second half of the fourth quarter. He came close. The Eagles scored a touchdown with 1:48 left in the game to cut the Patriots' lead to 24-21.McNabb is often remembered for vomiting during the game. An article written by Philadelphia Inquirer writer Peter Mucha in March of 2010 goes to great lengths to prove that McNabb did not vomit during the game. He interviewed former teammates of McNabb. He watched video of the game. Nobody actually saw McNabb vomit. Gasp for air? Yes. Vomit? No.Then again, that's not what's relevant. McNabb stayed in the game. If Favre puked during the game, he would be called a warrior, a hero. McNabb is a bum, a choke artist.The Eagles also felt that McNabb received a great deal of abuse from the New England Patriots' defenders during the game. So much abuse, in fact, that they met with NFL Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira during the offseason to discuss the hits in the game. Were the Eagles just poor sports? Maybe. But they clearly felt that the abuse McNabb received was enough to warrant a visit with the NFL.And there are also allegations of the Patriots cheating in Super Bowl XXXIX. After all, they were busted by the NFL for cheating during the 2007 season. I'm sure the cheating had been going on throughout Belichick's whole tenure, Reebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
or most of his tenure with the Patriots.Did this cheating impact the game? Well, the Eagles lost by three points. A single 20-yard play could easily have changed the outcome of the game in a three-point loss. I'll be a good sport and say I think we still would have lost...but do I think the Patriots cheated? Yes, I do.McNabb's stats for the game: 30-51, 357 yards, 3 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 75.4 passer rating.His final interception bounced off the hands of tight end L.J. Smith and was caught by safety Rodney Harrison to clinch a Patriots' victory.I don't think McNabb played well in this game. Three interceptions is never acceptable. But for a quarterback asked to throw 56 times (51 passes, four sacks, one scramble) against just 16 runs, McNabb didn't do bad at all.One thing is for sure. In the biggest game of his career, he left everything he had on the field. He played his heart out.4. He will never win a Super Bowl.There is no denying that McNabb performed at a lesser pace throughout the postseason. I tried.For years, I argued that it wasn't him. It was the futile combination of James Thrash and Todd Pinkston, lovingly known as Trash and Stinkston by Eagles' fans. Or it was Jim Johnson, outcoached in every big game. Or it was a poor coaching decision by head coach Andy Reid.While all of those are probably true, McNabb never helped. More times than not, he harmed the Eagles.He threw interceptions in the most crucial moments of the 2001 NFC Championship Game, the 2002 NFC Championship Game, and the 2004 Super Bowl. He was unable to finish the 2003 NFC Championship Game after the Panthers knocked him out midway through (It's worth noting that he threw three interceptions and we wouldn't have won anyway.)Even when McNabb did something right in the postseason, it usually didn't end pretty. "4th and 26" could have been so much more if the Eagles had advanced to the Super Bowl. The 2001 NFC Championship Game will never be regarded as one of his better games, simply because the Eagles lost. And the 18-point comeback in the 2008 NFC Championship Game means nothing because he couldn't get it done on the game's most important drive.I wrote an article last year in which I conducted extensive research on the importance of a quarterback's defensive support in the postseason throughout his career.Donovan McNabb won nine of 16 postseason games during his tenure with the Eagles. Based on his defensive support in the postseason, he should have won 9.3 games.Among the 18 quarterbacks who won at least seven postseason games in their career, he is the only one to win fewer games than he should have, based on his defensive support.When the Eagles' defense allowed fewer than 20 points, McNabb was 9-1. When they allowed 20 or more, he was 0-6.McNabb could never pick up the team if anything went wrong for the defense. The great ones do.5. He is not a Hall of Fame quarterback unless he wins a Super Bowl. Guaranteed.Dan Marino didn't need a ring. But Dan Marino had 420 touchdown passes and 61,361 passing yards during his 17-year career.Fran Tarkenton didn't need a ring. But Tarkenton was the greatest combination Reebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
of passing and running until Steve Young came along.Jim Kelly didn't need a ring. But Kelly led the Bills to four straight Super Bowls and threw 237 touchdowns in 11 seasons.Donovan McNabb isn't going to make the Hall of Fame without a ring.The Hall of Fame isn't for very good quarterbacks without a Super Bowl ring. McNabb certainly doesn't have the regular season statistics to make the Hall. He has a lot of postseason victories and appearances.But unless he carries a team throughout a postseason and wins a Super Bowl, he is not going to join a list of the game's greatest in Canton.
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