He is not as fluent in the two-minute drill; he is not in good physical shape; and he has a hamstring injury. A lot of excuses for one controversial decision – what do you think tomorrow’s will be?
After Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan opted to bench Donovan McNabb in favor of backup Rex Grossman in last Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions, the football world watched in awe as the plan backfired. Grossman fumbled his first snap, which the Lions returned for a touchdown.
source: tbd.com And if that was not ugly enough, the head coach attempted to defend his decision – multiple times.
Following the game, he thought Grossman gave the team a better chance to win in the two-minute drill. Monday, McNabb was not in good “cardiovascular health.” On Tuesday, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said McNabb was dealing with a hamstring injury.
Pepper Rodgers said the head coach has the ultimate authority on a football team, so whatever his decision is it goes. If that is the case, then why is Shanahan scrambling for excuses?
A lot of rumors have swirled since the McNabb incident inferring that Shanahan has been unhappy with his quarterback for a good deal of the season and was considering benching him on numerous occasions. That’s why you trade for a franchise quarterback in the offseason after all, right?
When McNabb was brought into the Redskins organization, they thought their lingering quest for a quarterback for finally over. They ousted Jason Campbell as if he was a termite problem, and anointed McNabb was the team’s savior.
Eight weeks into the 2010 season, McNabb has already matched the team’s win record from a season ago. By the way, the wins for the Skins in 2009 included St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Oakland and Denver – let’s not get too excited about those triumphs.
But the four losses this season are definitely McNabb’s fault though, right Shanahan? He has a tremendous offensive line, featuring a rookie left tackle and a $26.5M guard being benched. The team’s top running back has been injured for weeks, and his successor has fumbled twice in four starts. Oh, and their receiving core – aside from Santana Moss, McNabb is targeting a 38-year-old and a former Intense Football League player.
Regardless, it is clearly McNabb’s fault they are .500.
source: bakersfieldnow.com Shanahan is an extremely well-respected head football in the National Football League. He has won multiple Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos, and has coached some of the top stars the league has ever seen. However, that does not mean he’s immune to making mistakes.
Benching McNabb was a glaring error, then and now. Believing that Rex Grossman of all people was the answer to the Redskins’ offensive woes was an even bigger mistake. But like Pepper Rodgers said, he is the coach; he makes the decisions, therefore he must live up to the decisions. If he lost confidence in his signal-caller, admit your mistake – do not give bologna about being out of shape or not as practiced in the two-minute drill. If he played 58 minutes in the game I think he would have lasted another two; if he hasn’t practiced the two-minute drill enough, it is your job to rehearse it in practice.
Instead, Shanahan was too proud to admit his mistakes, and then he was too stubborn to go back on what he started. Now look what has happened.
Recently, the Redskins worked out former NFL quarterbacks JaMarcus Russell and J.P. Losman, formerly of the Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills, respectively. Give me a situation where you think Russell is a better quarterback to lean on than McNabb – you think Russell can lead a better two-minute drill? The guy can’t even make the Raiders’ roster.
No matter what perspires out of the Redskins in the next two weeks leading up to their Monday Night Football matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, the damage has already been done. McNabb is a professional – we all saw how he handled the shots thrown at him during his time with Philly, and we see how he maintains him composure at times like these.
McNabb will continue to play as if nothing happened, but the relationship between him and his head coach is already shattered. No matter how many times they called for him to be benched or traded in Philadelphia, And Reid always stood by his man. Shanahan, on the other hand, threw McNabb under the bus. How can you expect to play inspired under that kind of condition?
source: renovomedia.com When McNabb’s contract expires at season’s end, do not expect the Redskins to be jumping at the chance to resign him. Shanahan is not going anywhere, and clearly he and McNabb have no chance of a future working together.
You just have to wonder how things could have ended differently if Shanahan would have just admitted his mistake, and spoke man-to-man with his quarterback instead. Perhaps it’s the head coach who needs some schooling.
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