FanNation

The most popular names are the next Jordan’s, Gretzky’s and Marino’s. Understandably, comparisons are how we connect to our past, a little nostalgia. Without the Manning-Marino comparison how else could we make Marino awkwardly squirm in his chair, when discussing a certain quarterback’s postseason letdowns?

In the NBA, we still have Iverson, Kevin Garnett, McGrady, even Kobe to a degree (who still doesn’t receive enough credit for the Lakers 3 title run…but I digress) Who’s state of mind is left to dissect. Peyton Manning was just one act in a play that must go on. But where does the plot go from here? .

Will Tomlinson become the next Dan Marino-of-Running Backs, like Barry Sanders, or will Randy Moss become his equivalent at the wide receiver position ala Tim Brown and Cris Carter?

This is why in 2007 the former gorilla on Peyton Manning’s back found a new home; on Donovan McNabb’s back. For too long, McNabb has been the most unfairly criticized quarterback in football. Despite boasting a career of 25,000 passing yards 170 touchdowns, numerous Pro Bowl selections and even more gaudy playoff statistics; McNabb’s bevy of accomplishments are often overshadowed by his few failures.
 

There’s one icon whose career McNabb’s does not resemble.  Though Brett Favre recently walked away from the game with the unbridled love of 17 years of Cheesehead love in tow, McNabb has been at the center of debate inspite of a career passer rating that trumps John Elway and Brett Favre. 

In his first decade Donovan McNabb has the antipodal to Brett Favre in terms of durability but identical in production.  In addition, they entered the League in opposing manners so that comparison is moot.   Favre was a small city 2nd round pick out of tiny, backwaters Southern Miss while McNabb was the big city, Heisman Trophy runner up hailed as the Eagles savant. 

The one drawback of Favre's gunslinger mentality has propensity to turnovers, a characteristic which diverges from McNabb's exceptional touchdown-to-interception ratio.  In stark contrast to Favre, 13 ranks as McNabb's season high in interceptions in 10 career seasons.  In 17 years as a starter Favre never committed fewer than 13 interceptions.

Since his ^2nd overall selection in the 1999 NFL Draft, McNabb has been a top 5 quarterback in the NFL, despite a paucity of talented offensive personnel.  In his lone season with an impact receiver on the roster, Terrell Owens, McNabb tore through the National Football League, passing for 3800 yards, 31 touchdowns, along with 8 interceptions. That season McNabb became the first quarterback to pass for 30+ touchdowns and fewer than 10 interceptions.

However, because of his mobility, strong arm, and because he’s been so close to the Promised Land, so many times McNabb should be anointed as the “Elway Reincarnation” because of their similar career arcs. While Elway was on the losing end of 3 Super Bowls, McNabb was on the losing end of 3 straight NFC Championships until he finally reached the Super Bowl on his 4th attempt; which they eventually lost.

While Elway's definitive moment was “The Drive”, McNabb’s defining moment thus far in his NFL career has been a season saving 4th and 26 against the Packers in the ’03 Divisional Playoffs, which allowed them to advance to the NFC championship Game. In the past, the Eagles offense has been averse to running plays and heavily pass oriented; making McNabb the focal point of the offenses success. However, unlike Manning, McNabb has not had the weapons on offense, and until this season had done more with less. However, with Bryan Westbrook finally emerging as a star running back, similar to the emergence of Terrell Davis with the ’97 Broncos, the Eagles may finally have the pieces to put together a serious contender without relying solely on the arms and feet of McNabb.

In 1992 the Broncos used their first round draft pick to select Tommy Maddox, quarterback from UCLA.  Conversely, as McNabb entered his injury plagued 30’s the Eagles drafted Kevin Kolb as the eventual successor to McNabb.  During the 91’-92’ campaign before the Broncos drafted their succession plan, Elway threw a below sub-par 10 touchdown’s and 17 interceptions.  In an injury abridged 06-07 season, critics tend to ignore that McNabb threw for three times as many touchdowns as interceptions.

Though, I hope we won’t have to wait until the backend of McNabb’s career to finally watch him achieve eternal NFL glory, with Brett Favre fading into the sunset the stage is now set for McNabb to finally get his due and begin preparing for his role as the heir to John Elway.  Everybody loves a sequel.