http://www.nbc10.com/sports/4176702/detail.html Reports: McNabb Sick During Crucial Part Of Super Bowl Receiver Allegedly Called Play POSTED: 1:34 pm EST February 8, 2005 UPDATED: 3:07 pm EST February 8, 2005 PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was so ill in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl that a teammate had to call a play in the huddle, three Eagles players have confirmed. "He fought to the end," center Hank Fraley told Comcast SportsNet on Monday. "He gave it his all. He was almost puking in the huddle. One play had to be called by (wideout) Freddie Mitchell because Donovan was mumbling because he was almost puking." Offensive lineman Jon Runyan also echoed Fraley's comments in the same interview aired on two local radio stations on Tuesday morning after the Comcast report. And Mitchell confirmed to NBC 10 News in an interview that Mitchell was forced to call out a play, McNabb was hurt and he was ill in the huddle. McNabb was visibly shaken just before halftime when the helmet of Patriots lineman Richard Seymour struck his jaw on a tackle. Videotape shows that McNabb seem dazed after the big hit, rubbed his jaw several times on the field and looked at his hand to see if anything was on it. McNabb was shaky in Philadelphia's 24-21 loss to the England Patriots on Sunday, throwing for 357 yards and three touchdowns, was also getting picked off three times. McNabb misfired on several passes early, held the ball too long in other instances and made several poor decisions. One of the best scramblers in the NFL, McNabb had zero yards rushing on just one carry and was sacked four times. An Eagles spokesman did not immediately return a phone call Tuesday.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Eagles4Life)</div><div class='quotemain'>http://www.nbc10.com/sports/4176702/detail.html Reports: McNabb Sick During Crucial Part Of Super Bowl Receiver Allegedly Called Play POSTED: 1:34 pm EST February 8, 2005 UPDATED: 3:07 pm EST February 8, 2005 PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was so ill in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl that a teammate had to call a play in the huddle, three Eagles players have confirmed. "He fought to the end," center Hank Fraley told Comcast SportsNet on Monday. "He gave it his all. He was almost puking in the huddle. One play had to be called by (wideout) Freddie Mitchell because Donovan was mumbling because he was almost puking." Offensive lineman Jon Runyan also echoed Fraley's comments in the same interview aired on two local radio stations on Tuesday morning after the Comcast report. And Mitchell confirmed to NBC 10 News in an interview that Mitchell was forced to call out a play, McNabb was hurt and he was ill in the huddle. McNabb was visibly shaken just before halftime when the helmet of Patriots lineman Richard Seymour struck his jaw on a tackle. Videotape shows that McNabb seem dazed after the big hit, rubbed his jaw several times on the field and looked at his hand to see if anything was on it. McNabb was shaky in Philadelphia's 24-21 loss to the England Patriots on Sunday, throwing for 357 yards and three touchdowns, was also getting picked off three times. McNabb misfired on several passes early, held the ball too long in other instances and made several poor decisions. One of the best scramblers in the NFL, McNabb had zero yards rushing on just one carry and was sacked four times. An Eagles spokesman did not immediately return a phone call Tuesday.</div> So he was choking on his own vomit as well as choking under pressure. I like how convienantly they lay out another excuse for his failure to get it done. Injury, sickness, no quality WR, etc.
Hey, so Freddie did contibute something to the loss....I mean other than the drop of the crucial 1st down and the hyping up of Rodney Harrison....
There have been somewhere between 20 and 30 QB's that have won the Super Bowl in the last 39 years (I am not sure of the exactl number, and no time for research). There have been hundreds of QB's that have played and not even gotten close to a Super Bowl, and a lot of great ones go there and never won (Tarkenton, Marino, etc...). I am tired of hearing about choking, football is a team sport. I wonder how Brady would have done if his O-Line let him down as much as Eagles did for Donovan. both teams played well, Eagles made more mistakes and they lost. It's that simple, the team lost not just McNabb choking. What would have happened if the Eagles had a successfull onsides kick, or not waste a time out in the 3rd quarter on defense, or not start the final drive on the 4 yard line, or had LJ Smith not fumbled in the Red Zone, etc... It's a team game, and it was a team loss.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Eagles4Life)</div><div class='quotemain'>There have been somewhere between 20 and 30 QB's that have won the Super Bowl in the last 39 years (I am not sure of the exactl number, and no time for research). There have been hundreds of QB's that have played and not even gotten close to a Super Bowl, and a lot of great ones go there and never won (Tarkenton, Marino, etc...). I am tired of hearing about choking, football is a team sport. I wonder how Brady would have done if his O-Line let him down as much as Eagles did for Donovan. both teams played well, Eagles made more mistakes and they lost. It's that simple, the team lost not just McNabb choking. What would have happened if the Eagles had a successfull onsides kick, or not waste a time out in the 3rd quarter on defense, or not start the final drive on the 4 yard line, or had LJ Smith not fumbled in the Red Zone, etc... It's a team game, and it was a team loss.</div> It was this close. If Mcnabb had played 80% as well as he did i regular season they would have crushed patriots. If he had played 50% they would have won. But he played 25% as well, adn they lost. He was the difference in the game. The one factor that made the most difference.
I have to agree with that, if McNabb plays like himslef, they win the game easily....he never looked comfortable, even when he had tiem to throw....I think the moment was just a bit too much for him, it crushed him....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BearsFan1)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Eagles4Life)</div><div class='quotemain'>There have been somewhere between 20 and 30 QB's that have won the Super Bowl in the last 39 years (I am not sure of the exactl number, and no time for research). There have been hundreds of QB's that have played and not even gotten close to a Super Bowl, and a lot of great ones go there and never won (Tarkenton, Marino, etc...). I am tired of hearing about choking, football is a team sport. I wonder how Brady would have done if his O-Line let him down as much as Eagles did for Donovan. both teams played well, Eagles made more mistakes and they lost. It's that simple, the team lost not just McNabb choking. What would have happened if the Eagles had a successfull onsides kick, or not waste a time out in the 3rd quarter on defense, or not start the final drive on the 4 yard line, or had LJ Smith not fumbled in the Red Zone, etc... It's a team game, and it was a team loss.</div> It was this close. If Mcnabb had played 80% as well as he did i regular season they would have crushed patriots. If he had played 50% they would have won. But he played 25% as well, adn they lost. He was the difference in the game. The one factor that made the most difference.</div> Not true, he threw for 350 yards and 3 TD's. Most of his Turnovers did not lead to any points. Maybe, if the defense could have held the Patriots to less then 10 points in the 4th, we would've won or atleast tied. Our OLine played much better all season, and unfortunately in the most important game they didnt. Maybe Chad Lewis's injury hurt them when it comes to blocking, I dont know.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Eagles4Life)</div><div class='quotemain'>There have been somewhere between 20 and 30 QB's that have won the Super Bowl in the last 39 years (I am not sure of the exactl number, and no time for research). There have been hundreds of QB's that have played and not even gotten close to a Super Bowl, and a lot of great ones go there and never won (Tarkenton, Marino, etc...). I am tired of hearing about choking, football is a team sport. I wonder how Brady would have done if his O-Line let him down as much as Eagles did for Donovan. both teams played well, Eagles made more mistakes and they lost. It's that simple, the team lost not just McNabb choking. What would have happened if the Eagles had a successfull onsides kick, or not waste a time out in the 3rd quarter on defense, or not start the final drive on the 4 yard line, or had LJ Smith not fumbled in the Red Zone, etc... It's a team game, and it was a team loss.</div> Or if McNabb didn't throw three INT's? Yes, you can blame the loss on a lot of things. McNabb's play was just the biggest reason they lost. I don't know if he has a history of getting sick during big games, injured, or if for some odd freak reason the rest of his team never shows up for the big games, but I find it pretty funny how many excuses are being made for the man. The Eagles lost as a team. McNabb did not help his team by throwing three interceptions and lofting several other passes over their heads. As far as McNabb's performance is concerned, he buckled under the pressure (and the sickness, evidently). If you want to point out other people who choked (Andy Ried for not going with a no-huddle or calling a timeout in the 3rd quarter), feel free.
I don't like the "zero yards rushing" stat. I would think that Andy Reid would have put in some designed runs just to mix things up. Scrambling QBs are tough to stop since so few called defenses account for them.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pack Attack)</div><div class='quotemain'>I don't like the "zero yards rushing" stat. I would think that Andy Reid would have put in some designed runs just to mix things up. Scrambling QBs are tough to stop since so few called defenses account for them.</div> I was shocked by that as well, just add it to the list of why we lost. Bad Oline play Too many turnovers in the red zone Too many points given up in the 4th quarter No running game at all Not enough pressure on brady etc...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pack Attack)</div><div class='quotemain'>I don't like the "zero yards rushing" stat. I would think that Andy Reid would have put in some designed runs just to mix things up. Scrambling QBs are tough to stop since so few called defenses account for them.</div> Besides a big hit might have lodge lose whatever was causing him to choke, or more likely his would have coughed up the ball ( FUMBLE )
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BearsFan1)</div><div class='quotemain'>It was this close. If Mcnabb had played 80% as well as he did i regular season they would have crushed patriots. If he had played 50% they would have won. But he played 25% as well, adn they lost. He was the difference in the game. The one factor that made the most difference.</div> I disagree. The Pats were not firing on all cylinders. Had they been, they would've won by a bigger margin. Its not often NE is +3 in the turnover margin & only wins by a FG. My favorite excuse was Brian Westbrook saying, "Their LB's were jamming our guards making it impossible to run." Regardless of which Eagle player or fan said what, it all comes down to coulda, shoulda, woulda, didn't, damn it!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (blackadder)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BearsFan1)</div><div class='quotemain'> It was this close. If Mcnabb had played 80% as well as he did i regular season they would have crushed patriots. If he had played 50% they would have won. But he played 25% as well, adn they lost. He was the difference in the game. The one factor that made the most difference.</div> I disagree. The Pats were not firing on all cylinders. Had they been, they would've won by a bigger margin. Its not often NE is +3 in the turnover margin & only wins by a FG. My favorite excuse was Brian Westbrook saying, "Their LB's were jamming our guards making it impossible to run." Regardless of which Eagle player or fan said what, it all comes down to coulda, shoulda, woulda, didn't, damn it!</div> Dont disagree. How am I supposed to pick on eagles fans when you are giving them ammo!!!
Did anyone else except me see McNabb's TD pass to Westbrook off his back foot between two Pats defenders? No? Thought so. The first two series he looked jumpy, then he seemed to calm down. After that hit he wasn't the same, but to me it looked like he was calming down until then. I personally just think he was winded, or maybe had a concussion. He did buckle under pressure earlier in the game, but he looked calmer in the 3rd or 4th series and then it all went to hell. He just looked on and off to me, it didn't seem like he choked. Watch the replay of his TD pass to Westbrook, and to L.J. Smith. They were deadly accurate and the Westbrook toss was under ridiculous conditions. I don't think someone who was buckling under pressure could've made either of those two throws.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BrianWestbrook)</div><div class='quotemain'>Did anyone else except me see McNabb's TD pass to Westbrook off his back foot between two Pats defenders? No? Thought so. The first two series he looked jumpy, then he seemed to calm down. After that hit he wasn't the same, but to me it looked like he was calming down until then. I personally just think he was winded, or maybe had a concussion. He did buckle under pressure earlier in the game, but he looked calmer in the 3rd or 4th series and then it all went to hell. He just looked on and off to me, it didn't seem like he choked. Watch the replay of his TD pass to Westbrook, and to L.J. Smith. They were deadly accurate and the Westbrook toss was under ridiculous conditions. I don't think someone who was buckling under pressure could've made either of those two throws.</div> I saw every play of the game. It is understandable that he got exhausted. How was he supposed to get enough air while he was choking!?!?! There was no pressure on the greg lewis throw, if he makes that throw it does not decide game, however when they got ball back and game was on line, he threw pick.
Why is there always some new excuse that MOST Eagles fans must find to clear McNabb of him just being a choker? Just face the facts for once, shit!
I don't know...I guess our team better hope everyone we play next season makes a bunch of mistakes or else we may never win again...because its not like we could have forced him into being confused because he thought he saw something he didnt....but hey it was the eagles folding and we were just lucky to be there and catch that trophy.....LOL what a F-ing JOKE!
I have said that the Eagles just got beat by a better team. I am sick and tired of everyone blaiming this loss on just one player, McNabb. If he went 10-28 for 150yds no TD's and 3 int's, that's choking. 30/51 for 357yds and 3TD's and 3 int's is not choking. He did not play as well as he should have, but lets give New England credit for that.
I agree. New england made half time adjustments and killed us with the screen all second half. NE defence would make any QB jump. When everyone's covered, you have to force hard passes. Clock management may have cost us a tie/win at the end, but I don't know if that's just McNabb's fault. Bad coaching aslo. NE was the better team in the second half and they should have won the game.
well i am glad to see some people are recognizing that the pats defence is great and they confuse QB's, remember manning, a great QB but couldn't figure out what the defence was going to do. McNabb is a good QB, but with the depleted secondary of New England accually covering their guys and the defensive line putting pressure on McNabb just made for a long game for McNabb. we will see you guys next year for a rematch maybe.
