Eagles QB Donovan McNabb’s annual catastrophic injury/race controversy/benching came a little early this year. After getting drilled in the back while scoring a touchdown against the Panthers, McNabb cracked a rib and will not play against the Saints next week, according to FOX’s Jay Glazer. While Eagles coach Andy Reid hinted that McNabb could play in that game, Glazer says definitively that McNabb is out, with Kevin Kolb starting in his place. McNabb’s status beyond next week remains up in the air.
The Cowboys don’t face the Eagles until November, but McNabb’s injury puts a mighty intriguing spin on an NFC East race that featured three of the division’s teams putting on impressive displays of football yesterday (the lone exception being the Redskins, who are still, apparently, the Redskins). Glazer notes that, if McNabb misses more than a week, Philly might be tempted to bring in free agents AJ Feeley or Jeff Garcia.
The most tantalizing possibility to arise out of this situation, of course, is that McNabb’s injury will force the Eagles to start Michael Vick at QB when he returns from his suspension in Week 3 against Chiefs. That’s unlikely, for a few reasons. First, McNabb will probably suck it up and play in that game with a flak jacket. Second, the Eagles probably don’t WANT Vick to start in his first game back after being in the joint for a year and a half, and would rather have Kolb or a street pickup carry the load that week. Third, the Eagles also probably don’t want any of the drama that would result from Vick’s return and any ensuing, media-bred QB controversy between him and McNabb.
Obviously, it’s no fun when a QB gets hurt (unless that QB’s name is Jay Cutler), but McNabb’s injury could be quite helpful to the Cowboys’ fortunes. Without McNabb, the Eagles will have a difficult time keeping up with Drew Brees and his jillion-point machine of an offense, which leaves the winner of Cowboys-Giants next week in prime position to take command of the East.
And even when McNabb does return to action, the specter of this injury won’t go away any time soon. Cracked ribs have an annoying habit of staying cracked. Ever inhale oxygen when you have a cracked rib? Not pleasant. McNabb’s gonna be in a lot of pain when he gets back, and if it affects his play, and if it dredges up all the doubts surrounding his ability to stay healthy for a full year, then the Eagles could be in trouble.
Perhaps Wade Phillips should send Richard Marshall a thank you note.
