Donovan McNabb Looking, Feeling "Super" at Right Time for Eagles

Joe Montana, John Elway, Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady and Trent Dilfer.

Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Fran Tarkenton, Jake Delhomme and Rich Gannon.

Which group will Donovan McNabb going to belong to? He already belongs to the second group.

Many say he likely will remain in the second, that is a group of NFL quarterbacks to play in, but never win a Super Bowl. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb played in Super Bowl XXXIX, a 24-21 loss to the New England Patriots in 2005.

This year, McNabb is leading a unlikely Philadelphia Eagles team to the brink of his second Super Bowl appearance, thanks to a 23-11 second round victory over the defending Super Bowl champions New York Giants.

The Eagles will play the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday for the NFC championship, the fifth trip to championship game under the 10-year Donovan McNabb/Andy Reid era.

It is amazing for the fact that McNabb and Reid were ready to be run out of town after a 36-7 drumming by the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 23. The loss left the Eagles at 5-5-1, with little hope of making the playoffs. Furthermore, McNabb was benched at halftime.

What did McNabb and the Eagles do after that loss? They finished the season 9-6-1, going 4-1 down the stretch. On the last day of the regular season, an improbable loss by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, authored by the lowly Oakland Raiders and the Bears loss to the Texans, followed by the 44-6 Eagles win over Dallas, put the Eagles in the playoffs.

And they have not taken the opportunity lightly.

The Eagles beat the Minnesota Vikings in the first round, 26-14. Then the Eagles, the number six seed in the NFC, topped the number one seed, the New York Giants, 23-11. It happened twice in the AFC, but never in the NFC.

The Eagles defense has given up an average of just below 11 points in the last five weeks.

But what about McNabb? Since the loss to the Ravens and the benching, he has been loose, having fun, smiling on the field and playing great. Late in Sunday’s game, McNabb went out of bounds during a run and picked up the phone on the Giants bench as he jogged to slow down.

If you are a fan of McNabb, you loved it. It cost the Eagles 15 yards but so what? The NFL is crazy these days over celebratory events, and if you don’t think so, ask Billy “White Shoes” Johnson or Ickey Woods what they think.

McNabb finished the day with 22-for-40, 217 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He also had a rushing touchdown.

I contend that he had a fine game. He kept the offense moving, eating up the clock once the team took an eight-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

Who had a better day among the winning second-round playoffs quarterbacks? Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger was 17 of 26 passes for 181 yards and one touchdown pass in a 35-24 win over San Diego; Joe Flacco was 11 for 22 for 161 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in a 13-10 Ravens win over Tennessee; and Kurt Warner was 21 for 32, for 220 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a 33-13 victory over Carolina.

Warner probably had the best day, but McNabb was not far behind.

At this point in the playoffs, it more about the defense and quarterbacks are caretakers of the ball, doing just enough to win.

Want evidence? The Arizona defense intercepted Carolina QB Jake Delhomme five times on Saturday.

In my opinion, the AFC has the better teams. Pittsburgh or Baltimore would be fine Super Bowl representatives and most certainly will be the favorite among odds makers in Las Vegas, whether the Eagles or Cardinals make it to the Super Bowl.

But there is one NFL player who think he knows who will win the Super Bowl.

"I think they just beat the only team that had a chance to beat 'em," said the Giants star running back Brandon Jacobs after losing to the Eagles.

Whenever the Philly fans base, the national media and non-Eagles fans doubt the Philly team, they pull together and “Just Win, Baby.”

Want proof in another sport? Take the “y” off of Philly and replace it with an “ies.”

And Donovan McNabb should be in the lead float in the parade down Broad Street in early February, led by a team of Clydesdales, alongside his wife, Roxie, and their three children.

Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Inquirer.