Jerry Jones Gives Donovan McNabb Bulletin Board Material for Week 1

I absolutely love to hate Jerry Jones. 

As a Redskins fan I think the rivalry would be less fun if the Dallas Cowboys had a quiet unassuming owner.

No, the fact that Jerry loves to grab headlines whenever he can just makes him that much move lovable and hatable (see there, I created a new word for him).

Jerry's latest, I haven't found a microphone I don't like, came when he basically said the Philadelphia Eagles were better off without Donovan McNabb.

For those of you who haven't seen it yet, here is his quote.

"McNabb helped create those big swings in our games over the last 10 years. When he played well, it was like throwing the knockout punch. When he didn’t, you were able to throw the knockout punch.

"I don’t see that now (with Kolb). I think Kolb and the way they’re going about it now, you won’t have those big swings one way or the other. I think every game with them is going to be a battle. Because of Kolb and because the makeup of the rest of their team is solid. And their coach, there is not a better coach in the NFL than Andy (Reid)."

First off, even if McNabb didn't find his way here to D.C. I wouldn't agree with that statement.

Secondly to address the statement Jones made that McNabb can throw the knock-out punch but also give opportunity to be knocked out is true and also untrue. 

McNabb's ability to scramble around to extend a play (especially in a Monday nighter against Jones' beloved Cowboys) gives his receivers opportunity to get open and allow for big plays. There is your knock-out punch there.

However his ability to allow the knock-out punch to his own team is a bit of a stretch.  I think the fault there falls on the shoulders of head coach Andy Reid.

The man loves to throw the ball and if he has his quarterback throwing nearly 50 times a game the law of averages tells you that eventually one of those throws is going to be picked and quite possibly go the other way for six.

McNabb is in a more balanced offense now, and isn't going to counted on to throw that many passes. So you'll still have his ability to escape but you'll cut down on the number of passes he throws, thus cutting down his chances to throw a pick. That's a big plus in McNabb's favor.

Also, what does anyone, outside of Reid and his staff really know about Kevin Kolb.  In reality he's only started three games, hardly enough to take a sample from, and one was against the woeful Kansas City Chiefs.

For anyone outside the organization to comment on Kolb is really someone who is grasping at straws.

Honestly, I think the Eagles trading McNabb came down to this.

For the past ten years the common denominator (for good and for bad) in Philly was McNabb and Reid. The fans and the front office were growing tired of being second best or just plain not good enough.

They had to make a change. As I wrote at the end of last season, it was either going to be Reid or McNabb. 

Most of the signs pointed to McNabb being shipped out, not because he wasn't good enough to be the Eagles quarterback anymore, but simply because it would be easier to replace him than it would be to replace Reid.

Waiting in the wings you had Kevin Kolb, who at the very least is capable of running the Eagles offense. 

With so much praise coming down on him, like Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, he wasn't going to wait much longer.

The Eagles had a choice, they could either keep McNabb (and fire Reid) at the risk of pushing away their groomed successor, or keep Reid who has a young and capable quarterback who already knows his system.

Also I believe Reid when he said that he wanted to do right by McNabb with the trade. I don't think he tried to pull a fast one over a division rival, I believe he did the best he could for his friend in order for McNabb to succeed.

In reality only the next couple of seasons will tell us who got the better out the McNabb trade. 

If McNabb leads the Skins back to glory and Kolb is only mediocre then the Skins won out.

If McNabb ages rapidly and doesn't do much and Kolb succeeds then well, sadly, Jones was right.

Also, there is a third option where both teams win. If Kolb is indeed up to the task and McNabb returns the Redskins to glory (and is effective for at least three or four seasons) then both teams win, which hopefully means the Cowboys lose.

Also did anyone catch the slap to Wade Philip's face when Jones said "there isn't a better coach out there," when referring to Reid.

Until next time Loyal Reader. Go Skins!