Philadelphia Eagles: Why Andy Reid Must Go at Season's End

The Philadelphia Eagles' playoff chances are all but gone after falling to John Skelton and the Arizona Cardinals. The New York Giants have a chance to put the final nail in the coffin during a head-to-head matchup in Week 11.

Andy Reid has been entrenched in Philadelphia as far as management is concerned, but he has been on shaky ground with the fanbase for some time.

With each loss the calls for change grow louder.

For a team with what seemed to be legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, falling short of the playoffs is inexcusable.

Andy Reid has led this team to a number of wins, but not the one that counts most. The Philadelphia Eagles should move on from him at season's end.

Hiring Choices

The excuses were built in. It was a short offseason and there was a host of new players and coaches.

They were a talented team that just need some time to jell.

Following the thumping that the Philadelphia Eagles put on the Dallas Cowboys, it looked like all the dreams just might come true.

They looked like a team that had worked out the issues and was finally ready to charge up the standings.

Well that notion collapsed quickly. Now we are right back where we started with poor on-field execution and ample reasons to question the coaches.

Andy Reid brought in these coaches and ultimately is responsible for bringing everything together. When a team still looks dysfunctional 10 weeks into the season that falls on the head coach.

Burden of Power

Andy Reid has been given an exceptional amount of power and control of this team.

Even if it's not in his title, Reid drives virtually all moves that this organization makes. He has his hand in everything from draft choices to coaching hires to player movement.

When a single man controls so much and the team falls so far short of its goals, that man stands to bear a massive portion of the responsibility.

Stubborness in Playcalling

After giving LeSean McCoy 28 and 30 carries in Weeks 7 and 8, Andy Reid is back to his old ways. McCoy received only 16 and 14 carries in the Eagles last two contests.

It's no coincidence that the Eagles won the games in which McCoy carried the load and lost when he did not.

This team blows leads at the end of the game. The excuse of having to air the ball out to catch up doesn't apply.

Against the Cardinals Micheal Vick was out of rhythm and short on receiving weapons.

Despite the lack of success the Eagles inexplicably attempted 34 passes to McCoy's 14 carries. That total does not even include the handful of times that Vick ran the ball on designed passing plays.

With a dynamic workhouse like McCoy, it is mind-boggling that Reid won't run the ball consistently.

Unwillingness to Get Linebackers

Andy Reid has never placed a high value on the linebacker position.

The Eagles are currently starting a sixth-round rookie and two former seventh-round picks.

The team finally relented on trying to force Casey Matthews into the starting lineup, but this is still a subpar unit.

After missing in the draft with players like Chris Gocong, Matt McCoy and the oft-injured Stewart Bradley, Reid appears content to trot out overmatched late-rounders.

Every team has different philosophies regarding where to concentrate their resources, but you can't flat out ignore the middle of your defense.

Franchise Needs a New Face

The final reason is that in the modern NFL coaches simply don't get 13 years without winning a title.

It's entirely possible that bringing in a new coach would represent an immediate step backward, but change needs to come.

This franchise has become stale and needs to go in a new direction.

If the roster is truly a talented one, then Reid has been dismal, and it's time to see what a new coach can do with it.