Solving the Puzzle

Phenomenal analysis of the Eagles’ offensive woes this year and the puzzling play calling by the Courier Posts’ Kevin Roberts. The key points:

 

“Four playoff teams had a quarterback with a worse QB rating than McNabb but none threw the ball as much as the Eagles did. When you're not terribly efficient at throwing the ball, you should do it less -- not more. McNabb topped 30 pass attempts 10 times this season, too much from a quarterback that spent so much time at less than 100 percent.

Jacksonville's David Garrard threw the ball more than 30 times in just four games this season. Tampa Bay's Jeff Garcia, only three games. Tennessee's Vince Young, just five games. All are in the playoffs, because their teams didn't ask too much from the quarterback.

The Eagles couldn't have gotten more from Brian Westbrook. But they needed to find Westbrook some help. If not Correll Buckhalter (no running back active all year averaged better than Buckhalter's 5.0 yards per carry and yet carried the ball so little), then the Eagles should have found someone else.”