So last night on an NFL Network broadcast, Deion was asked what he felt about the Eagles dealing their franchise quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins. He replied with the following:
“First of all, I gathered myself and sat down, because I couldn’t believe that… this was the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life, except for that Herschel Walker ‘shibacle’ years ago,” Sanders said, apparently so distraught that he had to make up a new word. “But you trade a guy in your own division that you got to see him twice, and you have [Kevin] Kolb, [LeSean] McCoy, [Jeremy] Maclin and DeSean Jackson – seven years amongst the complete trio of playmakers that you have for an 11-year guy that has taken you to five NFC championships and a Super Bowl. Man, are you kidding me?”
Sanders was then asked if he thought that the Redskins acquiring McNabb placed them above the Eagles in the NFC East battle for supremacy. Sanders proceeded to rank the Cowboys and Giants at the top of the division followed by a toss up between the Redskins and the Eagles.
At this point Warren Sapp had to stop Deion and give his 2-cents – which was more like a dollar – on the matter (can you really be surprised?)
“You look at these two teams… they swapped quarterbacks,” Sapp said. “Now the Philadelphia Eagles have the worst quarterback in the division, and the Redskins have one of the best defenses, and now you give him a veteran quarterback. Prime, Philadelphia’s at the bottom of this division right now.”
The bass in Sapp’s voice was enough to totally convince Sanders.
“You know what, I would agree with you, big fella. I would,” he said. “Dumbest trade ever. I’m still mad about this trade.”
Now I went to the barbershop this morning to get my Idris Elba fade game tight, and the whole time I was sitting in the chair I had to hear a shop full of Eagles fans talk about how “McNabb never could get it done” and how Kevin Kolb is the future. Personally, I think the Eagles fans who actually believe that dealing McNabb to a divisional rival that already has an early 1st round pick was a good move are stuck on Shutter Island with no boat in sight.
I mean, the statement “McNabb could never get it done with the weapons he had” is not an accurate assessment of what he did accomplish in Philly with the pieces he was given.
Yes, he did have T.O. for a little while, an improving DeSean Jackson, and Brian Westbrook – who was constantly in Grant Hill mode – but outside of that, what major weapons did he have?
Was Todd Pinkston a weapon when he was constantly tucking before the ball was even near him to avoid the hit?
It must have been Freddie Mitchell who was the weapon while he was getting prematurely excited and dropping balls, right?
How much of a weapon was James Thrash when he was running routes and not seeing the ball as it was being thrown his way?
What about Duce Staley who loved catching screen passes for a loss?
For these to be his “weapons” for the majority of his career, I would say he has been more than successful with what he had to work with. To trade him to a divisional rival with Kevin Kolb as your insurance policy, I have to roll with Deion and Sapp on this one
How will he do in Washington? I think it’s too early to speculate, but my only concern is whether McNabb lasts the entire season as a result of the Skins’ less than stellar offensive line. But for the most part I think Washington will definitely be a contender in the NFC. In the event that this trade does turn out to be a bust for Washington, at least everyone knows the first team they will be picking when they buy the new Madden and the Skins will get all the soup they can eat.
