Gosselin: McNabb is a QB you can bet the franchise on

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Rick Gosselin: McNabb is a QB you can bet the franchise on


08:27 PM CDT on Sunday, September 26, 2004


DETROIT, Mich. – A franchise quarterback was once a staple in the construction of a championship team.

But not this decade. Journeymen Trent Dilfer (2000) and Brad Johnson (2002) steered their teams to NFL titles, as did first-year starter Tom Brady in 2001. The role of the franchise quarterback seemed to have diminished with the salary cap and the retirements of Troy Aikman, John Elway, Dan Marino and Steve Young.

But the NFL's bid to handcuff defenders in 2004 with an officiating emphasis on illegal contact has put the ball back in the hands of the franchise quarterback. That's made a strong Super Bowl contender such as the Philadelphia Eagles even stronger.

McNabb reminded us of the difference a great quarterback can make in the first quarter of Sunday's game against Detroit, a near flawless 15 minutes that propelled the Eagles to a 30-13 victory.

McNabb was 8-for-9 for 132 yards, throwing for one touchdown and rushing for another, to give the Eagles a quick 14-0 first-quarter lead and squelch any upset hopes of the upstart young Lions.

The officiating crackdown decrees that any contact by a defender beyond 5 yards merits a 5-yard penalty and automatic first down. With receivers again allowed to run unencumbered through the secondary, the NFL will again become a game of pitch and catch.

"It allows you to take the ball up the field a little bit more," Eagles offensive coordinator Brad Childress said. "So you have to take your shots down the field."

That game of pitch and catch favors the game's great pitchers – the franchise quarterbacks such as McNabb and Peyton Manning. Also Brett Favre, Steve McNair, Daunte Culpepper and Brady, who has quickly evolved into a franchise quarterback with his two Super Bowl victories.

The great ones have the poise and vision to find the open receiver, plus the arm to put the ball in his hands.

McNabb knew there'd be open receivers against Detroit. The Lions were forced to start their No. 4 cornerback, Chris Cash, because of injuries to Pro Bowler Dre' Bly and nickel back Andre Goodman.

If healthy, the Lions weren't deep enough to cover the talented stable of Philadelphia receivers. With injuries, there were mismatches waiting to happen.

McNabb found them again and again and again. Through the first 25 minutes he completed 16 of 18 passes for 204 yards, using eight receivers. At one point he completed 11 in a row, including big plays of 48 yards to Freddie Mitchell, 29 yards to Terrell Owens and 25 yards to tight end L.J. Smith.

Twice in those opening 25 minutes McNabb used his legs to stay alive on pass plays, throwing first-down passes off the scrambles to Smith (25 yards) and Mitchell (14).

McNabb gave the Eagles a 7-0 lead on a quarterback sneak and then hit Owens with that 29-yarder in the final 90 seconds of the first quarter for that 14-0 lead.

McNabb found tight end Mike Bartrum with a 1-yard touchdown pass off a rollout with 5:59 remaining in the second quarter for a 21-0 lead – and the Lions were out of the game before they even realized they were in it.

By the end of the day, McNabb had fried the Lions with his arm, completing 29 passes for 356 yards. It was the second most yardage in a game of his career. He also completed a 55-yarder to Owens.

The brilliance of McNabb's performance was magnified by the struggles of Detroit quarterback Joey Harrington, who is not a franchise quarterback. Not yet anyway.

The one time Harrington attempted to scramble in the first half to keep a play alive, he fumbled the ball without any contact. The Eagles recovered, and McNabb hit Owens for the touchdown on the very next play.

Trailing 14-0 at the start of the second quarter, rookie Lions receiver Roy Williams sped past cornerback Lito Sheppard on a deep route down the sideline. He had 5 yards on Sheppard – but Harrington was 5 yards too long with the pass.

Franchise quarterbacks make those plays. McNabb made those plays Sunday. It's great to see the game's franchise quarterbacks back in charge.

E-mail rgosselin@***BANNED-URL***
 
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