Jaworski on McNabb's contract, Eagles' chances
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Jaworski on McNabb's contract, Eagles' chances
Frank Seravalli
Unlike the big to-do made of Donovan McNabb’s contract restructuring last week, Monday Night Football analyst Ron Jaworski doesn’t think it’s such a big deal.
“I think it’s irrelevant, to tell you the truth,” Jaworski said while sitting in his office at NFL Films last week in Mount Laurel.
Jaworski was participating as an instructor in last week’s 3rd annual NFL Broadcast Boot Camp for present and former players looking to break into television and radio.
“Donovan had two years left on his contract. I felt all along that he would fulfill the two years. The Eagles probably did the right thing, they had money under the cap and they gave it to a guy who is a big key to season.
“If you’re going to be a championship team, your team has to play well. There have been times, occasionally, that an average quarterback wins a Super Bowl. But it’s all about what’s your best chance to win a Super Bowl … Their best chance is with Donovan McNabb,” Jaworski said.
As a former Eagles Pro Bowl quarterback, Jaworski can understand why it was important for McNabb’s mental state to re-work his contract.
“I would think that they believe in me,” Jaworski said. “They believe I’m the guy. They laid 5 million on my lap. They could have easily said to play the next two years how the contract is.”
With a healthy – and happy – quarterback, Jaworski thinks that the Eagles offense will operate a little more smoothly this year. Aside from McNabb, the upgrades on the offensive line and at receiver can’t hurt. But a lot depends on how the team’s collective personality jells.
Jaworski knows that each new player brings a new dimension to the locker room.
“Although I think there have been upgrades in the talent and youth, chemistry is always the unknown,” he noted. “You look at the offensive line and they are huge – but can those 5 work as one?”
In the end, Jaworski thinks that the Eagles will be standing at the top of the NFC East standings at the end of the upcoming season – despite changes abound to opponents’ rosters.
“Although I think the Eagles are a better football team … [the division is] my biggest concern. The Giants are a heck of a football team. You’re going to have to contend with Albert Haynesworth in Washington. Dallas is still a very talented football team. I think the NFC East is a hell of a division.
“I still like the Eagles.”
To read today's Daily News story on the NFL Broadcast Boot Camp, click here.
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From the ex-Eagles file, Sean Considine has been penciled in as the starting strong safety for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“I wanted the opportunity to start when I first went in and talked to them," Considine told the Rockford Register Star in his hometown in Illinois. "They told me I would be given that chance, and the rest is up to me. Their defense is quite a bit different from what I’m used to, though. There are a lot of adjustments I still need to make.”
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To read our post about Ellis Hobbs' view of the Eagles' chances, click here.
Well you can write off the Jaguars this year.— HandNik
Comment removed.- Considine lol. Reggie Wayne and Andre Johnson are licking their chops to throw double moves on him twice a year— stigs
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- You guys are terrible. Glass always half empty. Are you on medication for depression causing you continually put players down? We are not only going to the super bowl this year but we will win it.— jimayr
- I agree with em. I think this will definitely light a fire under McNabb. I wish they would have done it last year. I don't think we would have seen such bad outtings from him. Some people need a lot of encouragement to perform at high levels. They need approval and acceptance. McNabb is one of those people. That's exactly why he is one of those people that would perform better elsewhere. The Philly pressure only works on players who feel they are properly being paid to put up with us.— MFPhils
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- So should that extra money have gone to him or the upgrades he demanded? Maybe if the ring is so important to him he would decline the pacification and have it moved to Sheldon Brown or someone who hasn't made a $100 million in the last 10 yrs. Needing extra money to play well makes me sick. I always root for him but he is a diva..— Dtownfan
- While I for one am not a McNabb basher, I'm not exactly a blind endorser of the guy. After 10 yearsand 0 SBs, he pretty much is what he is. And of all people I talk to outside of Philly who know football (coaches, college players, sports writers, etc), nobody really views him as being all that special. To me, he's an above average QB in the regular season, but come playoff time he always wilts under the pressure (fair or not, it's what happens; look at the numbers). That said, he's obviously better than Kolb or any other option we have, so in that sense he's still got my support— stigs
- Birds are the team to beat in the east...mark it.— Grazman
- MFPhils......So, you and Jaws are saying McNabb is a narcisist and he should get paid more to feel better about himself. Whatever happened to you will get nothing and you will like it?— Voytas
- sewell guy are you sure your name isn't sewer guy? cause that's where your brain is idiot. Who are you gonna get to replace them? Kolb? Ray Rhodes?— david1
- he wilts under pressure? Seriously, he has like 10 playoff wins and he did bring the birds back in the NFC championship game to take the lead 25-24. I wonder if Marino played here if he would be kicked to curb by you folks.— palmyra21
- Any one of you fools would milk a team for all you can get, so dont act like he begged for it, they paid the man, its a business. We say we as fans of a team, whats so hard to understand about that. The phils won it all, and it was exciting for rays and phils fans, but obviously not some NYer or any of the other losing teams that season. Gee lets see big market teams in the finals every year, how fun. Eagles will again be contenders, thats all you can ask for, a chance and never say never just ask the NY Rangers, Bucs, Marlins, Penguins, Phillies Fans...and on and on...thats why you play the games haters. And oh ya, Eli Manning fans, a bomb and a prayer.— peteike
- Way to go out on a limb and pick the Eagles to win the East, Jaws. If it weren't for your bad play in Super Bowl XV we would have won a Championship. So I guess you know all about keeping a QB happy and he will produce.— V7110
