One reader called Reid Philly's Matt Millen. Many more understandably bashed his play-calling the last two weeks. Several others pointed out Reid's record since the Super Bowl: 27-28, not exactly the gold standard in the NFL, but, you know, the pedal's to the metal.

Fear not. Reid is going to put his players in a better position. It starts with him. He takes full responsibility. Blah, blah, blah.

Not to deflect attention from the coach, because Reid deserves what he gets for consecutive mind-numbingly dull offensive performances, but let us not forget another high-priced culprit in this mess: the quarterback.

What game was Donovan McNabb watching Sunday that would make him declare afterward, "There is no way that you can look at this game and say . . . that this team is better than us"?

Earth to Donovan: It's one thing to have confidence in your team, but look at the scoreboard. It said Washington 23, Eagles 17. The Redskins generated more yards. They converted more third-down opportunities. They had a running game that moved the ball and ate the clock. They had zero turnovers and allowed zero sacks. And get this: The Redskins scored in the red zone. Unbelievable, but true.

Sure, McNabb was embarrassed by all those three-and-outs, by Reid's not calling any downfield strikes or plays for L.J. Smith after the first drive, even though Smith was killing Washington linebacker Rocky McIntosh. McNabb had to be horribly embarrassed by that weak goal-line attempt that was more disorganized than my closet.

But come on. Don't say the Redskins aren't better than you.

What's next? Is McNabb going to trot out that tired line that the road to the NFC East title runs through Philadelphia? Please. That's so 2004.

Last week, when talking about a situation with his quarterback, Washington coach Jim Zorn threw out a quote from his reservoir of knowledge: "It says, 'The fantasy you feed is the one that grows.' And that's really a truth."

Ain't it?

Here's what I saw in Sunday's game:

A quarterback who was under pressure, cocked his arm, pulled the ball back down, stepped up into the pocket, kept his eyes downfield, and fired a strike for a first down. Then late in the game on another third-down play, the quarterback looked, looked, looked for an open receiver, and when he couldn't find one, he tucked the ball and darted upfield, sliding for another crucial first down.

The quarterback looked like a young McNabb, scrambling and improvising and willing his team to victory. Only it wasn't. It was 26-year-old Jason Campbell.

If Reid is to blame for bland and boring play-calling - what happened to looking downfield for DeSean Jackson? - McNabb is to blame for not overcoming it. McNabb is the inventive one, the one able to make something out of nothing. And he has to be the one to see the trouble at the goal line and make the executive decision to call an audible or a time-out, regroup or reload.

Maybe it's time for McNabb to tell Reid that he's healthy enough to run a quarterback sneak. Or to roll out of the pocket to get the defense on its heels. Or to try a pass play instead of the same old run up the gut.

The Eagles are teetering on the edge at 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the NFC East. With the Giants, Cowboys and Redskins rolling at 4-0, 4-1 and 4-1, the Eagles' margin for error has been eliminated.

Although neither the Eagles nor Brian Westbrook has ruled Westbrook out for Sunday's game at San Francisco, it's highly unlikely he will play with two broken ribs. It would be foolish to risk further injury, or to make Westbrook play through the undeniable pain of his injury.

So McNabb has to take charge of his offense. He will be the most dangerous offensive playmaker on the team. No, he can't catch his own passes, but he can give his receivers extra time. He can disorient the defense. And he use his feet when a play breaks down.

Another of Zorn's observations was that at least 30 percent of the time, a play breaks down because of the defense. It is those times when McNabb has to be the McNabb of old - creative, inventive, original.

"It's the guys that can maneuver and make a play out of nothing" who are special, Zorn said.

McNabb has to be special Sunday, or else we'll be subjected to another week of empty explanations, and then it could get really ugly.

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