After the Chargers game, Donovan McNabb said he tried to lead the team on a game-winning drive but there wasn't enough time. He was probably right about that (this time). The clock was all but exhausted and the Birds had no time-outs. Still, people took the opportunity to bash McNabb for failing (yet again) to marshal a comeback.

Where's the truth here? Is McNabb mostly to blame for his less-than-stellar results when attempting to mount comebacks, or do Big Red and his teammates shoulder a portion of the blame, too?

From: Fox, Ashley

To: Ford, Bob; Gonzalez, John

Subject: Don't call it a comeback

Everybody gets a piece of the pie, but I think Reid and Marty Mornhinweg, who calls the plays, deserve the biggest pieces. Go back to the goal-line situation earlier in the game. You've got three shots from the 1-yard line and you can't get it in? After Leonard Weaver couldn't get in on first down, you hand the ball to Eldra Buckley on third down, a kid who'd had three carries all season? Not a high percentage play.

Reid and Mornhinweg asked McNabb to throw 55 times. Fifty-five. Their running game was nonexistent. You saw McNabb at one point begging Reid to run the ball for some balance. Sure, McNabb should shoulder some of the blame, but I'd heap the majority of it on Reid and Mornhinweg.

From: Gonzalez, John

To: Ford, Bob; Fox, Ashley

Subject: Don't call it a comeback

Brian Billick was the color analyst on Sunday and he absolutely killed Reid. Questioned the play-calling, clock management, wisdom in "trading field goals for touchdowns" and not-so-subtly suggested that Reid has no faith in the offensive line's ability to support the run game. He was merciless.

He was also right. McNabb hasn't been the best in late-game, pressure situations. We all know that. But it's also true that Reid did his quarterback no favors out in San Diego. Reid put the whole thing on Five and left him with no time-outs (though Donovan had a hand in burning the time-outs, too). Not good.

It would be like Cohen expecting  one of you two to carry Team Talkin. That's asking for trouble.  

From: Fox, Ashley

To: Ford, Bob; Gonzalez, John

Subject: Don't call it a comeback

Billick had a great line after the Eagles' third trip inside the red zone ended with a field goal. The camera showed McNabb on the phone with the coaches in the booth, and Billick goes, "Is that a 9-1-1 call?" It was priceless. Clearly, Billick was in McNabb's corner.

From: Ford, Bob

To: Fox, Ashley; Gonzalez, John

Subject: Don't call it a comeback

In the wake of Belichick's decision to go for it on fourth down from the Patriots' 29-yard line, ESPN was rehashing other questionable coaching decisions. They showed Mornhinweg, then head coach of Detroit in 2002, winning the coin flip in overtime against Chicago and giving the Bears the ball so the Lions could get the wind. Chicago scored to win the game, and Detroit never got a chance.

It's popular to skewer McNabb, but remember Mornhinweg installs and calls the plays.

It's also good to remember that Ashley and I are the first stringers around here, Gonzobackup.