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Gonzo: Philly's vote on McNabb is proved correct

It was a crazy week down in Washington. A bunch of people went on camera and made fools of themselves in front of a national audience, while some others were voted out of office.

Donovan McNabb was benched in favor of Rex Grossman last week against the Lions. (AP/Paul Sancya)
Donovan McNabb was benched in favor of Rex Grossman last week against the Lions. (AP/Paul Sancya)Read more

It was a crazy week down in Washington. A bunch of people went on camera and made fools of themselves in front of a national audience, while some others were voted out of office.

And that's just what happened with the Redskins. There was an election, too.

Daniel Snyder's dysfunctional Redskins have a bye this weekend. That's a good thing for Washington. It will give Donovan McNabb a chance to study the two-minute offense while doing wind sprints and maybe Pilates if there's time.

Where McNabb goes, drama follows. At least now, we get to watch it from afar. It's better this way.

To hear Redskins coach Mike Shanahan tell it, McNabb got benched late in the fourth quarter last week either because he didn't understand the two-minute offense or lacked the "cardiovascular endurance" to sustain the drive. To paraphrase, he called McNabb fat and stupid. Which is ridiculous. He's neither.

McNabb just isn't good in pressure situations. Shanahan should have simply said that instead. Everyone would have understood. At least everyone around here.

Forget about the Super Bowl vomit myth. There's no need to wield urban legend when you can swing the truth instead. Since 2005, with fewer than five minutes remaining in a game and his team tied or trailing by eight points or less, McNabb's record is 3-13-1.

When games get tough and a leader is required, some quarterbacks head to the nearest phone booth and change into a costume with an "S" on the chest. McNabb usually emerges wearing an "out of order" sign.

Shanahan sounded foolish when uttering those lame excuses, but his curious conduct hardly masked the real issue: that Eagles fans were right all along about McNabb. The man was a very good (but not great) quarterback - a signal-caller who put up quality numbers but faded too often when it mattered most.

Nationally, pundits often crushed Philadelphians as know-nothing ingrates who didn't appreciate McNabb's greatness. Everyone from Mike Greenberg to Hank Goldberg (McNabb is huge in the "berg" community) extolled his virtue. Wonder where the McNabb supporters have been lately. They've been awfully quiet. Probably just a coincidence.

Who knows what happens to McNabb now? Both McNabb and Shanahan said Five is still the starter in D.C., but if the Redskins are willing to go to Rex Grossman and then bring in JaMarcus Russell (a guy who actually is fat and stupid, unlike McNabb) for a workout, then anything is possible.

Back in April, the Redskins acquired McNabb for a second-round pick in 2010 and either a third- or fourth-rounder in 2011. It seemed as if he would be the face of the franchise for a while. Now bookmakers such as Bodog.com are setting money lines on whether he'll be the Game 1 starter in Washington next season (yes -200, no +150). The "no" option is looking mighty good right now.

All of which ultimately means one thing: Joe Banner and Andy Reid got this one right. Don't get too excited. It was bound to happen.

If you own Randy Moss on your fantasy football team, you might want to consider trading him for Johnny Walker. You'll be a lot happier.

Start

QB: Matt Ryan, Eli Manning, Michael Vick.

RB: LaGarrette Blount, Jamaal Charles, Thomas Jones.

WR: Dwayne Bowe, Jeremy Maclin, Pierre Garcon.

Flex (RB/WR/TE): BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Johnny Knox, Jacob Tamme.

Bench

QB: Brett Favre, Matthew Stafford, Jon Kitna.

RB: Ryan Mathews, Brandon Jackson, Green-Ellis.

WR: Lee Evans, Dez Bryant, Chad Ochocinco.

Flex (RB/WR/TE): Michael Bush, Roy E. Williams, Todd Heap.

Sunday Sixer

(Home team in CAPS)

Last week: 1-4-1

Season: 11-16-3

RAVENS -5 over Dolphins: Baltimore will help turn my season around. After two-straight years picking above .500 against the spread, I'm suddenly sinking faster than the Democratic Party.

Patriots -5 over BROWNS: Best Twitter joke I read this week: "Irony: Randy Moss got cut before Tom Brady's hair did."

Buccaneers +81/2 over FALCONS: The Bucs say they're the best team in the NFC. That's doubtful. But Tampa should be good enough to at least stay close to Atlanta.

Steelers -41/2 over BENGALS: Remember when Sam Wyche grabbed the microphone at a Bengals game and reminded unruly fans to behave themselves because they live in Cincinnati and not Cleveland? Is that really the pecking order in Ohio? I'm honestly asking, because neither one of them strikes me as better than the other. If you have no hair and bad teeth, can you make fun of your equally disheveled neighbor?

Jets -4 over LIONS: Tony Dungy criticized Rex Ryan again recently for how he handles things in public. When Ryan finally snaps and tries to eat Dungy, I hope it's on the Food Network, right after Diners, Drive-ins & Dives.

Colts +3 over EAGLES: This seems like a trap. How are the Birds giving points to Peyton Manning and Indianapolis? I should walk away, but I can't help myself.