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What they're saying about the Eagles: Week 14

We are at the point in the Andy Reid saga that fans and media members are talking themselves into the possibility that Reid will actually be back next season.

We are at the point in the Andy Reid saga that fans and media members are talking themselves into the possibility that Reid will actually be back next season and, to make matters worse, will receive a contract extension because you just cannot have a lame duck coach.

The talk radio masochists are already hypothetically outraged. Here's what they're saying this week, besides "Where art thou, Jeffrey Lurie?"

From the Philly media:

Are you one of the ones worried about Reid returning to the Eagles next season? Eagles 24/7's Sheil Kapadia is here to tell you it's all just a bad dream: 

"Take a step back and assess the state of this franchise. In a matter of weeks, Reid has fired his defensive coordinator, released a defensive end who had 18 sacks last year and fired his defensive line coach. They have lost eight straight games and are 3-9 on the season. Only two teams – the Chiefs and Jaguars – have fewer wins. If the season ended today, the Eagles would have the fourth pick in the draft.

In other words, this franchise is a mess. And every misstep has come with Reid's stamp of approval. This has all occurred after a disappointing 8-8 campaign prompted Lurie to demand 'substantial improvement.'"

Michael Vick's tenure as starting quarterback of the Eagles will be remembered as a hot start followed by disappointment, CSNPhilly.com's Ruben Frank writes: 

"After his spectacular start, things started to turn for Vick Christmas week in 2010.

As Vick prepared to face the Vikings on Dec. 26, these were his stats: 63 percent completion percentage with 20 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 103.6 passer rating.

Then the Vikings game was postponed a couple days by a blizzard, Leslie Frazier and the Vikings provided the rest of the league a blueprint to neutralize Vick with a ferocious attack of blitzes, and the Vikings stunned the Eagles, 24-14.

And Vick was never really a special player again."

Ray Didinger and Brian Baldinger are just baffled by the Eagles' defense.

Bleeding Green Nation's Jordan Raanan takes a look at Brandon Graham's performance against the Cowboys, which included 1.5 sacks.

It only took a guy who had not played all season until the Eagles signed him in Week 10 to unseat Danny Watkins at right guard. That guy is Jake Scott. We're all so surprised.

Do the Eagles have a legitimate chance of landing the first overall pick in the draft?

Brian Westbrook says if Bryce Brown's fumbling continues, it will land him on the bench.

From the national media:

Was Reid's decision to name Nick Foles the starter for the remainder of the season solely an effort to save his job? NFL.com's Steve Wyche and Mark Kriegel debate.

Will Reid be too toxic to hire after this season's flameout?

What type of coach might Eagles fans embrace?

NFL supreme leader Roger Goodell is reportedly considering eliminating kickoffs. This would make no difference for the Eagles, as they seem to have been operating under that assumption since Brian Mitchell left.

The Eagles' odds of winning the Super Bowl are a mere 750/1. 

From the Tampa Bay media:

The Bucs are ohsoclose to selling out Sunday's game. Not because anyone is excited to see Nick Foles, but because it is the 10th anniversary of Tampa Bay's 2002 Super Bowl victory. Wonder if Blaine Bishop is invited.

Jon Gruden said he knew the Bucs "could beat Philly" in 2002: 

"The Eagles had a great blitzing scheme and they had dominated the Bucs in recent matchups. I knew we had enough skill at wide receiver to make some plays if we knew what the coverage was. The best thing we did that day was going with two tight ends and two backs. We created a lot of crazy formations and they ended up taking (defensive end) Hugh Douglas out of the game. He had been the guy who drove our offensive line crazy."

On Jim Washburn:

ESPN.com's Dan Graziano says the Eagles ultimately just got sick of Washburn's act.

Bold statement: The 700 Level's Andrew Kulp says the hiring of Washburn was Reid's "greatest mistake" as head coach.

Reid admitted that he fired the wrong assistant in Juan Castillo on Oct. 16, CSNPhilly.com's Geoff Mosher writes:

"Reid shouldn't have fired defensive coordinator Juan Castillo on Oct. 16 when he sought ways to improve his foundering 3-3 team, which had just blown a 10-point lead to Detroit in the fourth quarter and lost 26-23 in overtime.

He should have retained his longtime and loyal assistant and parted ways with defensive line coach Jim Washburn, who had become an unpopular and divisive figure inside the NovaCare Complex, according to several team sources and other sources familiar with the situation."

Something I didn't know: Washburn spent three months in a halfway house and three years on probation after being indicted and accepting a plea bargain in the University of South Carolina football team's steroid scandal in 1989.

#TeamWashburn president Jason Babin chimes in from Jacksonville to confirm that Reid and Washburn did not get along.

Washburn is more to blame than Michael Vick for the current state of the Eagles' franchise.

Power Rankings

Here's where the Eagles ranked in polls of varying importance:

Philly.com - 28
ESPN - 30
NFL.com - 29
Sports Illustrated - 29
Pro Football Talk - 29
CBS Sports - 29
FOX Sports - 30
Yahoo! Sports - 30