For 10 seasons, Andy Reid has been the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Through three-straight NFC Championship losses, a Super Bowl loss, and family issues that were made public, Reid has been able to weather the storm of his critics.
With the Eagles suffering back-to-back losses attributed directly to Reid's playcalling, I believe that now is the time for Reid to feel the heat that was reserved for Donovan McNabb this season. Reid is in the third and possibly final phase of his tenure in Philadelphia.
The Honeymoon 1999-2001: Andy Reid arrived in Philadelphia in January of 1999 with the task of removing the bitter taste that a 3-13 team leaves in the mouths of many. Reid, who was a quarterback coach under Mike Holmgren in Green Bay, was replacing Ray Rhodes.
Rhodes, who coached the Birds for four seasons, seemed to run out of profanity-laced pregame talks, coupled with early-round draft picks wasted on players that ended up being cut or ineffective as starters.
Reid was walking into and ideal position, as the Eagles would have the second overall pick in the draft that was chock full of young quarterbacks.
While the consensus seemed to be to draft Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams of Texas, Reid and the Eagles brass would select Donovan McNabb of Syracuse. Upon being selected, the choice of McNabb was met with boos by some "fans," with whom the selection did not go over well with.
McNabb would be an understudy to Doug Pederson, who came over from Green Bay with Reid, to bring him along in learning the finer points of the West Coast offense. In the Birds' 10th game that season, the training wheels were taken off and it was McNabb's show to run.
McNabb had the good fortune of being surrounded with a mix of young talent and experienced veterans. Players like Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor, Sean Landetta, and Brian Mitchell were important in the development of McNabb.
In the 2000 season, the Eagles would finish 11-5 with a playoff win over the Tampa Bay Bucs in the wild-card round before losing to the Giants in the Divisional Playoffs. Reid would win the first of two Coach of the Year awards.
Getting over the Hump...At What Cost? 2001-2004: Andy Reid and the Eagles had become a force to be reckoned with in the NFC. Beginning in 2001, Reid and the Birds would win the first of four consecutive division titles, as well as the run to four-straight Conference Championship games.
In the three Conference-title-game losses, turnovers were the difference in each game, but what gets left out is the playcalling and Reid's inability to adjust.
In the St. Louis title game, Correll Buckhalter left the game with an injury and missed the second half. Reid had Duce Staley and Brian Mitchell at his disposal and failed to use both. The Eagles became one-dimensional and the Rams picked up on it, picking off McNabb on the potential game-winning drive.
comments (2) write a comment »
write a new comment
about 1 month ago
Sign the petition to fire Andy Reid!
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/fire-andy-reid.html
about 1 month ago
Without any presence of a "physical" running game, I hate to say this but, the Eagles are doomed. Just look at the other teams within the division and you'll that they all have the capability to play smash-mouth football when the game is on the line. Andy Reid and the brass have failed to put together a physically imposing brand of team that would ultimately bring home the championship that the fans of Philly are deserving of!!! Sometimes you have to win UGLY. You cannot do that unless you have some GOONS on your football team. All the other teams in the division have GOONS!!!
write a new comment