# Donovan McNabb 2011 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 26, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336 "2011-07-26T00:52:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336/21 "2011-07-28T20:15:33Z")
> [@mkecane](#): > > Wow @ Josh Freeman. I knew he had a nice season last year, but didn’t realize he did that well. Nobody else did, either. I’m pretty sure the only Buccaneers highlights that Fox/CBS/ESPN bothered airing at all last season were the two runs where LeGarette Blount hurdled defenders. ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336/22 "2011-07-28T22:10:08Z")
I’m very bullish on Freeman. Think he’ll be a Top 3 NFC QB in a season or so. Provided Tampa gives him the right tools. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336/23 "2011-07-28T22:37:28Z")
I’m waiting to see how he does against a harder schedule, but taking into account the overall level of talent on the offense around him I think he was the true league MVP last year. ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336/24 "2011-07-29T07:54:23Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I’m waiting to see how he does against a harder schedule, but taking into account the overall level of talent on the offense around him I think he was the true league MVP last year. He was shockingly good, but Vick did more against significantly tougher opponents. And for any argument made for Freeman, Brady did the same, except better. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336/25 "2011-07-30T04:36:51Z")
McNabb is going to the Vikings, and this season will be a riot for this Packer fan. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336/26 "2011-07-30T06:15:11Z")
I’m an Eagle fan, I love McNabb, I am rooting for the Vikings to get a playoff spot… BUT THAT’S IT! 😃 Seriously, the Vikes are a much better team than Redskins at this time. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336/27 "2011-07-30T18:06:05Z")
> [@Jules\_Andre](#): > > He was shockingly good, but Vick did more against significantly tougher opponents. And for any argument made for Freeman, Brady did the same, except better. Vick did more (given that he missed games), but not much more, and not against significantly tougher opponents. The Eagles’ only opponents who made the playoffs were the Bears, Packers, Colts and Falcons. The Buccaneers played the Falcons twice, the Saints twice, the Steelers, Ravens and _cough_ Seattle. The other three NFC South teams won 26 games. The other three NFC East teams won… 26 games. Now, based on 2009 win percentages, the Bucs had the 25th hardest 2010 schedule and the Eagles had the 9th hardest. [But based on 2010 records, the Eagles were tied for 16th and the Bucs were 22nd](http://thesportsgeeks.com/2011/01/03/winning-the-games-youre-scheduled-to-play-an-analysis-of-the-2010-nfl-strength-of-schedule/). Both had overall opponents’ winning percentages under .500. Freeman completed 61.4% of his passes for a 7.3 yard average. Vick completed 62.6 per cent for an 8.1 yard average. Freeman threw 25 TDs and 6 picks; Vick threw 21 and 6. Vick had a 100.2 rating, Freeman 95.9. Freeman took 28 sacks, Vick 34. Freeman fumbled 8 times, Vick 11. Granted, Vick rushed for an extra 300 yards, but in every other category Freeman’s numbers are comparable or better. When you consider that Vick had DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Brent Celek and LeSean McCoy to throw to, I think you have to admit that Vick had much better help, no matter how good Mike Williams turned out to be. I can’t argue with Brady, though. ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336/28 "2011-07-30T19:27:23Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > The Eagles’ only opponents who made the playoffs were the Bears, Packers, Colts and Falcons. The Buccaneers played the Falcons twice, the Saints twice, the Steelers, Ravens and _cough_ Seattle. Fair enough, but Freeman also gorged himself on the Panthers twice too. When I said Vick’s opponents were significantly tougher, that isn’t correct, I retract that. In hindsight I was not giving enough credit to the Falcons who got stomped by the Eagles (and looked awful) and stomped in the playoffs (and looked awful). But I’ll concede that point. > [@](#): > > Freeman completed 61.4% of his passes for a 7.3 yard average. Vick completed 62.6 per cent for an 8.1 yard average. Freeman threw 25 TDs and 6 picks; Vick threw 21 and 6. Vick had a 100.2 rating, Freeman 95.9. Freeman took 28 sacks, Vick 34. Freeman fumbled 8 times, Vick 11. > > Granted, Vick rushed for an extra 300 yards, but in every other category Freeman’s numbers are comparable or better. That’s interesting. So Freeman had a lower completion percentage for a lower average, threw only 5 more TDs in 4 more games, had a lower QB rating, and I’ll notice you didn’t mention rushing TDs. Why is that? (Hint: Because Freeman had zero and Vick had NINE) > [@](#): > > When you consider that Vick had DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Brent Celek and LeSean McCoy to throw to, I think you have to admit that Vick had much better help, no matter how good Mike Williams turned out to be. Well I’ll definitely take the Eagles’ weapons over anyone else, but this is a little misleading. Celek was awful last year, Jackson was not as good as he had been and missed a few games, and McCoy and Blount were fairly comparable. I agree that Vick had more weapons, but for everything in these last couple posts, it certainly doesn’t seem to me like Freeman was the true MVP. The numbers and the results don’t bear that out. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336/29 "2011-07-30T19:39:27Z")
Forgot about rushing TDs. McCoy and Blount might be comparable in terms of rushing production, but McCoy caught 78 passes. Blount caught _five_. Jackson was 12th in receiving yards and led the league in yards per catch with 22.5. Plus the two games he missed were games that Vick also missed. Sure, Celek had a down year. Freeman didn’t have a 1,000 yard receiver (though Mike Williams came close). Other than Williams and Winslow (730 yards), he didn’t even have a 500 yard receiver. Vick had 5. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336/30 "2011-08-04T02:02:36Z")
I think McNabb at least has the _potential_ to give the Vikings some lightning in a bottle. He’s only 34, it’s not like he’s ancient. He’s also going to have a superstar running back for the first time in his career (Westbrook was good, but not elite, and not really a pure running back). He’ll have a couple of weapons to throw to, and the Vikings finally seem to have a real coach in Frazier. I’m not saying McNabb is sure thing, or that he can’t be a bust here, but I think he has a _chance_ at least. I found his signing to be a relief, considering what we had here to begin with - a really, really raw Joe Webb and a completely untested rookie in Christian Ponder (from the film I’ve seen on Ponder in college, his arm strength worries me. he doesn’t exactly throw rockets). McNabb is a multiple pro-bowler with deep post-season experience. He’s smart and we at least know he can run an offense without being totally lost. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336/31 "2011-08-04T06:06:48Z")
DIO!! Glad to see you on this thread. I’m an Eagles fan, most of my friends in CA seem to be Viking fans. I loved McNabb for the 11 seasons. I think the Vikes have a potential playoff spot with McNabb, but my dad will still profess that “he can’t read a defense for nothing!” I disagree with that. One thing to note is why didn’t the Eagles take any Vikings? We even drafted towel guys from Tampa Bay! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336/32 "2011-08-04T21:51:36Z")
So Minnesota has McNabb, Ponder, Webb, and Tarvaris Jackson. Wait… Jackson is gone? No biggie, I’d take any of the other 3 before him. Poor guy is without a job. Wait… What?! He’s the Seahawks starter!!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donovan-mcnabb-2011/590336.md?page=1)