And here of course I refer to Andy Reid
The season of strangeness continues at quarterback for the Eagles. After Donovan McNabb cracked a rib on a touchdown run in Philadelphia's 38-10 rout of Redskins game five opponent Carolina, backup Kevin Kolb went into the game, Kevin went seven for eleven for a whole 23 yards in about a quarter and a half of garbage time, there was no more scoring in the game.
With Michael Vick eligible to come off the roster exemption and practice but still not play for another week, the Eagles figured they needed a quarterback with Dono potentially in pain just from breathing and no other quarterback besides Kevin on the roster.
Perennial Philadelphia backup AJ Feeley, out of work at the start of the season, saw a better opportunity with Carolina now that backup Josh McCown is on injured reserve and starter Jake Delhomme is on shaky ground, four interceptions and a fumble Sunday against the Eagles.
With that option gone the Eagles went to the well, the bitter well and signed Jeff Garcia. That's a big fat lolz for me.
Jeff backed up Donovan McNabb in 2006, when Donovan went down with a torn ACL in November of that season Jeff came in and ripped off five consecutive wins to seal the NFC Beast for Philadelphia. Despite claiming in public that he wanted to come back and re sign with Philadelphia, and as ever with those fans there were those that wanted to jettison Dono in favor of Jeff, Jeff signed with the Buccaneers after two days on the market, as I recall there was some he said she said about whether Jeff was posturing or whether the Eagles chose not to retain Jeff.
After compiling a 14-10 record in essentially a season and a half in Tampa Bay, Buccaneers general manager Mark Domenik told Jeff's agent the team was done with him and he would be moving on.
This season Jeff was released by Oakland in the final round of cuts, that move left the team with Charlie Frye and Bruce Gradkowski as backups to JaMarcus Russell, Jeff's former backup in Tampa Bay, hardly two guys with a lot of playoff experience. Are the Raiders that certain JaMarcus can be good, or were they eager to be done with Jeff?
Anecdotally I think Jeff Garcia has developed a reputation as a morale killing backup, an agitator for the starting spot that will go and talk out of turn to the media, that guy that when asked about struggles of the starter just shrugs rather than stand up for his teammate, that asks rhetorical questions like, could I do any better? I don't know, maybe, that's coach's call.
Personally I think the Eagles did not want him back, they would rather have gone with AJ Feeley as the insurance policy in case Dono's comeback was slow rather than worry about puffed up Jeff and having to have the demotion talk with him. And for a guy that is supposed to be so good with quarterbacks, Jon Gruden sat him down as a healthy scratch and said get the hell out of town.
Now Jeff is back with Philadelphia, Pro Football Talk says the signing is about a lack of confidence in Kevin Kolb, a notion at which Derek of IgglesBlog scoffs.
From where I am sitting so far this season the Eagles tried to sign a coach, when that contract was invalidated they signed the ex con, then could not convince the former backup to come back to the team and now are bringing back the malcontent as short term backup to the possible future quarterback in whom the team may or may not have confidence.
Get your popcorn ready, those guys either have it wired in a way no one can crack or they are just swinging at everything, hoping to connect.
The Redskins play the Eagles in game seven in October, lifetime Eagles fan, season ticket holder and Curly R reader/lurker Wilbert Montgomery and I will be there, it will be our 20th of the previous 21 Redskins-Eagles games and the 18th straight contest for me.
Oh and Jeff is going to need a new jersey number as well.
Apologies to the movie Jaws for the title. Jeff Garcia on the cover of Sports Illustrated from here.
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