Don't rule Donovan out just yet

Yes, I am aware of what it says on the Back Page of today’s Daily Times.

Every indication is that Kevin Kolb is going to be the starter on Sunday when the Eagles open at home against the New Orleans Saints.

I still have my doubts.

Why do I have this lingering feeling that the guy under center on Sunday might be the one QB of the four at the Nova Care Center yesterday who was not taking part in practice.

Maybe I’m just reading too much between the lines of the cryptic comments that we routinely get from Andy Reid.

Still, what I hear is that IF Donovan can’t go, Kolb will be the guy.

Yesterday, the Eagles top pick in the 2007 draft took all the snaps with the first-team offense. Newly activated Michael Vick and newly signed Jeff Garcia worked with the scout team.

So Kolb is the guy, right? Uh, sort of.

What I’m thinking is this comes down to a meeting between McNabb and Reid on Sunday morning. And I’m saying it’s not outside the realm of reason that McNabb might decide to give it a go.

I don’t think he should. I don’t think he should risk making those ouchy ribs, which could keep him out of the lineup for a week or two, and possibly turn them into something more serious, something that bothers him all season.

The scenarios in this Big Top of a QB controversy are endless.

Let’s say McNabb does try to give it a go, and is ineffective. Then what does Andy Reid do? Go to Kolb? Garcia? You can at least rule out Vick; he’s ineligible to play Sunday as he serves the second week of his suspension for his dog-fighting conviction.

There is a train of thought out there (straight out of the Grassy Knoll
file) that the Eagles brought in Garcia precisely to push McNabb to get back on the field ASAP. Talk about pushing a guy’s buttons. The feeling is that McNabb was so bothered about the accolades Garcia got in his last go-round here that he would do anything to prevent a repeat performance.

What if Garcia comes in for either McNabb or Kolb and proves to be the savior, plays well, leading the team to a big win? What happens on Monday, when Vick suddenly enters the picture?

Of course, all of this overlooks one other possibility. Kolb starts and lights the Saints up, throwing for 350 yards and 3 TDs as the Eagles win a shootout, 31-29.

Hey, stranger things have happened. After all, this is the Eagles we’re talking about.

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