Either the man is a master of deadpan humor or he didn't realize what he'd said. Sometimes, you open your mouth and a little bit of genius slips out, unplanned.
Beyond the unintentional comedy, the exchange had significance. It made me understand what the Arizona win really meant. It meant the Eagles have to keep talking about must-wins and how "every game is a playoff game now." It meant they had to talk about how the Burress nonsense helps them on Sunday in a terribly important game. It meant the questions leading into the matchup were all what-if oriented: What if they run the table and make the playoffs? Will Donovan McNabb stay? Will Andy Reid never leave?
Mostly, though, beating the Cardinals meant everyone - the players, the coach, and especially the media - must continue the charade. At least through Sunday, and maybe longer.
While there's still a chance, however slim, that the Birds win out and then do something wonderful and unexpected in the playoffs, everyone refuses to acknowledge the long odds against that happening. (See the end of this column to learn exactly how long.) Why darken the mood when you can whistle the Eagles' fight song as you stroll past the graveyard?
And so, when McNabb was asked if he feels as if he has any long-term job security as the starting quarterback, he wasn't sure what to say. Deep down, he knows he's probably out of here after the season. And he knows we all know it, too. But he can't say that because the Giants game is huge, and you have to keep up appearances.
Rather than answer honestly, he sat in silence for what felt like forever. "Uh," he said, searching for something innocuous or appropriate to offer. "I am the quarterback, and I will be the quarterback. So if that's where you're going with it, I don't look at anything else that's happened."
