Rich Hofmann: Eagles' McNabb has one task: Just win

TRUTH IN advertising: After writing an entire column about Donovan McNabb and the origins of the acknowledged chip on his shoulder, the realization suddenly hit: I don't care and I don't think you do, either.

There was an exploration of the question of why, exactly, McNabb has been able to rescue himself from the depths in the last 3 weeks after being benched at halftime against Baltimore. It is a fine enough question if you're killing time between now and Sunday, but that is the overriding point:

That nobody cares why.

That people only care about Sunday.

Yes, Andy Reid hit McNabb between the eyes when he benched him against the Ravens. Yes, McNabb was playing awful when the decision was made - awful in that game, and awful in the game before against Cincinnati, and pretty tepid in the two games before that. And, yes, he has been much better - much more accurate, much less reckless with the ball - since coming back.

But trying to determine the cause and effect here, like trying to read McNabb's mind for the last decade, is a sucker's game. And it is exhausting. And it is impossible in the end. So why bother?

Sunday, then.

Only Sunday.

On that day, McNabb will take the Eagles out against the Redskins. The Eagles will be favored in Landover, Md. They will be attempting to continue the keep-hope-alive thing that has fueled them for the last three games, all victories. That's it.

Wondering about what is fueling McNabb at this point is irrelevant. Trying to predict whether he is going to be back as the Eagles' quarterback next year, back for an 11th season, is still a premature waste of time. It is a results business and the results aren't yet in and that's it.

Sunday, then

Another result.

McNabb did his weekly press conference yesterday and the whole benching-as-motivation thing again was brought up. After the Monday night game, he told his ESPN buds that he didn't understand why he needed to be made the "scapegoat" in the Baltimore game, neatly permitted by his inquisitors to sidestep the point that he was playing as badly as he has ever played in the NFL. But that's what friends are for.

Anyway, post-scapegoat, it was pointed out to McNabb that some of his teammates have said that McNabb's benching ignited a sense of responsibility in the players around him. To which, McNabb replied: