Mcnabb

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Arizona, here they come, and Kurt Warner had better watch out. What the Philadelphia Eagles possessed in patience and trust, the New York Giants lacked in sense of urgency yesterday. Donovan McNabb and Brent Celek scored touchdowns while Eli Manning could do little more than produce field-goal drives. The result earned the Eagles a shocking 23-11 win over New York at Giants Stadium and gave them a trip to Arizona to take on the Cardinals in the NFC championship game Sunday.

You can say it doesn't take a rocket scientist to be an NFL cheerleader. Except when it comes to Summer Williams. She is one of the Houston Texans cheerleaders and an aerospace engineer for the Jacobs Engineering Group, a NASA contractor. Williams works in a group that helps keep the international space station suitable for living. Williams enjoyed dance while growing up and after moving to Houston to work for Jacobs, she decided to try out for the Texans cheerleaders after being egged on by male co-workers who thought her tryout would be a good way for them to meet women.

Ravens quarterback Steve McNair started his weekly news conference yesterday with a request. "No Donovan McNabb questions, please," McNair said with a smile after practice in Owings Mills. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback's comments on a national television show Tuesday night about black quarterbacks in the NFL being judged more critically and facing more pressure than their white counterparts remain a touchy subject, and one that McNair, a 13-year veteran, wouldn't touch. McNair's two backups did. Kyle Boller, who has received more than his share of criticism from media and fans during his five seasons with the Ravens, recalled what Jim Fassel told him when the former New York Giants coach came to Baltimore at the height of Boller-bashing.

I'm a hypocrite. There's really no other way to put it, given that I picked Larry Johnson third overall in a recent draft after telling you all for the past two months to do the exact opposite. But this points to an interesting dichotomy in fantasy sports. These games are ideological exercises, ones in which the greatest satisfaction comes from charting an imaginative course and having it pay off with smashing victory. On the other hand, they're games and you want to win, even if that means following the dullest strategy imaginable.

No. 18 Syracuse (8-3) vs. No. 7 Florida (9-2)When: Tonight, 8.Where: Orange Bowl, Miami.TV: Chs. 2, 7.Line: Florida by 7.Outlook: Syracuse is making its 19th bowl appearance and seventh of the 1990s. The Orangemen are 10-7-1. Florida is making its 26th appearance and its sixth consecutive New Year's Day bowl. The Gators are 12-13-0. This game will pit Syracuse's high-scoring offense and QB Donovan McNabb against Florida's defense, ninth nationally. This game has been moved back to the Orange Bowl (from Pro Player Stadium)

Donovan McNabb was among the last to leave the Syracuse locker room early yesterday morning. He emerged wearing an olive suit and white shoes and feeling some heartache beneath his ever-present smile.McNabb, the option quarterback who accounted for more than 10,000 yards running and passing in his career, had spent time trading hugs and handshakes with the 11 other Syracuse seniors whose last game became a nightmarish 31-10 loss to Florida in the Orange Bowl on Saturday night."We're upset about the loss," McNabb said.

No. 18 Syracuse (8-3) vs. No. 7 Florida (9-2)When: Tonight, 8.Where: Orange Bowl, Miami.TV: Chs. 2, 7.Line: Florida by 7.Outlook: Syracuse is making its 19th bowl appearance and seventh of the 1990s. The Orangemen are 10-7-1. Florida is making its 26th appearance and its sixth consecutive New Year's Day bowl. The Gators are 12-13-0. This game will pit Syracuse's high-scoring offense and QB Donovan McNabb against Florida's defense, ninth nationally. This game has been moved back to the Orange Bowl (from Pro Player Stadium)

1 Keep rookie quarterback Donovan McNabb guessing with a series of tricky schemes and blitz so he can't get comfortable and get in a groove2 Control the game by running Stephen Davis, the NFC's third-leading rusher, against a Philadelphia rush defense that is ranked 27th.3 Contain Duce Staley, the NFC's second-leading rusher, to force McNabb into passing situations when the Redskins can blitz.

1 Don't give the ball away. Quarterback Brad Johnson can't afford to commit five turnovers, the way he did in the loss two weeks ago.2 Confuse Donovan McNabb. The Redskins' defense, 30th in the NFL, held the rookie to 60 yards passing last time and needs to do it again.3 Tighten the coverage on special teams. They can't let Allen Rossum burn them again with two long kickoff returns.

NEW YORK -- Donovan McNabb got a sneak preview of what it's like to play for the Philadelphia Eagles yesterday.The Philadelphia fans, noted for booing Santa Claus, gave the same treatment to the Syracuse quarterback when he came on the stage after being selected as the second pick in the draft.The Eagles fans, who were chanting "We want Ricky [Williams]" before the draft, were disappointed the Eagles didn't take the running back. Williams was the popular choice in Philadelphia and mayor Ed Rendell had even lobbied for his selection.

On January 20, 2009, Valmarino B. Capitanio, Friends are invited to attend a memorial service at 11:30 A.M. Friday, January 23, 2009 at McNabb Funeral Home at 301 Frederick Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228.

Philadelphia (11-6-1) at Arizona (11-7), 3 p.m. TV: Chs. 45, 5 Line: Eagles by 3 1/2 What works for Arizona: The Cardinals' passing game features two of the best playmakers in the NFL in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. QB Kurt Warner reinvented himself this season in the desert. But the biggest reason the Cardinals are in the championship game is their defense, which has forced nine turnovers in two playoff games and is allowing just 67.5 rushing yards in the postseason. What works for Philadelphia: Defense has carried the Eagles all season.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Arizona, here they come, and Kurt Warner had better watch out. What the Philadelphia Eagles possessed in patience and trust, the New York Giants lacked in sense of urgency yesterday. Donovan McNabb and Brent Celek scored touchdowns while Eli Manning could do little more than produce field-goal drives. The result earned the Eagles a shocking 23-11 win over New York at Giants Stadium and gave them a trip to Arizona to take on the Cardinals in the NFC championship game Sunday.

PHILADELPHIA - Written off last month, the resurgent Philadelphia Eagles are making a strong playoff push. Donovan McNabb threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns, Asante Samuel scored on an interception return and the Eagles beat the struggling Cleveland Browns, 30-10, last night for their third straight victory. Philadelphia (8-5-1) remained a half-game behind three teams in the race for the two NFC wild-card spots. The Eagles have to win their final two games - at Washington and home against Dallas - and need Atlanta or Tampa Bay to lose once to secure a playoff berth.

Eagles (6-5-1) @Giants (11-1) TIME, TV:: 1 p.m., chs. 45, 5 LINE:: Giants by 6 1/2 FANTASY FACTOR: : Eagles QB Donovan McNabb threw for 260 yards and four touchdowns against the Cardinals on Thanksgiving Day, just four days after being benched against the Ravens. ... Eagles WR DeSean Jackson leads NFL rookies with 775 receiving yards. ... Giants QB Eli Manning is 25-5 in his past 30 starts, including 6-1 against the Eagles. THE BUZZ:: The Giants sacked McNabb 12 times in his previous game at Giants Stadium.

The Cassel question One of the pressing issues facing the Patriots is what to do with QB Matt Cassel, who is 6-4 since replacing Tom Brady. He'll be an unrestricted free agent in March. The Pats can't afford to pay both Cassel and Brady, and they can't afford the cap hit if they pull a sign-and-trade deal. Cassel is the big (money) winner here. The McNabb answer So that's what happens when you send the quarterbacks coach to tell Donovan McNabb he has been benched in the middle of a game in Baltimore.

Trains pass each other in the dead of night, the darkness hiding their direction and the wind drowning their whistles. Football teams, however, pass each other on Sundays, in broad daylight with television cameras capturing every detail. The moment at M&T Bank Stadium yesterday was poetic. After the Ravens' 36-7 triumph over the Eagles, the rookie quarterback crossed the field to seek out the veteran. Joe Flacco was 13 years old when Donovan McNabb entered the NFL. He grew up outside Philadelphia and followed McNabb's career closely.

The only thing injured on Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb yesterday was his pride, and his benching might eventually cost coach Andy Reid his job. Quarterbacks and head coaches are often tied together when it comes to job security, and when one goes, the other often shortly follows. Just ask former Ravens coach Brian Billick and Kyle Boller. Reid benched his star quarterback after a miserable first half in which McNabb completed just 8 of 18 passes for 59 yards and had two interceptions and a quarterback rating of 13.2.

The Ravens' defense has tangled with Pro Bowl quarterbacks Peyton Manning, Derek Anderson and Carson Palmer, but none of them moves like Donovan McNabb. McNabb brings a different dimension to the field, and when the Philadelphia Eagles visit M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, the Ravens will have to stop a quarterback who can run as well as he can throw. "If you watch him on film, you know he's still got it," linebacker Ray Lewis said. "I think McNabb always has that flexibility [to run or throw]

Ravens rookie Joe Flacco gave Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb a shout-out. Flacco said he was aware a game could end in a tie but said people were making far too much of a deal out of McNabb's not knowing. I agree with Flacco. ( For more, go to baltimoresun.com/ravensinsider)