(Image via USA Today)
Andy Reid’s job as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles is safe at least through Monday night, per a report in the Daily News. And if you’re hoping that Reid will show mercy and throw himself on the sword of unemployment, you’re out of luck. It ain’t happening.
Reid was asked whether his own leadership has been rendered ineffective in trying to motivate his men. As we know with our Andy, he likes to evaluate everything. Including himself.
“Listen, I look at everything. I’m not telling you I don’t look at that. I think we’re not winning football games, so I take that responsibility and since I’m in that leadership spot, then my leadership right now isn’t good enough. I’ve got to do a better job there and make sure that we play better.” (Emphasis mine)
Do you think that the phrase “we’ve got to do a better job” or any variation thereof sounds as hollow to Reid as it comes out of his mouth as it does falling onto our tired, saddened ears?
The questioning went further and Reid was asked point blank if there was a stage when he would consider stepping down from his head coaching duties.
“I’m standing in front of the team and telling them these are the things we need to do, one of which is to continue to battle. So, I think that’d be a cop-out. That’s not how I see things. That’s not the way I’m wired. We’re going to keep battling and do it as a team. I’m not going to tell the guys one thing and then do the other.”
Big Red continues to stick up for his team, his players, and swears that there is no leadership void on the squad. And he continues to say that the issues are fixable. If the issues can be addressed but still are problems, then where do you go from there? What’s the point in saying the problems are “fixable” when you have shown game after game that the team is, for whatever reason, not capable of fixing them?
There are no words that Reid can say that any of us want to hear at this stage. We’re beyond that. There is nothing that can be said to begin to address the failure that has been this season. So Reid has stopped trying to explain. And we are no longer willing to listen.
The Eagles currently stand in 15th place in the NFC. The team in last place? Monday night’s opponent, the Carolina Panthers. Does anyone truly believe that there’s a team left in the league that the Birds can handily beat? Or just beat at all? If it doesn’t happen on Monday then a prime time audience will have a front-row seat to the revolt of a fanbase.
Injury news
Reid stated that Mike Vick will be the starting quarterback if healthy next week, throwing aside the conventional wisdom that the season is Foles’ to ride into the sunset. However, Vick failed his impact test and is still at baseline so still has a way to go towards health.
LeSean McCoy is also at stage one of his concussion and is day to day. Reid stated that, in his non-medical opinion, Shady’s injury didn’t seem as “significant” as Vick’s but added, “who am I to judge?”
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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports
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