Air McNair?
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I hate the phrase "washed up." Maybe it's because I've heard it used too many times in reference to Brett Favre, but I don't like it. If ever there was a person who deserved this moniker, it's Steve McNair. Sure we aren't allowed to criticize McNair because he's a good guy and he's played through so much, battled through so many tough injuries, and given everything he has to his team throughout his career (like Favre hasn't), but Baltimore will never see the AFC championship game with Steve McNair as their quarterback.
Steve McNair was once an excellent player, one of the best quarterbacks in the league in his prime, but he's not anymore. In fact the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears are eerily similar with their dominating defenses and make-you-queasy quarterbacks, but you will never hear Mr. McNair blasted the way you do with Rex Grossman. And Rex Grossman actually plays well once in a while. Certainly there are some other people out there acknowledging that Steve McNair isn't the answer in Baltimore, but most of the criticism from the national media was aimed at the refs for the bogus offensive pass interference call on Todd Heap and Brian Billick for not having Willis McGahee run the ball more (the closest thing to criticism the media will give Steve). Of course more of the press for the Chicago game centered around the dismal play of the quarterback.
The Bears have been widely criticized for their failure to find a different quarterback, but the Ravens oddly have not. It seems to me the Bears have more of a defensible argument for playing Grossman, he has looked very good at times, he's young, he could develop into a good QB, but the Ravens have none. McNair is not going to improve. I'm not saying it will always be as bad as it was last night, but he isn't going to develop into a good QB. He used to be a good QB, but the wear and tear of being a running quarterback in the NFL has caught up with him. His best days are behind him. The Ravens back-ups are Kyle Boller and Troy Smith, so they don't really have an option to replace McNair with, but shouldn't they at least be questioned for putting themselves in this situation? Sadly, for both McNair and the Ravens they just might learn what life will be like without him next Sunday. McNair suffered a groin injury last night. And maybe this is the reason no one dares blame Steve McNair for the loss, we all know we shouldn't kick a man while he's down.
