Sep. 14--IRVING -- Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman and Tony Romo have gotten kid-glove treatment over the years compared to Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb.
Nobody loves beating up the best quarterback in Eagles' history more than Eagles fans themselves.
It's hard to remember four straight trips to the NFC Championship Game when all you remember is that McNabb threw up in the huddle during a Super Bowl loss. A messy divorce with Terrell Owens, freak injuries in 2006 and 2007 and all of a sudden, Eagles fans are rushing to embrace Jeff Garcia and Kevin Kolb.
One game can change everything in the City of Brotherly Love. McNabb threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-3 romp over the lowly St. Louis Rams last week.
McNabb is now being viewed in Philly as a regal statesman with a renewed fire heading into Monday's game at Texas Stadium.
"No matter what I do, I have detractors or critics or whatever it may be," McNabb said in a conference call with reporters. "It's been 10 years for me. I didn't feel I needed to prove anything this year. I just needed to come out and be healthy first and foremost, and just go out and play football. Everything takes care of itself."
McNabb seemed amused by the sudden turnaround in public sentiment. A columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote a tongue-in-cheek love letter to the city's hero/goat under the headline "Donovan, take us back."
"Dear Donovan," the columnist wrote. "Is it too late for us?"
Apparently, you can go home again -- even to the same town that once booed Santa Claus.
Several Cowboys said this week that McNabb never lost a step. He was simply hurt. McNabb suffered a torn ACL in 2006 and missed the final six games. Then he muddled through the 2007 season with an injured leg and a sports hernia.
McNabb was almost a sitting duck in the backfield last year. He was sacked 44 times and did not score a rushing touchdown for the first time since 1999, his rookie year.
He still managed to complete 23 of 41 passes for 208 yards and one touchdown in a 10-6 upset over the Cowboys last December. With the win, McNabb improved to 10-5 against the Cowboys.
