Looking for now just at games in which McNabb played, did you notice as you put this together how other guys played in the games in which "Reggie played like a flat-out stud."

Among the wideouts in those 6 games, only one game truly stands out.

Baskett vs. Dallas (06) - 3 of 6 for 112 yards and 1 touchdown.

With other receivers, the only good game mixed in is:

Westbrook vs. Tampa (06) - 7 of 11 for 113 yards and 1 touchdown

There were some games where the Schobel and Smith together had a good game when combined (49ers and Saints in 06).

When Stallworth and Brown were both active, they only had good games together with Garcia - Panthers and Redskins, then Giants and Saints in the playoffs.

Brown and Curtis both had good games against the Jets and Vikings, a rarity recently from McNabb.  I guess we'd need to define "good game" though before going further.

Stallworth with McNabb was 21 of 42 (50% completion) for 443 yards and 3 touchdowns.  That's a 111.5 passer rating.

Stallworth with Garcia was 19 of 37 (51.4% completion) for 348 yards, 4 touchdowns and 1 interception.  That's a 108.8 passer rating.

McNabb supposedly plays in the West Coast Offense.

In the WCO, the primary playmaker is the Z Receiver, or Flanker.  This is the guy lined up usually on the offensive right and next to the Tight End on the strong side of the formation.  This has been Reggie Brown's position since inheriting it from Owens in mid-2005.  Owens held this position in San Francisco after taking it from Jerry Rice.  This is the #1's position.

The X Receiver is the Split End.  He's usually on the offensive left and is often a speed guy.  he must line up on the line to cover the left tackle unless the Y receiver lines up on the line in the left slot or there is a second Tight End.  The Eagles have played Pinkston, Lewis, Stallworth, Baskett, and now Curtis in this position since 2004.  All guys they have theoretically considered #2's.

The offensive theory, as I understand it, is that the Z receiver is a slower more physical guy who makes up for his speed with a free release without a jam on the line (although he may have to fight through bumps and blocks from the Strong Safety and SAM Linebacker in the first 5 yards, since those guys would normally be on his side of the field and may try to disrupt his pattern if not blitzing and the Tight End does not release), while the Y receiver may have to beat a jam on the line from the right cornerback (usually a team's #2 corner), but is supposed to use his speed to make up for this delay.

The Eagles stick to this scheme pretty religiously when two wideouts are on the field and the team is not in the redzone (with a slot receiver, they sometimes moved Owens and now Brown into the slot, in the redzone players go everywhere).  If you think about all the big plays from Owens, Brown, Stallworth, Curtis, and Baskett over the past 4 years, you'll recall that almost every big play from Stallworth, Lewis, Baskett, and Curtis took place on the left side of the field while plays from Owens and Brown developed from the right.  For example, Lewis' big catch against Atlanta in the playoffs, Baskett's 87 yarder against Dallas, or Curtis' two long touchdowns this year all came on the left side of the field.  OTOH, Owens 91 yarder against Denver, and Brown's flea flicker touchdowns last year all came off the offensive right.

So if Brown is theoretically McNabb's primary receiver, why is he not having success with him and going to the Split End instead, to the point of using him as a security blanket?  Garcia and McMahon both played it the normal way, and McNabb did too when the Split End was a scrub in 2005 and 2006.

In the Jets and Vikings games this year, I believe Marty Mornhinweg made a comment about the need to purposefully look to get Reggie more involved in the offense.  He responded with his two best games of the year.

Can you correct the diary?  I got the passer rating order a little screwed up.  It should read:

Since his drafting, Reggie has played

1) with McNabb and another receiver McNabb favored (Owens, Stallworth, and Curtis) - this happened on Week 1 through 8 of 2005, Week 1, 2, 4, 8, and 10 of 2006, the first part of Week 11 of 2006, Week 1 through 9 of 2007 - 22 games.

2) with McNabb and a scrub as the other receiver (Lewis or Baskett) - this happened on Weeks 9 and 10 of 2005, Week 3 of 2006, and Weeks 5 through Week 7 of 2006 - just 6 games.

3) with a injury replacement QB for McNabb - either Garcia or McMahon - Week 11 through 17 of 2005, Week 12 through the Divisional Championship of 2006 - 14 games

In situation 1, Reggie is a career 44 catches on 96 passes (45.8% completion percentage) for 619 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.  61.1 passer rating for McNabb throwing to him.

In situation 2, Reggie is a career 27 catches on 46 passes (58.7% completion percentage) for 492 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.  97.2 passer rating for McNabb throwing to him.

In situation 3, Reggie is a career 55 catches on 99 passes (55.6% completion percentage) for 799 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.  If youi ignore the injury relief portions of the 2005 Cowboys and 2006 Titans games where the QB's had not had a chance to practice with Reggie, he went 53 catches on 88 passes for 768 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.  106.4 passer rating for McMahon and Garcia throwing to him.

Thanks!