By Sean Salisbury
Special to ESPN.com
Donovan McNabb facing Brian Urlacher may be the best offensive and defensive matchup of the playoffs, but McNabb will come out on top in Saturday's matchup.
Why? Because McNabb is the ultimate weapon at quarterback in the league. Does that mean he's better than Kurt Warner, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning? No, but McNabb has qualities they don't have. There is nothing McNabb can't do as a quarterback.
The last two seasons he has accounted for more than 70 percent of the Eagles' offense and gotten them to the playoffs. McNabb can do it without a running game. In fact, he is the team's best running back. And he did it without a consistent passing game, although he got hot the last month of the season. He has also had incredible touchdowns-to-interception ratio in the red zone, which is the sign of a great quarterback.
Urlacher might be faster than McNabb, but McNabb still has speed, confidence and strength and -- at 240 pounds -- is tough to bring down in the open field. Aside from Favre and maybe Michael Strahan, McNabb has more fun than any player in the league. He genuinely enjoys himself. That has a lot to do with his success.
McNabb knows he has to dress in a phone booth for the Eagles to win, and I don't believe he can have an average game and they can win. But I think the Eagles will beat the Bears, so I think he will play better than average. When players go back home, they bring something extra, and McNabb is headed back home to Chicago for this game.
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By Mark Malone
Special to ESPN.com
Brian Urlacher is better equipped physically to deal with Donovan McNabb than any other linebacker in the league. He has the strength to bring down McNabb -- if he gets to him. Urlacher's problem is that he has the speed of a safety. Few people do get to McNabb -- most teams put a safety on him, someone to spy, but McNabb can stiff arm and run through guys. It will be at least part of the Bears' defensive plan to spy McNabb -- then it will be up to Urlacher to make sure he gets to him.
If McNabb has one big run, everyone will say that McNabb got the best of the matchup. Not so fast. Urlacher's an amazing physical specimen. The Bears will set up their defense to ensure that Urlacher is bound to get to McNabb at least a few times. McNabb won't be able to run through Urlacher the way he does with other linebackers.
Urlacher's awesome strength will occasionally knock down -- and maybe even rattle -- Donovan McNabb.
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