EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- During a week when the Minnesota Vikings have been feeling the relief of their first win and expressing optimism the momentum can continue into the thick of their schedule, they've also been subject to further scrutiny about the state of their passing game and whether it's competent enough to help even out their record.
That's because quarterback Donovan McNabb connected on just 10 of his 21 throws last Sunday against Arizona and through five weeks ranks in the bottom six among NFL starting quarterbacks in completion percentage (56.8) and yards passing (849). On one drive in the fourth quarter, McNabb's throw to Percy Harvin on a bubble screen bounced and his rollout pass four plays later to Visanthe Shiancoe hit the turf about five yards short of a seven-yard pattern.
On that one, McNabb saw Shiancoe stumble at the beginning of his route. He said he tried to pull the ball back, concerned the defender would be in position for an interception, but it slipped out and wilted in front of him.
McNabb nodded as a question was asked about that throw, seeming to acknowledge his mistake, but he has sidestepped the criticism as often as he can.
Coach Leslie Frazier mentioned casually a couple of weeks ago the Vikings were examining McNabb's throwing motion and footwork, and the frequency of his erratic passes have kept the issue on the hot topic list for fans and analysts.
"This whole mechanics thing is getting out of hand. Everybody works on mechanics, no matter what position you play," McNabb said Wednesday at his weekly news conference, the closest he came to showing any frustration about the continued attention on his inaccuracy.
He added: "I'm all about winning. I'm not about numbers."
Make no mistake, though: McNabb, 34, has never been an exceptionally accurate thrower, even while playing in the West Coast offense in Philadelphia that's based around low-risk passes.
McNabb's best year was 2004, the season the Eagles went to the Super Bowl. He connected on 64 percent of his throws, and he had only eight interceptions against 31 touchdown tosses. But McNabb's career passing percentage is 58.9. Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers, by comparison, are above 65 percent.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
