Off to a 3-0 start and appearing more confident by the snap, there is no Rush to judge Donovan McNabb these days. Perhaps it's a lesson to fans ready to abandon their team before the first month of the season is done.

It was just a year ago, remember, when McNabb was at the centre of a storm after the highly touted Philadelphia Eagles stumbled to a 1-2 start.

The biggest knock came from then-ESPN analyst Rush Limbaugh, who floated the ridiculous notion that McNabb was being built up by the media because of his race.

The fallout was swift. Limbaugh was promptly fired and McNabb suddenly became efficient, leading the Eagles to a 12-4 season and a spot in the NFC Championship game.

"It was kind of just a motivational push for me (at the time)," McNabb said this week. "But as of right now, I haven't even thought about it.

"My focus is, as it was last year, to continue to do the right things. There are better things to think about (than Limbaugh's comments)."

It doesn't hurt that the Eagles are flying high. McNabb, who was voted the NFC player of the month for September, has completed 69.8% of his passes -- 76 of 106 -- for 931 yards.

The quarterback Limbaugh had blasted for being inaccurate has eight touchdowns and no interceptions and is off to the best start of his career.

This time last season, the Eagles were 1-2 and McNabb had competed just 49.5% of his attempts and had no touchdowns.

Perhaps the McNabb experience could be a lesson to Bills fans. In Buffalo, Drew Bledsoe is getting similar treatment with the 0-2 Bills.

"Because he's the quarterback, he's the one getting most of the attention," said Bills safety Troy Vincent, who was with the Eagles in 2003. "Last year, it wasn't just about Donovan.

"Collectively, none of us were getting it done. In those situations, we talked about it. It's not Donovan's ball club, it's our ball club."

FLUTIE DOWN THE RIVERS

He has defied his doubters so often it seems you can never count Doug Flutie out.

But the end may be getting nearer for the San Diego Chargers quarterback. Flutie was demoted to third on the depth chart this week as first-round draft pick Philip Rivers moved ahead of him.

The speculation is that Rivers will have the starting job before the end of the season, especially if Drew Brees doesn't prove he's worthy.

Flutie wasn't surprised at the demotion, but didn't seem pleased, either.

"I had anticipated this, I just didn't know when," Flutie said. "It was kind of my thinking going into the season.

"I'll do what's asked of me, whatever it might be."

BAD GUY TO BACK UP

Eleven quarterbacks have backed up Brett Favre with the Packers and gone on to start for another NFL team. Only one, Kurt Warner, has won a Super Bowl.

Warner was a back up to Favre during the 1994 training camp and after being cut, went on to a career in NFL Europe and the Arena Football League. The current New York Giants starter eventually landed with the St. Louis Rams and led them to a win in Super Bowl XXXIV.

"If I would have made the team, I'd still be on the bench," said Warner, whose Giants face the Packers tomorrow. "They have one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game."

OFF THE MARK

Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs was raving about quarterback Mark Brunell after Monday's 21-18 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

If he was being honest with himself, Gibbs should have been raving mad about Brunell's sloppy night.

Brunell missed nine of his first 11 attempts against the Cowboys and was sacked five times.

Gibbs' word for the performance: Heroic.

"That was one heck of a game for the quarterback in my opinion," Gibbs said after having a day to sleep on it.

"I hate to single him out. I'm excited about the way he played. I'm glad he's our quarterback."

Imagine what Gibbs might have said if the 'Skins had won.