McNabb returns Jackson's barbs with some of his own

When Donovan McNabb(notes) left Philadelphia, he made sure not to burn bridges on his way down I-95 to Washington. Perhaps it's because he wanted to save that for later.

Days after his former receiver, DeSean Jackson(notes), told The Sporting News that he was "very happy" with the decision to trade McNabb to the Redskins and that he doesn't "think we lost anything" as a result, McNabb returned the barb with a passive-aggressive dig at his new NFC East rival.

"It's so wild when people get to talking when you're not there, but when you're there everybody loves you," McNabb said.

"So I guess people will go deeper into it than I will. I'm a Redskin, no longer an Eagle. I had 11 great years and I'm moving on with my life, so whoever may say things when I'm gone, more power to them, but it's not making you look like a bigger man."

Two things: First, I'm pretty sure everybody didn't love McNabb all the time when he was in Philly or else he wouldn't be in Washington right now. Second of all, I thought you weren't going to "go deeper into it," Donovan? Yet isn't that exactly what you did in the sentences following that statement? You can't stake out the moral high ground right before slinging mud. Adding something like "I shouldn't say this, but ..." doesn't give you immunity to say whatever you'd like after.

If you want to go after Jackson, do it. He deserves it. His comments were unnecessary, insulting and will follow him around incessantly should either he or Kevin Kolb(notes) get off to a slow start this year. It's like he set aside fuel to add to a fire that may or may not burn. But take a shot at him, don't cower behind empty words and a media that enables your martyr-complex. (ESPN.com actually wrote the following sentence in its write-up of the spat: "On Saturday, McNabb took the high road in responding to Jackson's comments.")

DeSean Jackson should think the Eagles will be better without Donovan McNabb and McNabb should think Jackson is wrong for believing that. But this is something to be decided on the football field. This stuff belongs in the sandbox