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‘Dream Team’ has put Reid on firing line Paul Sokoloski Opinion

Tuesday November 29, 2011 | 12:00 AM

Paul Sokoloski psokoloski@timesleader.com

Frustrated Philadelphia fans insist they want Eagles coach Andy Reid fired.

But it’s his players who deserve to be on the firing line.

The problem is, so many Eagles are making mistakes, it’s hard to single out just one, like Philadelphia fans did when former quarterback Donovan McNabb was throwing passes at the feet of open receivers.

But the coach is wide open for criticism after this Eagles team turned into such disarray.

Star receiver DeSean Jackson was benched in the fourth quarter for essentially quitting during Sunday’s 38-20 loss to the New England Patriots.

The undisciplined Eagles seemed to be playing a game of ‘Who can jump offsides first’ while committing an atrocious 10 penalties in the game.

And Philadelphia’s defense didn’t care to cover anybody while allowing Tom Brady’s three touchdown passes and 361 passing yards.

After bolting to a 10-point lead, the Eagles were outscored 38-3 until a meaningless touchdown in the final minute.

And it could be the final straw that gets Reid fired after 13 seasons as Philadelphia’s head coach.

Not many coaches survive a 4-7 train wreck after the organization brings in whole pool of Pro Bowl players during the offseason.

But those players have to produce.

“I’m going to go out and play had for Andy, play in and play out,” Eagles guard Jason Peters said. “He brought me here.”

Yet, the Eagles have brought expectations to rock bottom during a season that started with Super Bowl talk.

That’s why Philadelphia fans are speaking their mind.

A few of them broke into a brief but distinctive “Fire Andy” chant after Reid shunned the run on a fourth-and-1 play from the Patriots’ 2-yard line midway through the third quarter and Vince Young’s pass sailed toward Broad Street. The Patriots were leading 31-13 at that point.

By the time the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field called for Reid’s dismissal again, in a more prolonged chant with New England up 38-13 in the fourth quarter, only a handful of the 63,000 fans were left to sustain it.

“You never want to hear that,” Eagles tight end Brent Celek said. “I guess the fans are frustrated. They don’t know what to do. They pay a lot of money to come watch these games. We’ve got a talented team. And we’re not playing very well. Us players are putting a bad product on the field. We’ve got to pick it up.”

Look, the Eagles have gotten picked apart by Brady and the Patriots in the past, even on their best days.

The revered Jim Johnson couldn’t find a way to slow down New England’s offense when he was alive.

But the Eagles never looked as lifeless in those games as they did Sunday, even at the end of New England’s victory in Super Bowl XXXIX.

“I’m disappointed in a lot of things, starting with myself,” Reid said.

It’s his fault, he has to put players in better positions, he has to fix the mistakes – particularly the penalties that make his team seem so disinterested.

Isn’t that what Reid’s been saying through this whole, miserable season for the Eagles?

Then why hasn’t it happened yet?

“If I could answer that, I’d end it,” Reid said.

He’s out of answers and the Eagles are out of time.

When you can’t dismiss the whole team for ineptitude, you cut the coach who’s responsible for it.